The Importance of Investing in Safety and Health Equipment, Reducing Risks, and Protecting Employees

Employees have the right to a safe work environment, and a safe work environment is a more productive, more profitable one as well. With thousands of collision shops in the U.S., it’s a safe bet that a fair number of shops are probably not making their work place as safe as it could be. Fortunately, OSHA (Government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a division of the US Department of Labor, who are tasked with ensuring the safety of U.S. auto body workers – and other laborers) has mandated requirements to ensure worker safety, but is it enough? The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. The rest is up to you. It’s a critical decision between just the hammer and the nail or the hammer, the nail and safety gloves. Never assume the worst won’t happen to you, the employer, because you cut corners to save money. Long term, it’s a minimal investment compared to issues that could arise regarding employees’ health and safety, not to mention the potential drop in production that could arise from employee illness or injury.

With daily exposure to chemicals, dust and hazardous materials that include volatile organics from paints, fillers and solvents, real damage can occur over time if the right equipment is not in place. There’s also slip prevention and avoiding mechanical injuries. The list goes on and on.

It’s no secret that finding experienced, quality technicians for collision repair shops is difficult, not to mention the high turnover rate. It’s a proven fact that with better equipment and a safer environment you will find happier more productive people. There is a lot of value into knowing this when working for an employer. If you care, then your employees will care.

There are several product lines that offer safety equipment for your shop. It’s time to protect the workplace and your employees. We only get one body, so it’s very important to protect the most vital parts such as our eyes, ears and lungs.

So where can I find help and guidance with safety and health equipment available in the marketplace and what are my options?

Gipe Auto Color and our trained professionals can help you with any health and safety equipment questions you may have. We offer the best-in-class service, support and training that goes beyond the paint shop.

Here are a few innovative products that may be of interest to integrate into your collision shop whether it’s to stay in compliance with OSHA or as an upgrade to your safety standards currently in place.

RUPES Dust Free Sanding System
The Rupes Dust Free Sanding System offers a clean work environment, better finish results, improved efficiency, reduced abrasive costs and increased operator safety. The patented RUPES automatic filter cleaning system ensures maximum extraction efficiency under all working conditions. The air flow passing through the filters is inverted in alternation every 30 seconds through a system of valves, thus ensuring efficient cleaning action. With this innovative system, the operator is able to continue working without interruptions or reduction in efficiency in the extraction process due to a dirty or clogged filter. Download the full brochure.

FESTOOL Sanding System
The Festool Total Sanding System is engineered to support the ongoing need for cleaner, safer, more efficient and profitable shops. The Total Automotive Sanding System combines best-in-class 3M abrasives with premium power tools and dust extraction solutions from Festool Automotive Systems. The result is one of the most effective and comprehensive surface preparations and finishing systems in the automotive collision repair industry. Read more.

SATA® air vision™ 5000
The SATA air vision 5000 puts the focus on effective health protection and lets you experience a whole new comfortable way of breathing, with the use of a completely re-designed breathing air supply system. With its modern, ergonomic design, the Hood can be adapted to fit almost any head shape, allowing the individual adjustment of its effective circumference, height and position. Read more.

3M™ Versaflo™ PAPR System
PAPR systems can offer respiratory protection with integrated head, eye and face protection that can help provide a more comfortable environment for the worker.

3M™ Versaflo™ TR-800 Intrinsically Safe Powered Air Purifying Respirator
The 3M Versaflo TR-800 is designed for improved worker comfort, convenience and control as well as these additional features.

Keep the air flowing – Multi-speed blower functions at altitudes up to 16,000 feet. Battery offers long run time and charges quickly, achieving 90% charge in approximately 3.5 hours.

More options for more tasks – Choose from particulate filters or gas and vapor combination cartridges for protection in a variety of environments.

Work at your own speed – Multiple airflow rates put you in control of your comfort.

Work with ease – Intuitive, colored touchpoints plus visual and audible low-flow indicators help make the TR-800 easy to use.

Review this product and its accessories. Download brochure.

There are many other products available on the market to consider so you can ensure the safety and health of your technicians. If you’re seeking to integrate safety and health equipment into your collision shop visit us online for a location near you at Gipe Auto Color.

Gipe Auto Color’s mission is to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with our customers by providing customer focused services, products, and solutions. We look forward to hearing from you soon.