How to organise a workplace in a service station

The goal of work organisation in the car repair shop – creating favourable conditions to improve the quality and productivity of the car mechanic's work, minimising his physical and psychological costs. Let's consider how to choose the right lighting, arrange the equipment, lay out the tools to set up the workplace in the workshop.

General Provisions

Workplace auto mechanic is an object of labour organization, as well as the primary link in the production structure of the service station. It is an area for carrying out work operations, defined by the current legal norms and equipped with the means necessary for labour activity.

A car mechanic's workplace is an object of labour organisation and the primary link in the production structure of a service station.

In modern car service stations, all production areas are quite closely interconnected, so the level of organisation of the workplace of any specialist depends on the performance of both individual and collective work.

Basic principles of workplace organisation

Since most car service stations work all year round, it is necessary to take care of the heating system in advance (stationary radiators, heaters, insulation of walls, etc.), otherwise further planning of the workplace makes no sense, because not only the workshop worker, but also the equipment, tools, consumables can freeze.

The main principles of workplace arrangement

Special attention should be paid to the lighting of the working area, as well as to the installation of a ventilation system and individual extractor hood, which is especially important for painters and washroom workers.

Also calculate the socket layout for different power tools and equipment, as some are powered by 220V, others by 360V.

The list of requirements for organising the workplace in the car repair shop should include drawing up a plan for the placement of machines in relation to the workbench, neighbouring work areas, the entrance to the room, taking into account all fire and health regulations.

As part of the arrangement of the working area, put one or more workbenches. For storage of spare parts and rubber goods, working tools and assembled units, equip the auto mechanic's workplace with open-type shelving; mobile trolleys; hooks or wall mounting system. It is best if you install a multifunctional workbench with a perforated back panel and drawers for placing keys, pullers and other essentials that will always be at hand. This way, you'll save workspace and time when you need to find a part or tool to repair steering racks and other vehicle mechanisms.

Personalised work

To maximise the needs of the car service technician and increase his productivity, conduct an interview and analyse his answers.

Find out what factors influence the quality of his work, what he sees as the pros and cons of working at your company, what he would like to improve in the organisation of the work process.

When you've interviewed all your employees and analysed their responses, you can take the averages and use them to remove the problems that stand in the way of high performance.

You should also not forget about the cleanliness of the workplace. Provide each foreman with a personalised set of household goods and chemicals to clean the workbench, remove dirt and dust from equipment, and other daily or monthly tasks.

And don't forget to keep the workplace clean.

If you have the option of hiring technicians, the responsibility of cleaning the workplace will fall to them, but each employee should still clean up at the end of the day.

Safety

1.      Workplace Order

Tools should always be neatly stacked or hung up. Loose hammer heads, worn screwdrivers, cracked spanner heads, and tangled wires on the floor can lead to injury.

2.      Lifting the vehicle

A vehicle raised on a jack or automatic lift can accidentally fall on an employee and cause injury. This can happen when the equipment is defective or when pieces of rotted boards are placed under the wheels of a vehicle for stationary support.

Always check the condition of the jack's hydraulic cylinder seals and the lifts are in good working order, as if they are worn they will not support the weight of the vehicle for long enough.

3.      Work in the inspection pit

When the craftsman is in the inspection pit, it is forbidden to leave the engine running or to open or spill petrol, solvent and other fuels and lubricants, as there is a risk of asphyxiation from exhaust fumes and chemicals due to poor ventilation.

At no time should the engine be left running or open or spill petrol, solvent and other fuels and lubricants.

4.      Fire Safety

Smoking is not allowed in the workplace, as a spark can ignite nearby petrol or chemical-impregnated clothing of a car service worker.

5.      Working with power tools

When using a drill, bolt cutter, grinder, car mechanic should wear overalls made of dense fabric, as well as safety glasses. Never work on machines with exposed wiring, sparks or smoke.

Every workplace should be equipped with a first aid kit to provide first aid to the injured person.

Don't forget to conduct safety training to the regulated standards.

Summarise. When organising the workplace at the service station, you should take into account the rules of occupational health and safety and fire safety, as well as the personal wishes of each employee, not overriding the rules of the company. If you come to the «golden mean», you will get high labour productivity and gratitude of your subordinates.

And if you come to the «golden mean», you will get high labour productivity and gratitude of your subordinates.