Last Updated on Jun 25, 2021 by James W
It pays to be prepared. The Australian motor trade industry is worth $37 billion. It employs over 350,000 Australian employees and it’s expected to get bigger in the years to come. A big chunk of the Australian economy relies on the motor trade industry.
Operating in such a big industry entails daily workflow issues and problems. Some are known to all while some are hidden. To ensure your safety and continuous business growth, you should be well aware of hidden risks in the industry.
6 Hidden Motor Trade Industry Risks That You Should Secure Now
1. Noise
Are your employees safe from noise pollution? Did you even know that you’re vulnerable to such risk?
Hearing can be damaged over time by sounds that go above 85 dBA. Being exposed to such a level of noise for longer periods can result in hearing loss.
Daily operation in the motor trade industry is filled with heavy tools and large machinery that produce high levels of noise. Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, all business owners are obligated to create safe workspaces that do not put employees at risk. Have you been duly complying?
If you have no noise policies in place yet, you can duly start deploying the following:
- Placement of proper room dividers
- Scheduling of noisy work at particular periods and places where not many employees are around
- Placement of wall panels and floor mats that reduce levels of noise
- Provision of hearing protection tools to all employees
You should never take this risk for granted as hearing loss is a grave condition.
2. Waste Management
Do you have proper waste management protocols in place? Daily operations in the motor trade industry require the disposal of hazardous materials that can easily cause fire and pollution when not properly handled. Motor trade industries dispose of the following hazardous materials daily:
- Oils
- Fuels
- Brake fluids
- Anti-freeze
- Airbags
- Cloth with asbestos or mercury
- Parts with asbestos or mercury
To secure your business from risk, you should always safely store your wastes in lockable metal containers. You should duly comply with environmental policies and carefully avoid storing wastes that don’t go together. All handling, transportation, and management of waste should be duly handled by licensed experts.
3. Vibration
Employers often overlook the dangers and risks of prolonged exposure to vibration. The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations mandates all employers to control and regularly assess this hazard. Prolonged exposure to vibration can cause painful and long-term damage to one’s fingers and hands. Driving shocks and jolts can also cause severe back pain to employees.
Failure to observe proper protocols can cause white finger or Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). People with HAVS report of:
- Whitening of fingers (one or more)
- Loss of sensation
- Painful attacks
- Loss of grip strength
- Cysts in wrists and fingers
Injuries from vibration are gradual and not noticeable. To ensure that you’re completely safe from such unseen risks, you should have access to Australia’s best motor trade insurance policies that cater to such unseen risks. You should reach out to Matrix Insurance as they work with over 120 of the best Australian insurance companies.
4. Unaccompanied Car Demonstrations
What is your protocol for test drives? Over 7,000 car accident injuries have taken place in the last five years and much of the chunk is from test driving incidents.
To secure that you and your company are safe from risks, you should place tight test driving protocols. You should always apply the following policies:
- Always check the test driver’s license
- Always check the test driver’s insurance coverage
- Always perform a safety demonstration prior test driving
- Always ensure that you point out unique mechanisms and characteristics of the vehicle that is to be tested
You should duly apply the same protocols to customers who borrowed courtesy cars.
5. Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
Electric and hybrid vehicles are extremely popular these days. Both give rise to unique safety issues and concerns. You should be careful with their battery packs. You should always have them checked to ensure that there are no damages and hidden faults. You should also always check if battery packs are duly recharged.
Electric hybrid cars, like all electric appliances, can cause fires or explosions. Your employees and customers can suffer from electric shock. Some electric shocks are fatal so you should always ensure that all safety protocols are in place.
6. Cyber Attacks
Failure to ensure a lock-tight IT system can expose you to criminal cases. This is because you also hold sensitive information from your suppliers and customers. Hackers are always on the lookout for businesses with weak IT systems that they can easily infiltrate and attack. Ensure that you avoid such attacks by ensuring that your system is fully protected and encrypted across all endpoints. Your IT system holds your company’s most sensitive and confidential financial information so it is right that you fully deploy all possible means to ensure 24/7 security.
Avoid engaging with phishing emails, fake websites, and apps with malware. Make it a point to always brief all employees on security protocols and data protection tools. Data safety should always be the no. 1 priority of your IT department.
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