Workshop Service Pit Safety Guidelines & Equipment

WORKPLACE SAFETY

OH & S requirements for pits does vary in different countries and states so it would be impossible to list them all here.

In Australia, the Classification of Hazardous Areas for your workplace determines the standards you must follow.

Below are some guides in managing OH & S with a service pit

WORKSHOP PIT SAFETY COVERS

Barriers

Barriers create a somewhat tedious task which is not often completed at the end of a job.

Covers

There are various designs available in covers.
– Mechanised roller shutter style: relatively expensive without improving efficiency and can be damaged if overloaded.
– Lift-off panels: have risks including lifting injury and falling during removal and therefore unlikely to be re- fitted between jobs.
– Elevating Work Platform (EWP) in pit: covers the pit at the completion of the job while lifting the mechanic/technician from the pit. The EWP has a maximum rated capacity (MRC) of 900kg as standard and incorporates a safety hydraulic bypass system in the event of overload to avoid damage to the cover/platform.

The elevating work platform in the garage pit is rated to MRC of 900kg improving safety further in the event where a vehicle’s wheels are accidentally driven over the pit cover. Should the MRC be exceeded a controlled gradual descent of the platform is initiated to a height more appropriate to the load.

Workshop pit covers provide a safe working environment during vehicle compliance inspections.

As the pit cover also acts as a pit lift, the cover can be manufactured from various materials. A grated floor suits workshops using the “wet pit” operation for oil changes. A grated cover also enables any snow melting from vehicles or machinery to drain through the grated floor avoiding slip hazards on the platform (as customised for the workshop above).

PIT VENTILATION

PITS & OHS