Regular inspection of vehicle lifts is required by OSHA
Vehicle lifts are robust pieces of service bay equipment and pretty much taken for granted in many dealerships. But dealers should be mindful that daily inspection and proper maintenance records of said lifts are the key to preventing injuries and a hefty fine from OSHA.
OSHA does not issue safety standards for automotive lifts, but relies instead on its General Duty Clause when issuing violations related to training, maintenance or accidents involving the lifting of a vehicle. One of the best defenses to a violation is following the record-keeping, maintenance repair and training guidelines in the owners manual that comes with every automotive lift. Following the owners manual specifications for 1990 and newer models most likely complies with American National Standard Institute (ANSI) as well as the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) standards. OSHA uses both guidelines and individual dealer record keeping regarding each lift when determining compliance At a minimum, that record keeping should include daily, monthly and, most importantly, a comprehensive annual report conducted by a certified inspector.
Daily inspection should include a look at proper operation of the lift controls, restraints and locking devices along with an inspection to determine if there is damage or excessive wear on any of the lift contact points which engage the vehicle during lifting. Broken swing arm locks and missing skid pad rubber are frequent sources of violations. Dealers are also required to document the training of all operators and show that operators are aware of the ALIs publication Lifting it Right and their Quick Reference Guide Vehicle Lifting Points for Frame Engaging Lifts. These publications are included in all owners materials that are delivered upon purchase and installation.
As previously reported in the WANADA Bulletin, OSHA is stepping up its enforcement activities and also boosting fines for frequent violators of safety regulations.
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