The key to success in the auto industry isn’t just skills and knowledge—it’s staying safe, too. For any auto technician safety should be a top priority. If you’re considering a career in the automotive industry, you should know some key things about maintaining a safe workplace.
While there are many steps you can take to improve workplace safety, we’ll keep it simple for now and discuss some of the more basic safety tips to remember upon leaving school and getting your career off the ground. Here are four key points about safety on the job while working as an auto technician.
1. Have the Basic Safety Equipment and Keep It Well Organized
While this should go without saying, it can’t be overstated how important it is for auto technicians to have all the necessary safety equipment on hand. This includes wearing protective gloves and safety goggles in order to prevent exposure to dangerous chemicals, burns and other injuries. It’s also worth emphasizing that all tools, auto parts and other equipment should be well organized and kept neatly in place. This is to avoid any possible injuries to other colleagues if they’re lying on the floor. Plus, knowing where all the safety equipment is means you are more likely to use it when you need it.
2. Be Familiar with Basic Safety Procedures and Address Hazards Immediately
Any auto technician should read up on all applicable safety precautions to take on the job. Furthermore, they should be careful of hazards such as tools lying on the ground or slippery floors. Spilled oil, for example, should be cleaned up as soon as possible so as to prevent risk of injury to clients or colleagues. Although wearing non-slip boots can help you stay safe personally, it’s best to ensure the work environment as a whole stays safe. Prevention, such as simply keeping the workplace clean, is the best way to ensure proper workplace safety.
3. Using New Equipment as an Auto Technician Can Be Hazardous if You Aren’t Careful
Auto technicians and mechanics can deal with numerous potential hazards at work, especially since they are working with heavy equipment on a regular basis. This is particularly the case if the equipment in question is new and you are not familiar with how to use it. Car technicians can find themselves using various tools like car lifts, engine pullers, and electric winches, each of these pieces of equipment come with hazards if not used properly, especially if you haven’t used them frequently before. Therefore, it’s important to be careful when using them and to ensure you know what you’re doing when trying a new piece of equipment for the first time.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help if Something Seems Potentially Risky
While you’re still relatively new to a job after your auto technician training, it’s easy to feel a bit confused and unsure of how to handle certain situations. The best policy is often to consult those higher up than you at a company to ensure you’re not getting yourself into a potentially dangerous situation. When it comes to keeping yourself safe, there’s no shame in asking for help. And if you see someone doing something unsafe, you should likewise step in to correct them. Always be sure to consult colleagues for advice if you aren’t certain how to navigate a potential workplace hazard or check the appropriate safety manuals.
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