Automotive Manuf Warnings + Govt Regs; Right-to-Know Law

MANUFACTURER WARNINGS / GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS

A typical shop contains many potential health hazards for those working in it. These hazards can cause injury, sickness, health impairments, discomfort, and even death. These hazards can be classified as:

Chemical hazards-caused by high concentrations of vapors, gases, or dust Hazardous wastes-those substances that are the result of a service Physical hazards-include excessive noise, vibration, pressures, and temperatures Ergonomic hazards-conditions that impede normal body position and motion.

Many government agencies have the responsibility to ensure safe work environments for all workers. Federal agencies include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). These agencies, as well as state and local governments, have instituted regulations that must be understood and followed. Everyone in a shop has the responsibility to adhere to these regulations.

OSHA

In 1970, OSHA was formed to "assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women; by authorizing enforcement of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions by providing research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health."

The established safety standards are consistent across the country. It’s the employer's responsibility to provide a place of employment free from all recognized hazards. All automotive industry safety and health issues are controlled by OSHA.

RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW

OSHA also regulates the use of many potentially hazardous materials. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates their disposal.

Servicing and maintaining a vehicle involves the handling and managing of a wide variety of materials and wastes. Some of these wastes can be toxic to fish, wildlife, and humans when improperly man aged. It’s to the shop's legal and financial advantage to manage the wastes properly and, even more importantly, to prevent the pollution of our natural resources.

An important part of a safe work environment is the employee's knowledge of potential hazards. All employees in a shop are protected by Right-To Know Laws concerning all potentially hazardous materials. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard was originally intended for chemical companies and manufacturers that require employees to handle potentially hazardous materials. Since then federal courts decided that these regulations should apply to all companies, including auto repair shops.

The general intent of Right-To-Know Laws is for employers to provide their employees with a safe working place. All employees must be trained about their rights under the legislation, the nature of the hazardous chemicals in their workplace, and the con tents of the labels on the chemicals. All of the information about each chemical must be posted on material safety data sheets (MSDS) and must be accessible. The manufacturer of the chemical must provide these sheets upon request. They detail the chemical composition and precautionary information for all products that can present a health or safety hazard.

An MSDS lists the product's ingredients, potential health hazards, physical description, explosion and fire data, reactivity and stability data, and protection data including first aid and proper handling.

All hazardous materials must be properly labeled, indicating what health, fire, or reactivity hazard they pose and what protective equipment is necessary when handling each. The manufacturer of the hazardous materials must provide all warnings and precautionary information, which must be read and understood by the user before using the product.

Also, a list of all hazardous materials used in the shop must be posted for the employees to see.

Shops must also keep records of all training pro grams, records of accidents or spill incidents, satisfaction of employee requests for specific chemical information via the MSDS, and a general right-to know compliance procedure manual utilized within the shop.

+++ Material safety data sheets are an important part of employee training and should be readily accessible.

+++ Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire and sweep the entire width of the fire.

Hazardous Wastes

!WARNING! When handling any hazardous waste material, be sure to wear the proper safety equipment recommended by the MSDS. Follow all required procedures. This includes the use of approved respirator equipment.

Many repair and service procedures generate hazardous wastes, such as dirty solvents. Something is classified as a hazardous waste by the EPA if it’s on its list of known harmful materials. A complete EPA list of hazardous wastes can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations. It should be noted that a material is only considered a hazardous waste when the shop is ready to dispose of it.

Regulations on the generation and handling of hazardous waste have led to the development of equipment found in shops. Examples of these are thermal cleaning units, close-loop steam cleaners, waste oil furnaces, oil filter crushers, refrigerant recycling machines, engine coolant recycling machines, and highly absorbent cloths.

!WARNING! The shop is ultimately responsible for the safe disposal of hazardous waste, even after it leaves the shop. Only licensed waste removal companies should dispose of the waste. In addition to hauling the waste away, they will also take care of all the paperwork, deal with the various government agencies, and advise the shop on how to recover the disposal costs. If there is a hazardous waste spill, contact the National Response Center (1-800-424-8802) immediately. Failure to do so can result in a $20,000 fine or a year in jail, or both.

Always keep hazardous waste separate from other wastes. Make sure they are properly labeled and sealed in the recommended containers. The storage area should be covered and may need to be fenced and locked if vandalism could be a problem.

Guidelines for Handling Shop Wastes--Some of the common hazardous wastes, along with what you should do with them follows:

Oil---Recycle oil. Set up equipment, such as a drip table or screen table with a used-oil collection bucket, to collect oil that drips off parts. Place drip pans underneath vehicles that are leaking fluids onto the storage area. Don’t mix other wastes with used oil, except as allowed by your recycler. Used oil generated by a shop (and/or oil received from household do-it yourself generators) may be burned on site in a commercial space heater. Also, used oil may be burned for energy recovery. Contact state and local authorities to determine requirements and to obtain necessary permits.

Oil Filters--Drain for at least 24 hours, crush and recycle used oil filters.

Batteries--Recycle batteries by sending them to a reclaimer or back to the distributor. Keeping shipping receipts can demonstrate that you have recycled. Store batteries in a watertight, acid-resistant container. Inspect batteries for cracks and leaks when they come in. Treat a dropped battery as if it were cracked. Acid residue is hazardous because it’s corrosive and may contain lead and other toxins. Neutralize spilled acid by covering it with baking soda or lime, and dispose of all hazardous material.

Metal Residue from Machining--Collect metal filings when machining metal parts. Keep separate and recycle if possible. Prevent metal filings from falling into a storm sewer drain.

Refrigerants -- Recover and/or recycle refrigerants during the servicing and disposal of motor vehicle air conditioners and refrigeration equipment. It’s not allowable to knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmosphere. Recovery and/or recycling during servicing must be performed by an EPA-certified technician using certified equipment and following specified procedures.

Solvents -- Replace hazardous chemicals with less toxic alternatives that have equal performance. For example, substitute water-based cleaning solvents for petroleum-based solvent degreasers. To reduce the amount of solvent used when cleaning parts, use a two-stage process: dirty solvent followed by fresh solvent. Hire a hazardous waste management service to clean and recycle solvents. (Some spent solvents must be disposed of as hazardous waste, unless recycled properly.) Store solvents in closed containers to prevent evaporation. Evaporation of solvents contributes to ozone depletion and smog formation. In addition, the residue from evaporation must be treated as a hazardous waste. Properly label spent solvents and store on drip pans or in diked areas and only with compatible materials.

Containers--Cap, label, cover, and properly store aboveground outdoor liquid containers and small tanks within a diked area and on a paved impermeable surface to prevent spills from running into surface or ground water.

Other Solids--Store materials such as scrap metal, old machine parts, and worn tires under a roof or tarpaulin to protect them from the elements and to prevent potential contaminated runoff. Consider recycling tires by retreading them.

Liquid Recycling--Collect and recycle coolants from radiators. Store transmission fluids, brake fluids, and solvents containing chlorinated hydrocarbons separately, and recycle or dispose of them properly.

Shop Towels/Rags--Keep waste towels in a closed container marked "contaminated shop towels only." To reduce costs and liabilities associated with disposal of used towels, which can be classified as hazardous wastes, investigate using a laundry service that is able to treat the wastewater generated from cleaning the towels.

Asbestos has been identified as a health hazard. Asbestos is a term used to describe a number of naturally occurring fibrous materials. It’s a carcinogen that causes a number of diseases that result in cancer. Asbestos-caused cancer, or mesothelioma, is a form of lung cancer. When breathed in, the asbestos fibers cause scarring of the lungs and/or damage to the lung's air passages. The injuries and scars become an effective holding place for the asbestos.

Obviously, you want to avoid breathing in asbestos dust and fibers. Be careful when working with asbestos materials, such as brake pads, clutch discs, and some engine gaskets. All asbestos waste must be disposed of in accordance with OSHA and EPA regulations.

For more on work environment safety, contact the U.S. EPA Office of Compliance at http://es.inel.gov.

+++ A hydraulic single oil filter crusher. SPX Service Solutions

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