Garage and workshop health and safety: key areas to manage
Garage workshop health and safety requires practical controls that reflect the way your garage, workshop or forecourt actually operates. It means putting sensible, practical measures in place so staff, contractors and customers aren’t put at risk day to day. This guide sets out the key areas to get right, without turning it into a legal manual.
Health and safety policy and written arrangements
- Written Policy: Put together a clear health and safety policy that reflects how your garage actually operates, not a generic template.
- Written Arrangements: Set out how the policy works in practice, with clear responsibilities for who does what.
- Employee Consultation: Involve staff when developing the policy so it reflects real working practices and gets genuine buy-in.
- Regular Review: Revisit the policy when things change, such as layout, processes or staffing, to keep it relevant.
A health and safety compliance checklist can be a useful way to check whether your policy and arrangements are in place and to spot any gaps.
Risk assessment and control measures for garage safety
- Hazard review: Review the hazards specific to your garage, including slips, trips and falls, electrical risks, manual handling, fire hazards and substances such as fuel, oil and cleaning chemicals.
- Keep it practical: Risk assessments should identify sensible preventive measures, make sure someone is responsible for checking that actions are completed.
- Control Measures: Use safe work procedures, keep equipment and premises well maintained, provide clear signage, supply PPE where needed, and store hazardous goods safely.
- Review and Update: Revisit risk assessments after significant changes, such as a new layout, different vehicle throughput, new repair processes, new materials or a fire incident.
Manual handling and safe lifting
- Assessment and Control: Identify manual handling tasks using the TILE framework (Task, Individual, Load, Environment). Higher-risk tasks include lifting tyres, handling batteries, moving engine assemblies and working in cramped positions.
- Staff Training: Train staff in safe lifting techniques for the specific tasks they do.
- Equipment Utilisation: Use lifting aids, trolleys, tyre changers, battery trolleys and engine cranes to reduce injury risk, and share heavy tasks between two people where possible.
First aid provision and emergency response
- Needs Assessment: Base your first-aid provision on your hazards, accident history and number of employees.
- Well-Stocked Kits: Keep first-aid kits in accessible locations and check supplies regularly.
- Trained First-Aiders: Make sure there are enough trained first-aiders, and that all staff know who they are and where to find them.
- Emergency Procedures: Have clear steps for reporting accidents, responding with first aid, and contacting emergency services.
General workplace safety, housekeeping and facilities
- Facility Maintenance: Clean and check work areas regularly to prevent slips, trips and falls, the most common accident in busy garages. Mop up spilled oil and water straight away.
- Lighting: Provide good lighting throughout, especially under vehicles and in inspection areas.
- Clear Walkways: Keep walkways clear, and secure hoses, cables and leads to avoid trip hazards.
- Structural Inspection: Check the building periodically for issues like roof leaks, wall damage or falling debris.
- Storage Systems: Use tool racks and bins, keep spare parts organised, and clear waste regularly to reduce clutter.
- regular Checks: Walk the site regularly with a simple checklist to identify hazards early.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Eye and Face Protection: Safety goggles, glasses or face shields for tasks involving debris or chemicals.
- Hearing Protection: Earplugs or earmuffs may be needed where noise from tools and equipment could create a hearing risk.
- Respiratory Protection: Respirators when handling solvents, degreasers or working in poorly ventilated areas.
- Hand Protection: Task-appropriate gloves, and proper wash facilities and barrier creams rather than solvents to clean skin.
- Foot Protection: Steel-toed, slip-resistant boots to protect against crushing injuries and slips on oily floors.
Tyre safety and vehicle-related hazards
- Safe Tyre Handling: Use proper equipment and trained staff for tyre removal, fitting and inflation.
- Tyre Inflation Safety: Train staff in safe inflation procedures and keep them clear of the likely explosion path. Use a suitable tyre cage or other restraining device where the tyre and wheel type requires one, particularly for commercial vehicles and multi-piece wheels.
Hazardous substances and chemical safety
- COSHH Assessment: Garages handle fuels, oils, solvents and cleaning agents daily. A COSHH assessment should identify the risks and lead to proper ventilation, safe storage, spill kits and PPE such as gloves and goggles.
- Storage and Labelling: Store hazardous substances in ventilated, clearly labelled areas away from ignition sources, with bunding for bulk fuel storage.
- Handling and Ventilation: Keep the workshop well ventilated to reduce exposure to fumes. Diesel exhaust and used engine oil both carry health risks, so minimise skin contact and take sensible precautions.
- Spill Management: Keep spill kits on hand and train staff in what to do if a spill happens. Never use petrol or solvents to clean skin.
- Waste Disposal: Follow local rules for disposing of hazardous waste and keep a record of how it’s disposed of.
- Employee Training: Train staff in handling chemicals safely to reduce exposure and avoid issues like dermatitis.
Electrical safety and equipment inspection
- Inspection and Maintenance: Check wiring and equipment regularly for damage, ensure suitable earthing, and use RCD protection where required, especially in damp or higher-risk areas.
- Tool Safety: Inspect and maintain tools, and take damaged or faulty ones out of service straight away.
- Work Equipment: Anyone who owns, operates or controls work equipment, including garage tools, has a responsibility to keep it safe to use, whether or not they own it.
Electric and hybrid vehicle risks
- High-Voltage Hazards: Electric and hybrid vehicles carry high-voltage risks that can cause serious injury, so only trained, competent staff should work on them. Electric and hybrid vehicles can operate at high voltages, so only trained and competent staff should work on high-voltage systems.
- Training Requirements: Staff working on electric or hybrid vehicles should have suitable training and competence for the level of work being carried out, from basic awareness through to high-voltage systems work.
- Battery Safety: Battery isolation, high-voltage tools and storing damaged batteries may need specific risk assessments. Charge batteries in well-ventilated areas, away from ignition sources, as hydrogen gas is produced.
Post-incident review and continuous improvement
- Incident Investigation: Investigate accidents and fire incidents to understand what went wrong and stop it happening again.
- External Review: An external review after an incident, or ahead of an inspection, can help identify gaps that may have been missed internally.
- Action Tracking: Track follow-up actions from assessments, inspections and drills, with a named owner and a deadline for each one.
- Record Retention: Keep records of assessments, training, drills and maintenance for a reasonable period and keep them accessible.
A written risk assessment is good practice for every garage, and becomes a formal requirement once you employ 5 or more staff. Clear documentation shows you take safety seriously and helps protect your business if something goes wrong.
Running effective health and safety without a full-time officer is achievable with the right support. Our fractional health and safety lead services provide part-time expertise, policy development, training and practical compliance support, including health and safety audits to check where you stand.
Salusphere Global can help garage, workshop and forecourt businesses review current health and safety arrangements, identify gaps and prioritise practical improvements.
Contact us for an informal chat or email info@salusphereglobal.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What should garages check around vehicle lifts and lifting equipment?
Vehicle lifts need regular thorough examination by a competent person, with the frequency depending on how the lift is used and the level of risk. Daily pre-use checks should also cover safety catches, locks, emergency lowering and correct arm positioning before lifting a car or van.
What are the most effective control measures to prevent slips, trips and falls in a garage workshop?
Slips, trips and falls are the most common accident in busy garages. Effective control measures include cleaning up oil and water spills straight away, securing hoses and cables, using slip-resistant flooring, keeping lighting adequate, covering pits when not in use, and wearing footwear with good grip. A weekly walk with a simple checklist helps catch hazards early.
What type of fire extinguishers should be used in garage workshops for fuel and oil fires?
Water extinguishers are generally not suitable for fuel or oil fires, as they can spread burning liquid. Use foam or dry powder for flammable liquids, specialist extinguishers for electrical fires, and water only for ordinary combustibles. Have extinguishers checked and maintained at suitable intervals by a competent person
