Guidelines,statutory regulations and safe systems for health

It is the duty of every employee and employer in the motor industry to comply with the statutory regulations relating to health and safety and the associated guidelines which are issued by the various government offices. That means you must work in a safe and sensible manner. A body repairer is expected to follow the health and safety recommendations of his/her employer; employers are expected to provide a safe working environment and advise on suitable safe working methods.The current regulations which affect those who work in the motor repair industry are given in this long list which you are not expected to remember:
Factories Act 1961
Offices,Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963
Abrasive Wheels Regulations 1970
Fire Precautions Act 1971
Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum
Gas Regulations 1972
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Eye Protection Regulations 1974
Control of Lead at Work Regulations 1980
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
Reporting of Injuries,Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences Regulations 1985
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations 1988
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Noise at Work Regulations 1989
Pressure Systems and Transportable Gas Containers
Regulations 1989

A trainee body repairer is expected to appreciate the principal requirements of the three main regulations. So you will need to remember the names of the following regulations and say how they affect you at work.
Factories Act This sets out specific regulations relating to:working temperature and heating of buildings,fitting of machine guards,lighting of the working area,control of dust,fire escape provision,washing and toilet facilities and rest rooms. The
Factories Act was aimed at employers,it was designed to make factories,including garages,better places to work. The trainee body repairer can help the employer comply with this Act by working in a clean and tidy manner and reporting any breakages,or shortages,immediately to the chargehand or senior technician.
For example,if the barrier cream dispenser is empty,see the chargehand for permission to install a refill from stores.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) This states that it is the duty of every employee to work in a safe and secure manner that will not cause any harm or injury to the individual or anybody else,also to take care of any safety equipment and to cooperate with employers to comply with any related regulations. The HSWA was designed to cover the areas of work which the Factories Act did not cover,for instance schools and colleges,especially their motor vehicle workshops. You will not find any specific statements in the HSWA,but the guidelines issued by government bodies and trade associations interpret how the HSWA should be read.
As a trainee you must follow the health and safety advice issued by your employer,unless you know that it is wrong,in which case you should point this out and seek advice from your union safety representative. You must not damage any equipment which is provided for your use,nor knowingly break any health and safety regulations. It is your duty in the eyes of the law to know about the regulations which affect you; in practice you will learn them as you learn your trade. But using common sense and thinking before you act is always good policy,as is asking questions about things you do not know.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1974 (COSHH) These require that substances used in the workplace are correctly labelled and instructions for their safe storage and use are available.
This means almost any substance which you are likely to find in a garage,but particularly oils,greases,paints,brake fluid,battery acid and cleaning materials. As a trainee mechanic you should take time to read the information which your employer has provided on the substances,these are known as COSHH sheets and will be available from either the service department office or the parts department workshop counter.