There are a number of things that vehicle manufacturers should do if they wish to reduce the risk of accidents occurring on their premises. Read on to find out what these things are.

Be extremely careful when opening the doors to the sandblasting booth

Most automotive manufacturers have sand blasting equipment in their facilities. This equipment emits sharp particles that help to smooth and clean a vehicles' body panels so that they can then be painted.

Due to the fact that the particles emitted by this equipment can trigger asthma, irritate the skin and eyes, and potentially increase the risk of some forms of cancer, it is usually only operated inside a booth so that the particles can be contained to a single area.

It is essential for employees to take great care when opening the doors to this booth immediately after this equipment has been used. The reason for this is as follows; for a few moments after the equipment has been switched off, there will be a lot of sand particles lingering in the air inside the booth (as it will take several minutes for the booth's ventilation fan to extract these particles).

If the doors are swung open very forcefully during this period, the gust created by this movement could push these particles out of the booth and into areas where other employees are working. This could lead to these people experiencing one or more of the above-mentioned physical issues.

As such, it is best for equipment operators to wait a few minutes before opening the booth's doors after they are finished their work. Additionally, they should try not to push the doors open too quickly and should ensure that they lock them securely when they exit. Last but not least, they should only remove their respirators after the doors have been shut.

Get the car lift examined by a tradesperson after any incidents that could have caused hidden damage

Automotive manufacturers should get their car lifts examined by a tradesperson after any incidents that could potentially have caused damage, even if their lift does not appear to have sustained any visible damage.

For example, if a small earthquake occurs in the area where the facility is located, the car lift should undergo inspection even if it seems to be fully functional. If this inspection process reveals that the lift's structural, electrical or mechanical parts have been damaged by the incident, the lift should not be used until the parts have been repaired.

The reason for this is as follows; if the car lift sustains hidden damage that compromises its stability or affects the functionality of its mechanical or electrical components, and these issues are not resolved because the lift was not inspected after the damage occurred, this equipment could malfunction and cause a devastating accident at a later stage.

For instance, if the aforementioned, seemingly small earthquake caused cracks to form in the columns which support the base and walls of the lift as it moved up or down, then these cracks could grow bigger over time and eventually cause the columns to break and the lift to hurtle to the ground whilst it is in use. This could put those in the lift and anyone near the ground near the lift at risk of major injuries.