Motor vehicle dealers including tyre fitters

These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in motor vehicle dealerships, including car wholesaling, car retailing, and tyre retailing including tyre fitting, as shown by injury claims.

Motor vehicle dealers including tyre fitters

Safety solutions

WorkSafe expects employers to have safety solutions in place to protect workers from the most common sources of injury.

Hazards and solutions

Hazard 1
Explosions
Use securely anchored tyre restraint and guards when inflating tyres or split-rim / truck tyres.

Inflate tyres using appropriate equipment (eg in-line air gauge with automatic cut-off below the design pressure).

Provide appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment (eg eye / hearing protection when inflating or deflating tyres).

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons face / eye / ear.
Hazard 2
Lifting bending and twisting
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg vehicle hoists, equipment with integrated lifting devices for using tyre balancers, tyre changers and dunkers, mechanical lifting aids / trolleys when fitting / removing tyres, angled or vertical conveyors) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Train employees in the selection and use of any mechanical equipment and aids and safe handling methods (eg tyres should be handled between knee - preferably mid-thigh and shoulder height).

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

11 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

7 per cent of the injuries were to a persons arm.

24 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.
Hazard 3
Pushing and pulling
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg wheel-carrying trolley, under-slide or other mechanical device to move wheels and other heavy objects, crane and sling, forklift with attachment or trolley to move tyres and wheels, a third arm attachment for using the tyre changer) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures (eg roll wheels for short distances only).

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

11 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

24 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.
Hazard 4
Removing and fitting wheels and tyres
Ensure this work is conducted in an area free of moving vehicles.

Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg powered equipment suited to the work such as an impact wrench rather than a short spanner when removing wheel nuts, mechanical lifting devices for incorporating rollers to align the wheel to studs) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Train employees in the selection and use of any mechanical equipment and aids and safe handling methods (eg when re-fitting a wheel, tighten the nuts in the correct sequence and do not over-torque).

11 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

7 per cent of the injuries were to a persons arm.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons face / eye / ear.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.
Hazard 5
Using powered tools and equipment
Perform wheel balancing on an enclosed (guarded) interlocked machine.

Provide handheld power tools are lightweight, low vibration, noise restricted and comfortable to use.

Isolate noisy machinery or reduce noise levels (eg enclose machinery, reduce vibration, use barriers and screens to block the direct path of sound).

7 per cent of the injuries were to a persons arm.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons face / eye / ear.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.
Hazard 6
Work-related stress bullying and harassment
Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures for workplace bullying and harassment.

Encourage a positive workplace culture, including reporting of bullying and harassment.

Ensure all employees understand what bullying and harassment is, and the procedures for reporting incidents (eg policies and procedures should be promoted during employee induction and workplace bullying prevention or training).

Provide access and encourage employees to use employee counselling / support services, where possible.

Encourage employees to report any workplace stress factors (eg work demand, low control, poor support, lack of role clarity, organisational culture) and control appropriately.

8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons psychological system.

Motor vehicle dealers including tyre fitters

Motor vehicle dealers including tyre fitters

Safety solutions

Hazards and solutions

Explosions

Lifting bending and twisting

Pushing and pulling

Removing and fitting wheels and tyres

Using powered tools and equipment

Work-related stress bullying and harassment

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