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Hazard Communication Programs

Hazard Communication, also referred to as “Right to Know”,is often the most burdensome regulation for a dealership to handle. A dealership employee will work with and around many different chemicals during a workday. It is the dealership’s responsibility to provide that employee with training on how to properly protect themselves from any negative health effects attributed with those chemicals. ERS will provide your dealership with the following federally mandated Hazard Communication components:

1. A written document outlining proper chemical handling procedures

2. A complete MSDS procedure

3. A complete inventory of all chemicals found on site

4. Chemical container labeling

ERS programs address every aspect of the automotive repair facility experience.

Environmental Risk Services is the leading provider of environmental compliance and loss prevention on the East Coast. To handle regulatory demands placed on your facility, ERS has an experienced staff, and strategic partnerships that will quickly provide solutions. Our compliance package will provide your automotive repair facility with the peace of mind and competitive edge needed in a successful operation.

Programs & Services

Emergency Procedure Programs

An Emergency Procedure Program, often referred to as a Contingency or Emergency Response Program, is installed at a dealership as a preparation guide for a variety of potential problems. These incidents include employee injuries, fires, evacuations, chemical spills, and natural disasters. ERS will provide your dealership with the following federally mandated Emergency Procedure components:

1. A written document outlining a dealership’s emergency plan

2. A facility layout map

3. Emergency information posters

4. Employee Training

Respiratory Protection Programs

Dealerships that have body shop operations are required to maintain a specific Respiratory Protection Program. These programs are required by law to both educate, and protect the health of body shop employees, who routinely handle some of the most hazardous chemicals found in a dealership service area. ERS will provide your dealership with the following federally mandated Respiratory Protection components:

1. A written document outlining proper chemical handling procedures and personal protective equipment requirements.

2. Physician Medical Evaluation Forms

3. Respirator Fit Testing

4. Employee Training

Loss Prevention Programs

Dealership service areas and service employees are prone to a wide variety of safety issues during a normal workday. Safety hazards in a shop become employee injuries, which lead to low employee morale, and vast decreases in profit due to lost technician time and increased workmen’s compensation premiums. In order for dealership management to combat these issues, safety guidelines must be put in place and enforced. ERS will assist in setting up a set of dealership specific safety rules, accompanied by a wide variety of on-site training topics. Our goal is to communicate these rules to all dealership employees, and as important, ensure that they are followed.

Workman’s Compensation Audits

Mistakes in classification codes, Experience Modification Factors, and payroll audits can inflate Workers Compensation insurance premiums without the Dealership ever realizing it. And such mistakes are more common than many in the insurance industry like to admit.

ERS reviews automotive dealerships' current and past Workers' Comp insurance policies, looking for technical mistakes* that have caused premiums to be higher than they should be. We then correct those technical mistakes, producing lower current premiums, or a refund back from past policies, or a combination of both. Our review also often produces savings on future policies. This kind of review has nothing to do with a company's Workers Compensation claims--it doesn't matter if your company has had a lot of claims, or none at all. Our Auditing service works on a contingent fee basis, so there is no charge for our work unless and until we actually produce a refund or reduction. No savings, no charge. And we only earn a fee for the results we produce on the current or past policies. No fee is generated for the future savings due to the corrections we make. This service is available free of charge to all dealerships who utilize our Premium service package.

*ERS produces Workers' Compensation insurance refunds and reductions by checking over classifications, Experience Mods, and premium audits. Our auditors and consultants never need to make a change in your current insurance agent or insurance company to take advantage of this service.

OSHA & EPA Style Inspections

Inspectors from both OSHA and the EPA can review hundreds of different items upon entering a dealership. ERS will set up a guide to help assist dealership management in handling a regulatory inspector, from how to greet them, to where commonly requested programs are stored. In addition, inspectors will commonly tour a facility looking for safety or environmental deficiencies. ERS is an expert in finding these deficiencies and correcting them prior to an inspection.

Hazard Assessments

Dealership management is required by law to review all potential safety hazards in their service shop, and identify how to protect employees from them. For example, a grinding wheel poses a risk to an employee’s fingers and eyes. To eliminate this risk, the grinding wheel is outfitted with guards against the wheel to keep fingers from being caught, and employees must used eye protection to eliminate the risk of flying debris in the eyes. ERS will review each piece of equipment in the service area to ensure that proper protective apparatus is identified and provided.

Forklift Training Programs

Dealerships that have forklifts on site must set up a machine specific program designed to train employees on proper operating procedures. This program must include a classroom training session, a written exam, and a driving practical. Employees who do not complete this training should under no circumstances be permitted to operate a forklift. ERS will ensure that the required training regimen is completed with dealership employees who use or could potentially use a forklift.

All forklift operators at the dealership must be in compliance with the new OSHA safety training regulation 29 CFR 1910.178. If not, the dealership may be subject to expensive fines and possible denial of insurance coverage for forklift accidents.

DOT Hazmat Training Programs

Dealership employees commonly ship, receive, load, and unload hazardous materials during the workday. These employees must be trained in how to properly prepare hazardous materials for shipment, prepare and sign shipping papers, and drive a vehicle transporting these items. ERS will ensure that all applicable employees are educated to meet these D.O.T. requirements.

Lockout / Tagout Programs

A dealership is required to have a procedure in place that outlines procedures for controlling hazardous energy during the servicing and maintenance of energized pieces of equipment. The program must include the proper steps for shutting down, securing, and blocking energized equipment as well as the placement and removal of lockout - tagout devices. ERS will ensure that dealership employees are responsible for and trained on proper lockout – tagout procedures.

Waste Stream and Waste Hauler Audits

Dealerships produce many waste streams such as used lubricants, used solvents, and wastewater. Accompanying the variety of waste streams are strict regulations designed to promote environmental protection through proper storage, transport, and disposal of these wastes. ERS will perform an analysis of each waste stream leaving a dealership to determine that the above listed issues are handled both legally and economically.

Permit Portfolios

Dealerships have a variety of items that require permitting, such as boilers, wastewater disposal, and paint booths. ERS will install a system to organize these permits to ensure that they are both complete, and renewed in a timely fashion.