GNYADA 2019 Membership Directory & Services Guide

BEST PRACTICES IN LIFT SAFETY

Safety is an increasingly important concern in the auto dealership. The opportunity for a misstep can be costly on multiple levels. Consequences range from non-billable work created by a technician’s error to multimillion-dollar injury and negligence lawsuits. Keeping your technicians safe means keeping your dealership safe. Please note that lift safety is complicated and continually developed by both manufacturers and other third-parties and this is by no means an exhaustive list. Here are some best practices in lift safety: Train Your Technicians Properly Safety starts from the top and works its way down to your technicians. If your Service Manager or Fixed Operations Director understands the lift intimately and can communicate its nuances to your staff, you’re in good shape. But, if a Service Manager assumes that a technician may know how to work a lift (especially a junior technician), it may be a big mistake. It’s a best practice for the Service Manager to read a lift’s operating manual to understand the lift. There are also a variety of third-party educational resources dedicated to vehicle lift safety like Automotive Lift Institute (www.autolift.org). In general, some of the important criteria for a lift are: • Capacity: What weight can the lift tolerate? Are there any vehicles that come into the dealership that specifically cannot go on this lift? The capacity is on the nameplate of each lift. • How do the controls work? Operating controls are designed to close when released- do not block open or override them.

2019 membership directory & services guide / hot topics PG 99

• How do you properly spot a vehicle? Some other important tips to note: • A vehicle should never be up on a lift with someone inside, no matter what. Customers or by-standers should not be anywhere in the lift area during operation. • Always keep lift area free of obstructions, grease, oil, trash and other debris. • Before lowering lift, be sure tool trays, stands, etc. are removed from under vehicle. • Release locking devices before lowering lifts.

However, the training process doesn’t stop after the initial onboarding. It’s a best practice for the Service Manager to retrain technicians when technicians change the lift they’re working on (either because of a new lift or simply switching lifts in the same service department). It’s also recommended that the Service Manager refresh his technicians annually on lift safety. Technician’s Responsibilities After being properly trained by the Service Manager, a technician is responsible for the day-to-day operations and upholding the safety standards of the lift. Here are some best practices for technicians: • Be aware of what is going on in your bay at all times. Do not allow unqualified people in your bay. Customers continue to be unaware of the dangers present in the service area.