The Totalkare guide to workshop safety

For compliance managers and fleet operators, workshop safety is more than a single project.

It’s an ongoing drive across every aspect of the workplace — one that’s constantly evolving and adapting as the business grows.

It’s also an area we’ve built our business around at Totalkare, supplying the safest modern tech and helping workshops to service and inspect their equipment.

So if you’re looking to stay compliant, you need to know everything: your legal duties, the risks and hazards, and the processes you need to keep your teams productive and safe.

Here’s what you need to cover your bases:

The importance of workshop safety

The most important part of workshop safety is protecting your teams: controlling the risks and hazards to create a safe working environment where your staff can feel confident and secure.

But it’s important for the business, too.

When workshops take safety seriously, they’re building a workplace that’s:

• More productive — with confident workers focused on their jobs
• More loyal — with teams who feel valued and seen
• More efficient — with less downtime and higher attendance.

And that’s before we start looking at the legal side of things: the reduced risk of penalties and legal action that come with non-compliance or workplace accidents.

 

Workshop health and safety: rules and regulations

The first step in being compliant (and avoiding potential penalties and fines) is with an understanding of the rules and regulations that apply to workshop safety.

There’s a wide range of health and safety legislation for UK workshops, from the most general employer responsibilities to the specifics of machinery and workshop equipment.

At a minimum, these are the regulations you need to be aware of:

 

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

This is the over-arching safety regulation that applies to all employers. It sets out the general duties that a business has, including:

• The duties an employer has to its employees, and members of the public
• The duties employees have to themselves, and each other
• The duty to protect others against risks to health and safety
• The duty to control harmful substances and the release of emissions.

 

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

This is about the steps you take as an employer to manage and reduce risks in the workplace. At a minimum, you need to:

• Identify hazards in your workplace (what could cause injury or illness)
• Assess the risks (how likely the harm, and how serious it could be)
• Take action to eliminate (or otherwise control) those risks.

In most cases, this means completing a risk assessment for the activities and situations your staff will be in, and keeping a record of your risk assessments as evidence that you’re doing things correctly.

You can find a template risk assessment on the HSE’s website to help you get started.

 

PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998)

PUWER is about the equipment your teams use — and your duties to make that equipment safe.

At minimum, you need to provide equipment that’s:

• Suitable for the intended use
• Safe for use, properly inspected, and safely maintained
• Used only by people who have the right training, information, and supervision
• Used only with the right protection — such as guards, emergency stops, or clear warnings and markings.

It’s important to remember that your duties under PUWER apply to any equipment you provide for your teams — whether you own it, operate it, or simply supply it. So even if you’re renting or borrowing equipment, you’re still responsible for making sure it’s safe.

 

LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations)

LOLER is also about the equipment you provide. But it specifically targets lifting equipment, and the activities and safeguards surrounding it.

As well as the PUWER duties above, you need to make sure your lifting operations are:

• Properly planned
• Carried out by competent people
• Appropriately supervised
• Conducted in a safe manner.

As well as the official LOLER regulations, lifting operations are also affected by ACOP (Approved Code of Practice) for the safe use of lifting equipment. While ACOP isn’t strictly law, it’s an important piece of guidance that workshops should take into account.

COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)

COSHH is about the materials and substances that your workplace is exposed to, and your duties to control those risks and protect the people affected.

That includes things like:

• Dusts, gases, or fumes that can be inhaled
• Liquids, gels, or powders that can touch the skin or eyes
• Harmful micro-organisms that can lead to infections, or toxic or allergic reactions.

As a compliance manager or feet operator, you need to:

• Identify health hazards and conduct risk assessments
• Provide control measures to reduce harm, keep them in good working order, and make sure they’re followed
• Provide information, instruction and training for the people at risk
• Provide monitoring and health surveillance, and plans for emergencies.

 

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

The Electricity at Work Regulations cover every activity that involves electricity — from the high-voltage systems used in EV MOT bays down to the wiring of plugs on lighting and fans.

To stay compliant, you need to:

• Conduct risk assessments for all electrical hazards — who it affects, the level of risk, and the precautions you take
• Make sure electrical equipment is suitable for the intended use, and only used in that way
• Make sure electrical equipment is safely maintained to prevent danger
• Arrange inspections and testing of fixed electrical installations to minimise risk.

 

PPE Regulations 1992

The PPE Regulations (Personal Protective Equipment) cover the equipment your teams need to stay safe and protected from hazards in their jobs. That includes common equipment like helmets and gloves, but it also includes less obvious items, such as:

• High-visibility clothing
• Hearing protection
• Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) — to guard against dust, fumes, and particles.

As well as a duty to provide PPE, you also need to:

• Assess your PPE to make sure it’s fit for purpose
• Maintain it and store it properly
• Provide the right instructions and training for safe use
• Make sure your teams are using it (and using it correctly).

 

That’s a huge range of workshop safety regulations, and a lot for compliance managers to cover. In most cases, you’ll find yourself naturally referring back to these safety regulations as you carry out your risk assessments.

And that means identifying hazards is a great place to get started:

 

The most common workshop safety hazards

Every workshop safety measure starts from the same place: with a risk assessment for an activity that helps you understand the potential hazards your teams could face.

There should be no stone left unturned when it comes to covering your bases and documenting every risk. The average workshop has far too many to list here — but we can point out some of the most common hazards that are easily controlled:

 

Type of hazard	Risks	Control measures
Machinery & tools	Moving parts Crushing & cutting Entanglement	Safety guards PPE Isolation switches
Vehicle lifting equipment	Unsupported loads Exceeding Safe Working Load Lift failure	Certified vehicle lifts Training and supervision Expert servicing & inspections
Hazardous substances	Oils & solvents Dust from grinding/cutting Vehicle & equipment fumes Vehicle battery fluids	Secure storage for fluids Respiratory PPE Proper ventilation Battery handling tools
Electrical hazards	Damp conditions Damaged wiring Faulty installation	Proper ventilation Regular inspections & servicing Using certified installers
Slips, trips, and falls	Oil/fluid spills Loose tools Vehicle inspection pits	Secure storage for fluids Accessible tool storage Railings, chevrons, and signage
Noise & vibration	Hearing damage Injured hands and arms	Hearing PPE Low-vibration tools
Fire hazards	Flammable liquids Electrical faults	Safe storage of fluids Fire extinguishers No-smoking areas

 

 

Core workshop safety rules for your teams

No matter the equipment or the task at hand, there are some workshop safety rules that apply universally. And while you need to conduct a risk assessment for every unique activity, you can always promote the basic safety rules in your training and internal comms.

 

1.  Keep walkways clear and tidy

This is a safety rule that’s so foundational, it can be easy to take it for granted — especially in the chaos of a busy workshop struggling with high demand.

But it’s also one of the easiest risks to prevent, and it could make the biggest difference to the safety of your workshop:

Data from the HSE shows that slips, trips, and falls account for 30% of all non-fatal workplace injuries, making it by far the most common injury of that type.

That means there’s huge potential to prevent a massive number of incidents, simply by strict adherence to this simple safety rule.

 

2.  Wear correct PPE

This is another safety rule that should be obvious. But when your teams are under pressure (or their training standards slip), your staff might start cutting corners to save time.

As an employer, it’s not enough to simply provide the right PPE for every job. It’s your duty to make sure they’re actually using it, and give them the right training and instructions to use it properly.

 

3.  Use lifting equipment correctly

While every piece of equipment needs training and careful use, vehicle lifts in particular deserve special attention: with extreme weight and forces, and severe potential consequences if the safety procedures aren’t followed.

That usually means:

• Staying under the Safe Working Load (SWL)
• Lifting only from the manufacturer’s designated lifting points
• Using approved supporting equipment — such as support stands and jacking beams.

As well as these basic safety rules, you also have additional duties under LOLER regulations: to plan, organise, and supervise your lifting operations with a designated competent person.

 

4.  Never bypass guards or safety devices

Just like with PPE, there may be cases where your teams are tempted to cut corners: ignoring or bypassing the safety guards on machinery to speed up their processes and meet demand.

So as well as investing in workshop equipment designed with modern safety features, it’s up to you as a compliance manager to give your staff the right training and instruction — and make sure every technician is following your safety protocols when they use your machinery.

 

5.  Report hazards and defects immediately

With so many pieces of equipment in one workshop, even the best maintenance routines can miss important changes to the condition of your equipment.

That means it’s up to your teams on the front line to spot problems and risks, and report them immediately to prevent future accidents.

 

Safety precautions for workshop equipment

Choosing reliable workshop equipment with advanced safety features is a non-negotiable for any workshop or fleet. But it’s only half the battle:

It needs to start safe — and stay safe. So keeping your equipment well-maintained and serviced is a huge part of your efforts to create a safe workplace environment.

Here’s what that looks like for your teams on the ground:

 

Safety precaution	Risks minimised	Example equipment	People responsible
Daily pre-use checks	Structural damage Wear and tear Faulty safety guards	Vehicle lifts Hydraulic presses Tyre changers	Technicians Operators
Scheduled inspections by a qualified engineer (e.g. monthly or biannually)	Electrical hazards Structural failure	Vehicle lifts CompressorsBrake testers	Compliance manager Maintenance manager
Mandatory LOLER testing	Structural failure Dropped loadsPersonal injury	Vehicle lifts Trolley and bottle jacks Pit jacks Transmission jacks	Compliance manager Maintenance manager
Using genuine parts and accessories	Overloading Structural failure Electrical hazards Fire hazards	Emissions analysers Induction heatersTorque tools	Compliance manager Fleet engineer
Up-to-date operator training	Dropped loads Personal injury Electrical and fire hazards	Hydraulic presses Vehicle lifts Torque tools	Compliance manager HR

 

 

Looking to improve your workshop safety?

Protecting your teams (and your business) is an expansive undertaking for any compliance manager, with an almost-endless number of processes, safety measures, and assessments to cover.

The easiest way to reduce that strain is by working with a supplier who makes safety a priority: with equipment that’s compliant, high-quality, and packed with safety features and protective devices.

But beyond the equipment itself, you can also reduce the strain by working with a partner who keeps your equipment in top condition — with regular servicing and inspections by qualified engineers.

Our Afterkare service contract gives you exactly that, with:

• Scheduled service visits to match mandatory inspections
• Adherence to LOLER and PUWER regulations
• Reports of Thorough Examination to help you stay compliant.

So if you’re looking for upgrades with a focus on safety, start a chat with a workshop expert — and we’ll show you exactly how we can help and support your business.

 

Workshop safety FAQs

 

1.  What’s required for workshop safety in the UK?

Workshops in the UK are required to comply with multiple pieces of UK Health & Safety legislation, in accordance with the HSE (Health & Safety Executive). That includes:

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998)
• LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998)
• COSHH Regulations 2002
• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• PPE Regulations 1992.

 

2.  Who is responsible for safety in a workshop?

Every person in a workshop has some responsibility for safety. In particular:

• The employer has the primary responsibility to protect health and safety
• The named, competent person (often a Compliance Manager or Workshop Manager) has a duty to supervise and manage health and safety on a daily basis
• Each employee or worker has a duty to follow safety processes and safety training, and to report hazards or defects as they appear.

 

3.  Do vehicle lifts need LOLER testing?

Yes — as a piece of lifting equipment that involves lifting operations, LOLER testing is mandatory (and critical) for vehicle lifts.

As well as daily pre-use checks by your technicians, you’ll also need to arrange for a ‘thorough examination’ by a ‘competent person’ (typically every 6 months at a minimum).

It’s important for staying compliant with LOLER regulations. But it’s also important for the health and safety of your workplace and your teams — to minimise the risk of equipment failure and the potential for personal injury.

 

4.  What PPE is required in a workshop?

PPE required in a vehicle workshop depends on the type of activity, and the type of equipment involved. In general, you need to think about:

• Eye protection (safety glasses or goggles)
• Hearing protection (ear plugs or cupped earmuff defenders)
• Hand protection (cut-resistant or chemical-resistant gloves)
• Foot protection (steel-toed boots or slip-resistant soles)
• Respiratory protection (masks or respirators)
• Face and body protection (full-face shields or aprons resistant to chemicals and flames).

 

5.  What are common workshop hazards?

In a heavy-duty vehicle workshop, the most common hazards include:

• Slips, trips, & falls — especially around vehicle inspection pits or spilled fluids
• Machinery & tools — the risk of cutting, crushing, or entanglement
• Vehicle lifts — the risk of slipped load, sudden descent, or structural failure
• Hazardous substances — including oils, solvents, fumes, or dust
• Noise & vibration — with welding, grinding, or motorised hand tools
• Electrical & fire hazards — with any electric equipment or equipment that generates heat.