Lifting platforms in garages are a constant danger for employees working under and around vehicles. Puntinger Maintenance & Car Repair fitted automatic rests to the lifting platform to prevent the car from falling

The task

Josef Puntinger GmbH & Co KG is a garage in Austria dealing with maintenance and car repair. It uses a lifting platform to allow the checking, maintenance and repair of a vehicle while working under the vehicle. Raising the vehicle allows the worker to work in an upright position in order to prevent back disorders. The lifting platform is used a few times per day for repetitive work.

The risk

The lifting platform works with compressed air. If the pressure drops, there is a risk that the worker will be crushed by the vehicle.

The solution and methodology

The company carried out a risk assessment with the help of an external safety expert. As a result of the assessment, a mechanical protection device was installed, consisting of an automatic rest which prevents the car from falling.

All employees are thoroughly instructed on how the controls work, the use of the safety device, and the safety procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency. Before every vehicle is lifted, employees ensure that the vehicle is correctly positioned on the platform and that the platform is never loaded beyond its capacity.

The lifting platform needs to be checked on a regular basis. Preventative services perform yearly controls on the correct operation of the device, while an external control organisation checks the platform every four years.

The effectiveness of results

The solution is a very simple one and is transferable to other enterprises. However, the effectiveness of the solution and the type of device used to prevent cars falling depends on the type of lifting platform. Several other solutions are possible with regard to hydraulic or pneumatic or electrical operation systems. The choice of the solution takes the technical and legislative prescriptions of each country into consideration.

No accident occured with the new device.

The employee participation:

All employees were given training and information relating to the new solution. The lifting platforms are checked by an employee once a year.

The costs and benefits

The technical solution represented a fairly small investment cost, while the capacity for prevention is high.

Entrepreneur’s Testimony "The ergonomic layout of our workplace helps to preserve the health and safety of our workers. This makes an important contribution towards their motivation and therefore benefits our business and our customers. The safety of our customers at the wheel is an important aim of our activity. The safety of our employees has to be ensured in the same way."