Workshop safety questions, answered

Do I need a safety adviser?

There's no general rule that every workshop must employ a safety adviser. What the work health and safety (WHS) laws do require is that the business eliminates or minimises risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and gets advice where it doesn't have the knowledge to do that itself: for a hoist inspection, an electrical test or a risk assessment you're unsure of, for example.

Many small workshops manage day to day themselves and bring in a qualified safety professional, or a specialist service company, for the parts they can't do in-house. If you're not sure what applies to your business, ask your state or territory's WHS regulator or a qualified adviser.

WorkshopSafe keeps the records your obligations require, against the equipment they concern. It doesn't replace advice from a qualified safety professional.

What does WorkSafe check in a workshop?

Each state and territory has its own WHS regulator, such as WorkSafe Victoria, SafeWork NSW or Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, and what an inspector looks at depends on the visit and the business. In an auto workshop, a visit commonly covers:

• Plant: vehicle hoists, jacks and stands, compressors and air receivers, and tyre machines, with their inspections, servicing and any registration.
• Hazardous chemicals: the chemicals register, current safety data sheets (SDSs), labelling and storage.
• Electrical safety: testing and tagging of tools and leads, and safety switches (RCDs).
• Fire and emergency: extinguishers, exits, emergency lighting and an emergency plan.
• People: first aid, PPE, inductions, training and safe work procedures for risky jobs.
• Incidents: the incident register, and whether notifiable incidents were reported.

This is a general guide, not a full list. WorkshopSafe's readiness list covers these areas for your kind of business, so you can see the gaps before an inspector does.

Does WorkshopSafe replace a safety adviser?

No. WorkshopSafe keeps the records your obligations require, against the equipment they concern. It doesn't replace advice from a qualified safety professional.

Do I need a credit card to start the trial?

No. Create an account, give your business name and you're in, with the full app for 30 days.

What happens when the trial ends?

Your register is kept. Subscribe to WorkshopSafe to carry on where you left off. AutoShopMate Pro, which includes WorkshopSafe, is on its way. The prices are on the pricing page.

Can I try it before signing up?

Yes. The live demo is a made-up group of five sites, including a tyre dealer and a workshop that services EVs, with a year of history. Nothing you change is kept.

I already use AutoShopMate. Do I need a new account?

No. WorkshopSafe uses the same sign-in as AutoShopMate, so one login covers both apps.

Can my team use it without their own logins?

Yes. Pair a shared shop tablet with a one-time code, and staff tap their name and enter a PIN. Every check still lands on the record under the right person.