In the first four months of a six-month SafeWork SA campaign to improve worker safety in the automotive industry, SafeWork SA inspectors have performed 51 compliance audits across metropolitan and regional automotive workshops, issuing 11 Prohibition notices and 146 Improvement notices.

The six-month campaign is targeting high-risk plant such as vehicle hoists and pressure vessels.

The design of vehicle hoists requires workers to position themselves directly under suspended vehicles to carry out mechanical work. It is crucial that all safety components are operational and fit for purpose to ensure worker safety.

In 2011, a worker died after being found crushed beneath a vehicle hoist at an automotive workshop in Wingfield.

The compliance audits have identified several breaches including hoists and pressure vessels not being operated or maintained to manufacturers’ specifications; unregistered and poorly maintained pressure vessels; and vehicle hoists that have not had a major inspection at 10 years as required.

A prohibition notice is a directive issued to an employer instructing them to stop work immediately due to the severity of the risk until compliance measures are put in place to mitigate the workplace hazard.

Improvement notices are issued when a safety issue is identified. Work can continue while the improvement notice is being actioned, however, the notice will require the issue to be fixed within a specified time.

SafeWork SA inspectors have also been providing automotive workshop employers and businesses with advice and information in relation to vehicle hoists and pressure vessels.

The automotive industry provides direct employment to almost 30,000 South Australians. The majority of these businesses are small and family-owned enterprises.

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA), business owners are responsible for providing adequate training and supervision for all workers, ensuring equipment is in safe working order, and appropriately managing all risks to prevent injuries.

SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell said inspectors would continue to visit automotive workshops in the lead up to Christmas and early into the New Year.

‘The failure or misuse of a vehicle hoist may have devastating consequences, so there is no excuse for complacency in the automotive industry for not managing this type of equipment appropriately,’ Mr Farrell said.

A vehicle hoist self-assessment tool is available on SafeWork SA’s website to help workplaces identify risks.