Recent studies by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that there were roughly 4.7 million injuries and illnesses in private industry in 2002. That means that there were 5.3 cases for every 100 workers; but, in the automotive repair and service industries, there were only 4.3 accidents out of 100 workers. Some of this is because workers are always on guard against potential accidents, and they also use the right gear when dealing with dangerous situations.
One government agency cited the following twelve situations that lead to the most marks for any auto mechanic shop: hazard communication; lead; respiratory protection; PPE; abrasive wheel; medical services first aid; oxygen-fuel gas welding; electrical, wiring, equipment, portable fire extinguishers; walking working surfaces; and, means of egress. If anything is out of whack with those items, the owners and managers of a mechanic shop can face serious government fines, serious penalties and even temporary/permanent closure. The reasoning behind this is that an auto mechanic faces these kinds of challenges every day. While the average office worker might interact with two or three machines, only one of which contains any real potential danger (elevator), a mechanic faces gears, belts, chemicals, wheels, and other items which move at intense speeds. If a belt comes loose, a wheel looses a bolt or a fluid gets on the skin, it can mean serious injury.
And, while the overall injury rate is lower, the fatality rate is quite high. From 2003 to 2005, 147 auto mechanics were killed on the job. That's a rather of 5.3 per 100,000, which is higher than the rate of 4.0 for all occupations combined (according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics). The types of injuries faced by auto mechanics come from contact with objects, equipment and/or fluids. Statistically, 19.5 percent involved vehicles, 13.9 percent involved hand tools that were non-powered (mean screw drivers, wrenches, etc.) and 9.2 percent involved engine parts.
Injuries due to a worker being struck by a moving object accounted for 22 percent for automotive repair, but only 13.6 percent of these types of injuries are in any other occupation.
How to Prevent Injuries
Preventing injuries for automotive repair requires not just skill, but the proper gear and the proper movements. For example, if you attempt to use the wrong size ratchets, screw drivers or tires, you won't be able to get the job done. And, if you have extremely sweaty hands, no eye protection or clothes that can get burned easily, you are in danger of not only doing a poor job, but causing yourself harm. Having the right tools, the right gear and the proper equipment is absolutely necessary for any auto mechanic. The leading source of injury or illness to mechanics in 2005 was parts and materials. Meaning that if a mechanic didn't have adequate eye protection, or let something slip because of sweaty hands, that mechanic was putting their health (and possibly their life) in danger.
The federal government determined that mechanics are at serious risk of injury, and are more likely than the average worker to be injured or killed on the job. Contact with objects and equipment were responsible for injuries (fatal and non-fatal). For mechanics looking to protect themselves, having the best gear possible to do the job is absolutely necessary, and that means keeping their eyes guarded, their bodies covered and their hands dry.
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