Health & Safety in the Motor Industry: Understanding the Risks and Your Responsibilities

There are approximately 40,000 businesses operating within the motor industry, most of which are small- to medium-sized enterprises. Across the sector, around 210,000 workers are exposed to workplace risks every day. 

Whether you run a small, independent local garage or manage a global brand car showroom, the motor industry presents significant workplace health and safety risks: understanding those risks, and how to manage them, is essential to protecting your employees and your business. 

What legal regulations apply to motor businesses?

The range of work carried out in a typical garage, combined with the equipment used, means that health and safety responsibilities can quickly become complex. In many cases, risks are overlooked or not fully understood.

Employers within the motor industry are expected to comply with a number of key regulations, including:

• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1999
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1999
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
• Working at Height Regulations 2005
• Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005

These regulations cover everything from safe workplaces and equipment to hazardous substances, lifting activities, and occupational health risks.

What are the most common accidents in the motor industry?

Accidents within motor workplaces tend to fall into three main categories:

• Slips and trips, which account for 20% of all accidents
• People being struck by vehicles, tools, or materials, also 20%
• Working at height, accounting for 10% of accidents 

Slips and trips

These incidents are often linked to poor housekeeping or unsafe practices. Common causes include tools, materials, and vehicle parts left on the floor, trailing electrical leads or air hoses, and spillages of oils or other liquids.

Being struck by vehicles or equipment

This type of accident is typically caused by the movement of vehicles in and out of bays, poor separation of pedestrians and vehicles, and employees focusing on tasks without awareness of surrounding activity.

Working at height

Although these accidents occur less frequently, they can result in more serious injuries. Examples include falls into inspection pits or failures of lifting equipment such as ramps, lifting posts, or vehicle jacks.

Are there other key risks I should look at?

In addition to the most common causes of accidents, employers should also consider the following risks:

• Electrical risk, which is increasing as the number of electric vehicles continues to grow
• Fire risk, due to the presence of flammable and combustible substances such as oils, greases, and fuel, with further risk where paint spraying is carried out on site
• Manual handling risks, with vehicle parts varying in size and weight, combined with awkward postures and limited access to lifting aids
• Noise and vibration, from power and air tools, which may be used infrequently but still pose a long-term occupational health risk 

How can I work towards compliance?

Improving compliance often starts with raising awareness among employers and employees. Understanding legal duties, identifying risks, and putting effective control measures in place can be supported through both internal and external training.

A full audit of your health and safety management system can then help identify any areas of weakness or non-compliance. This may include reviewing statutory requirements, risk assessments, testing and inspection of machinery and equipment, and traffic management arrangements within the workplace. 

Where can I get advice and guidance?

The Health and Safety Executive provides industry-specific guidance for the motor vehicle repair sector, which can support employers in understanding their responsibilities and managing risk effectively.