Working with metal can be dangerous for you and your employees. 
Wearing protective gear, following proper procedures and staying alert can help prevent injuries. 

The metal shop in any collision repair operation is fraught with danger in several forms, such as sparks, heat, fumes, air pressure, sharp edges, pinch points and heavy-gauge chains under high tension. In such an environment, complacency, carelessness, laziness and cutting corners can result in disaster. 

For proper protection, the body tech needs to “gear up” with the appropriate personal safety equipment. That includes safety glasses; welding helmet, face shield and welding cap; several types of respirators; leather, cotton and latex gloves; heavy-duty, all-leather shoes; earplugs; and heavily starched (starch retards fire) cotton clothing, 

On the other hand, there are things the body tech should never wear, including loose clothing, jewelry and loose hair. In other words, tuck in the shirt, tie up the ponytail and lose the ear, nose and belly rings.

The most common metal shop injury is to the hands. That’s why hand protection is also a must in most body shop work. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to wear gloves all the time. You’re handling sharp objects all day long—metal, glass, plastic and welding torches. It only makes sense to wear hand protection. What’s more, body fillers and other materials adhere to the hands, and the skin absorbs the chemicals, which can have long-term adverse health effects.

What to Wear While Welding
Welding is one of the most frequent procedures in the metal shop, and it presents myriad dangers. Ideally, safety glasses or goggles should be worn, even when a welding shield is in position. The welding medium—bee-bees, slag or splatter—can get into or under the shield, so the glasses are an important secondary line of defense. And remember: simply closing your eyes while doing a tack weld doesn’t constitute protection. An eyelid is no barrier against flying slag. 

Shaded lenses on the welding helmet also are critical. Most experts recommend at least shade No. 9 for general welding and No. 10 for MIG welding indoors. Shading on face shields is rated 0 through 14, with 14 being the darkest. Shields and lenses should be constantly checked for cracking and pitting, which allow heat or sparks to get inside the shield. Also recommended are a flame-proof skull cap to protect the hair and head, and hearing protection. 

Wear fire-retardant clothing and shoes (preferably without laces). And in this case, deviate from the normal tucked-in shirt rule. You should be wearing a fire-retardant shirt pulled out and covering your belt buckle. 

Electric welders can kill by electric shock, so it’s important to make sure that the welder is insulated from the workpiece and ground by using dry insulation, such as a rubber mat or dry wood. If the welding area is wet or damp or the operator is actively perspiring, then he or she should wear rubber gloves under the welding gloves. 

Those are some do’s. But here’s a big don’t: Don’t carry disposable cigarette lighters or matches in your pocket while welding. They’re very dangerous around heat and flame.

Welder Operation
Now that you know how to be properly protected, let’s discuss safe equipment operation. Welders can be a formidable piece of equipment. They can produce temperatures in excess of 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, it’s important that the workplace be made fire-safe. Use metal sheets or fire-resistant curtains as fire barriers. The floor should be concrete or another fire-resistant material. Fill cracks to prevent sparks and hot metal from entering. Welding should never be done directly on a concrete floor. Heat from the arc can cause steam to build up in the floor, which could cause an explosion. Keep welder cables positioned so that sparks and molten metal don’t fall on them, and keep them free of grease and oil. 
The welder should be located in an area with adequate ventilation. In general, when welding metals not considered hazardous, a ventilation system that will move a minimum of 2,000 cu. ft. per minute of air per welder is satisfactory.
The following are other welding guidelines: 

• Before beginning to weld, disconnect the vehicle’s battery and remove or relocate any computers or vehicle wiring near the weld site. Additionally, whenever possible, run the welding gun and ground clamp cables perpendicular to vehicle wiring.
• Protect adjacent panels and glass from sparks. Glass damaged by sparks will require replacement.
• Trim removal may be required when welding to inspect the backside of the panel for noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) materials, which are usually combustible. 
• Any metal left to cool should be carefully marked “HOT” with a soapstone. 
• When welding is finished for the day or suspended for any length of time, properly store the welder and disconnect it from the power source.

Fire and First Aid
Appropriate fire extinguishing equipment, such as buckets of sand or a dry chemical extinguisher of the ABC type, should be on hand. 

Make sure the welding area is equipped with a fire blanket and a well-stocked first aid kit. Ideally, one person should be trained in first aid to treat the minor injuries that may occur. All injuries, no matter how minor they may seem, can become more serious if not properly treated by trained medical personnel. 

Respirators and Ear Plugs
Body shop operations can result in insidious injuries that are not immediately detectable. Over time, exposure to fumes and vapors can damage the respiratory system. Painters are exposed to more fumes than metal technicians, but every body tech should have—at a minimum—a particulate and a vapor respirator. According to I-CAR, vapor respirators should be worn when body filler is applied. When sanding body filler, use a particulate respirator or combination particulate/vapor respirator. 
Another cumulative type of injury is caused by the noise generated in the typical body shop. Grinding and metal forming equipment create a continual cacophony, and hammering, although not as constant, adds to the din—all of which can lead to hearing loss, unless the worker wears ear protection.

Both reusable and disposable earplugs have their advantages. Disposable plugs, usually made of foam that can be contoured to the ear, are initially cheaper. However, properly cared for reusable earplugs, made of silicone or PVC, can be more economical in the long run. When the body tech rolls the foam into the correct shape for disposable plugs, his or her hands are often dirty, and that dirt can be transferred to the inner ear. Reusable plugs come with various flanges that can make for a tight, comfortable fit without exposure to dirty fingers.

Neatness Counts
Good housekeeping always contributes to a safe work environment. Keep falling and tripping hazards, such as hoses and extension cords, out of aisles and walkways. Keeping the workspace organized also is essential. Working in a cluttered area with tools, old parts and trash lying around the stall is a prescription for disaster and leads to shoddy workmanship. A messy work area can cause a trip or fall that may result in injury, taking you out of action while you mend.
Following are a few additional miscellaneous personal safety guidelines, courtesy of I-CAR. 

• Use safety chains when making structural repair and never walk directly behind the pulling chains when there is pressure being applied.
• When carrying air bags, make sure the air bag cover points away from you, and never set an air bag face-down on a table or on the floor.
• Wear an electrostatic discharge strap when handling vehicle computers. Not doing so can damage the computer.
• Follow the vehicle maker’s recommendation for the use of heat. Some vehicle makers do not recommend using any heat for straightening.

Maintaining a safe metal shop involves many details, but the general formula is relatively simple: Mix one part personal protective gear (see sidebar), add proper metal working procedures, a neat work area and an alert attitude. Mix thoroughly and apply daily.