Our client operates a Car Dealership selling new and used cars across 2 locations from showrooms and car yards. Both locations include workshops and spare parts retail outlets. The business employees 60 permanent employees and utilizes services of approximately 15 contractors across the sites.
The major hazards associated the client’s operation include:
- Vehicle and pedestrian traffic management on site
- Manual Handling hazards - large spare parts, large tyres and engine parts; cramped and awkward positions under cars and over engines
- Slip and trip hazards
- Chemical hazards
- Crushing hazards due to potential failure of vehicle hoists, hydraulic jacks and trolley jacks and inadequate vehicle immobilization practices
- Asbestos exposure through older brake and clutch linings and some gaskets
- Noise hazards
Our client faced a number of challenges including limited OHS resources, a predominantly young male workforce with poor perception of need for OHS, perpetuated by a relatively low incident rate that gave them a false sense of security. Prior to our involvement they had no formal OHS systems in place.
Our Partner Program support has consisted of the development and implementation of a simple and clear OHS Management System tailored to the needs of the business; training and mentoring to staff individually and in groups to raise the awareness of OHS obligations and system requirements; assistance with the rehabilitation of an injured worker and facilitation of effective and timely Return to Work practices. We have also facilitated hazard identification and risk assessment activities. An OHS committee has been created, which is now the key internal driver for the system’s implementation and compliance.
We now conduct 6 weekly visits, coinciding with the OHS committee meetings to mentor key staff, review action plans, ensure corrective actions have been undertaken or at least allocated, write procedures and review the efficacy of existing ones. The client’s system continues to be fine-tuned to accurately reflect the most significant needs of the business with appropriate recognition of its constraints and commercial pressures.
