S/P2 Newsletter - August 2010

S/P2® Newsletter

August 2010

In This Issue

17 Caliber Collision Locations are "GreenLink Shops"

CCAR Recognizes Top 10 AYES Schools for 2009-2010 School Year

Paint Rule: Provide Hands-On Training for Spray Technique

Identifying Safety & Health Hazards: Part 4

Choosing the Right Gloves for Painting Cars

OSHA Announces Redesigned Small Business Web Pages

S/P2 Meeting Topic: Disaster Preparedness

Greetings!

Our August newsletter signals "Back to School" time at CCAR, and we anticipate administering a record number of tests again this year!

As you will read, the nationwide adoption of our GreenLink Shop program is accelerating. CCAR has recognized 32 shops this month, of which 17 are Caliber Collision locations. With these additions, our program total is now over 60 locations approved since inception, and with new applications arriving each week, we expect to reach 100 approved GreenLink Shops by November of this year.

Additional recognition this month goes to our school partners at AYES. To further our organizational support of automotive/technical education, CCAR is pleased to recognize the "Top 10" AYES schools during the past school year for their use of our S/P2 training. The CCAR and AYES partnership began in 2004 and is representative of our joint commitment and dedication to the automotive professionals of tomorrow.

This newsletter also contains a number of informational items, including an article regarding the EPA Paint Rule and its requirement for "hands-on" training; the fourth of a series on the importance of Safety and Health Self-Inspections at your shop; timely information on selecting gloves from the EPA/DfE/Automotive Refinishing Partnership; and a helpful business protection article on "Disaster Preparedness."

As always, we look forward to your comments and thank you for supporting CCAR.

Regards,

DAREN FRISTOE

CCAR President & Chief Operating Officer

CCAR Recognizes 17 Caliber Collision Locations as "GreenLink Shops" GL Shop Logo

The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) announces that 17 Caliber Collision Center locations in California and Texas have received the "GreenLink Shop" recognition. The shops are:

Caliber Collision-Alvin, Alvin, Texas
Caliber Collision-Cavender, San Antonio, Texas
Caliber Collision-Central Plano, Plano, Texas
Caliber Collision-Clear Lake, Houston, Texas
Caliber Collision-Colleyville, Colleyville, Texas
Caliber Collision-Dallas Cedar Springs, Dallas, Texas
Caliber Collision-Dallas Galleria, Dallas, Texas
Caliber Collision-Fort Worth West, Fort Worth, Texas
Caliber Collision-Highway 620, Austin, Texas
Caliber Collision-Katy, Katy, Texas
Caliber Collision-National City, National City, Calif.
Caliber Collision-North Richland Hills, North Richland Hills, Texas
Caliber Collision-Plano/Avenue K, Plano, Texas
Caliber Collision-Round Rock/Commerce, Round Rock, Texas
Caliber Collision-San Pedro, San Antonio, Texas
Caliber Collision-Santa Monica, Santa Monica, California
Caliber Collision-South Lamar, Austin, Texas

Founded in 1997, Caliber Collision Centers operates over 75 collision repair facilities in California and Texas. The 17 recognized shops are participants in the GEICO Auto Repair Xpress (ARX) program. CCAR and GEICO are partnering to promote the "GreenLink Shop" designation for GEICO's ARX facilities across the United States.

Steve Grimshaw, Caliber's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Caliber's participation in the GreenLink Shop program is a natural fit.Like our partners CCAR and GEICO, we share a strong commitment to safety, training and environmental responsibility. We are very proud of Caliber's GreenLink Shop status as we strive to be the collision repair provider of choice in every community we serve."

"The Caliber organization continues to exemplify excellence in operational best practices in the automotive industry, and CCAR is proud to be one of their partners," said Daren Fristoe, CCAR President and Chief Operating Officer. "The collective recognition of GreenLink Shop status further solidifies the reputation of Caliber and their commitment to workplace safety and environmental policies and procedures."

The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has announced the "Top 10" users of its S/P2 e-learning program among schools active in the Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES).

The ten schools are being honored based on usage of CCAR's S/P2 (Safety and Pollution Prevention) training during the 2009-2010 school year, according to Daren Fristoe, CCAR President and Chief Operating Officer. In alphabetical order, the schools are:

Bolton High School, Arlington, Tenn.
Chesapeake Center for Science & Technology, Chesapeake, Va.
El Campo High School, El Campo, Texas
Indian Capital Technology Center-Muskogee, Muskogee, Okla.
New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs, N.M.
Pinellas Technical Education Center, Clearwater, Fla.
South Side High School, Jackson, Tenn.
Spotsylvania Vocational Center, Spotsylvania, Pa.
Waltrip High School, Houston, Texas
White House High School, White House, Tenn.

AYES is a partnership among participating automotive manufacturers, participating dealerships and select high schools across the country. The AYES program is designed to encourage young people to consider satisfying careers in retail automotive service, and prepare them for entry-level career positions or advanced studies in automotive technology.

"Personal safety and environmental pollution are key workplace issues that must be part of a school-to-career initiative, like AYES," said Chuck Roberts, President & CEO of AYES. "With the cooperation of CCAR, we are proud to be able to incorporate the S/P2 curriculum within our model."

The ten AYES schools recognized will receive certificates of recognition, along with complimentary access to the CCAR e-learning programs during the 2010-2011 school year. "CCAR has been honored to work with AYES schools since 2004, and together we are increasing the level of awareness in the auto repair industry regarding key environmental and safety issues, which can only work to the benefits of these students and their eventual employers," Fristoe added.

Paint Rule: Provide Hands-On Training for Spray Technique
by Sue Schauls
CCAR Technical Advisor

Hands-on training for spray techniques is required by the EPA's new Paint Rule governing the collision repair industry (NESHAP 6H). Fortunately, training opportunities have become more available through paint suppliers. Some training courses cover the basics but do not have the resources to provide the hands-on component required by EPA.

A recent EPA Webinar for trainers emphasized the hands-on component of the training material. Every training course should include an in-the-booth training module on spray gun set up and paint training techniques. If the training program your shop took did not include a hands-on exercise, that portion of the training can be accomplished back at the shop under the supervision of a competent painter by practicing the spray techniques in this article.

Compliant paint training must include:

Spray gun equipment selection, set up, and operation
Best spray technique to improve transfer efficiency and minimize overspray
Routine booth and filter maintenance, filter selection and installation
Compliance with the rule

In addition to the shops noted previously in this issue, CCAR is proud to welcome 15 additional shops in August to the GreenLink Shop program.

The GreenLink Shop status, an extension of CCAR's CCAR-GreenLink Environmental Compliance Assistance Center and S/P2 Safety and Pollution Prevention E-learning Program, is designed to promote consumer confidence in local automotive repair facilities' environmental/safety awareness and stewardship.

The new GreenLink Shops are:

Advanced Collision Center, Brunswick, Ga.
America's Best Autobody Shop, Vero Beach, Fla.
AutoImpact No. 2, Decatur, Ga.
Class 'N Color Auto Body, Canoga Park, Calif.
Collision Central-Armadillo, Garland, Texas
Gabe's Collision, Buffalo, N.Y.
Gabe's Collision North, Tonawanda, N.Y.
Heritage Body & Frame, Austin, Texas
Rick Case Honda, Davie, Fla.
Service King Collision Repair-Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Service King Collision Repair-North East Dallas, Dallas, Texas
Service King Collision Repair-Duncanville, Duncanville, Texas
Service King Collision Repair-West Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas
Service King Collision Repair-Irving, Irving, Texas

Wayne Akers Ford, Lake Worth, Fla.

"The shops recognized this month personify a 'can-do' attitude with respect to the health, safety and environmental responsibility for our industry," says Rod Enlow, Vice President of Industry Relations for CCAR. "They are truly demonstrating leadership in their community and a willingness to simply do 'what is right.'"

Click here to learn more about the GreenLink Shop program.

Identifying Safety & Health Hazards: Self Inspection
Article 4 of 8 in a Series

This series of articles has been adapted by CCAR from information contained in the "Small Business Handbook," published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

To view or download copy of the complete handbook, click here.

SELF-INSPECTION

Conducting safety and health inspections at a business is the most widely accepted method to identify hazards. Why? The only way to be certain of an actual situation is to look at it directly from time to time.

Begin a program of self-inspection in your own workplace. Self-inspection is essential if you are to know where probable hazards exist and whether they are under control.

This month's article focuses on the following areas:

Portable Ladders
Hand Tools and Equipment
Portable (Power Operated) Tools and Equipment
Abrasive Wheel Equipment Grinders
Lockout/Tagout Procedures

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Design for the Environment (DfE) works in partnership with industry, environmental groups, and academia to reduce risk to people and the environment by finding ways to prevent pollution. For more than 15 years, through partnership projects, DfE has evaluated human health and environmental concerns associated with traditional and alternative chemicals and processes in a range of industries. These analyses have empowered hundreds of businesses to select safer chemicals and technologies. DfE focuses on industries that combine the potential for chemical risk reduction with a strong motivation to make lasting, positive changes.

DfE works in partnership with the auto refinishing (collision repair) industry and career/technical schools to encourage best practices and cost-effective technologies that reduce air toxics in the workplace and surrounding community. DfE has developed numerous tools to enhance the awareness of health and safety issues associated with automotive refinishing and reduce air toxics.

Among these tools is "Choosing the Right Gloves for Painting Cars," a fact sheet which addresses these questions:

Why should car painters wear gloves?
What is the most important consideration when selecting gloves?
What chemicals should gloves protect against?
What type of glove makes the most sense for car painters?
How often should painters change their gloves?
How can I get more information on chemical-protective gloves?

OSHA Announces Redesigned Small Business Web Pages

The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced the redesign of its Small Business web page and Small Business Success Stories web pages.

The redesigned Small Business web page helps small business employers and workers find key resources from OSHA and other organizations, such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The updated Small Business Success Stories page highlights employers' successful efforts with OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program and employers in OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), which recognized small employers who operate excmplary safety and health management systems.

OSHA Small Business web page

OSHA Small Business Success Stories web page

S/P2 Meeting Topic: Disaster Preparedness - Plan to Survive

Courtesy of Zurich North America

Many businesses fail each year after suffering damage from serious fires, floods or other natural disasters because they were unprepared for the disaster. Property insurance will pay to repair or replace buildings and content, and business interruption coverage can provide funds for loss of income, but they can't replace lost customers, employees or vendors.

Now is the best time to review your insurance policies and ensure you have all the proper coverage in place. Developing a comprehensive plan may ensure that your business and employees' livelihoods survive.