One of the largest associations of collision repairers in the United States sat down to discuss a diverse range of subjects from proper welding techniques to the mental health of workers.
Joining them was Australia’s Ben Chesterfield and as always, the shared ideas held valuable lessons for the industry.
From improving processes resulting in proper welding, to protecting employees from fentanyl exposure, to fostering discussion within the industry about mental health concerns, a recent meeting of the largest collision repair association in the US offered some actionable ideas for body shops.
Andrew Batenhorst, a California shop manager and a Society of Collision Repair Specialists board member, shared some of the steps his shop has taken to ensure proper welding is being done consistently.
“You have multiple technicians who may have their own individual opinions on what they think quality is,” Batenhorst says.
“In my operation, I have found that having a standardised way that welds are being performed greatly reduces the risk of having variable quality being produced by the shop. And there needs to be a way for the person who is next in line, which in this case would be the paint department, to be able to assess what’s being done, even if they themselves are not welders.
So every car, before it passes onto the next repair process, someone from the receiving department needs to be able to assess what was done, and compare it back to the instructions that the technician followed to ensure that the work was done the way it needs to be done. And if it doesn’t pass, it shouldn’t continue on through the shop. It needs to be corrected to ensure that it’s not done improperly.”
He shared a document his technicians made with photos that show “an example of what a passing weld looks like, or what a failing weld looks like, what a proper flange should look like when you’re preparing for welding,” he says. “So again, if someone isn’t aware of what something should look like visibly, they have a reference to see.”
Batenhorst also found a way to ensure technicians can quickly access welder information.
“I created a QR code to, in this case, [the welding manufacturer’s] YouTube page, as well as to the owner’s manual for the particular welder,” he says. “I’ve found that if I leave the owner’s manual inside the welder tray, it’s going to get shredded or stained with coffee or food, or it just goes away. So having [the QR code] there on the welder itself, with packing tape over it so it doesn’t peel off, is just a cheap and easy way to make sure there’s access to information.”
He also emphasised the need to check automaker welding specifications regularly.
“I had an instance once where a technician misread a diagram, and it just so happened to be the day that we were getting audited by Honda, and the auditor noticed the welds were in the wrong place,” Batenhorst says. “I actually had to buy another quarter panel for that car and do the job all over again. It was embarrassing, and even though it was 10 years ago, I’m embarrassed talking about it now, but we needed to do what’s right. The technician had gone off of memory. So it just highlighted that these [OEM] instructions get updated very often without us knowing, and you can’t rely on your memory alone.”
Vehicle had drug residue
At her final meeting as chairman of the SCRS board, Amber Alley shared an issue that arose in the shop she manages in California. Alley said a customer recently had their recovered stolen vehicle towed from a police impound lot to her shop after it had been outside of the customer’s possession for 45 days.
“The customer had brought up concerns that someone had been possibly living in the car, and was really concerned about it, and given how dangerous fentanyl could be, wanted to have the car tested,” Alley says. “We have a protocol to discuss this option and recommend that testing is done.”
Requests for such testing made to the customer’s insurer by both the shop and the customer were denied, however.
“The insurer basically said, ‘If the customer wants to pay for it, depending on what’s found, then we’ll determine whether we’re going to reimburse for it,’” Alley says. “So at that point we stored the car in our parking lot, basically taped it up and roped it off so nobody went close to the car. And this went back and forth for over a month.”
The vehicle owner eventually decided to pay for the testing, which is not inexpensive, Alley says.
“Within a few days, we got the results back that it was positive for fentanyl,” she says. “And what was so scary was that in the notes it said there was a substance on the driver’s side seat. I think about the tow truck driver who got in the car, and the police, and [anyone who] didn’t think ahead to protect themselves.”
The vehicle ended up as a total loss because of the cost of abatement, Alley says. But she shared the story to remind the industry that with everyone often moving so quickly to bring a car in and get repairs started, they may overlook risks involved.
“Safety protocols should be thought through to protect yourself,” Alley says. “During COVID, we would clean the cars, sanitise the cars. This vehicle happened to be a stolen recovery, which raised alarm, but in today’s society, it could have just been the customer’s car. As an industry, we should be aware we’re sharing that space, a very personal space. People may have a cold, the flu, COVID, drug use. We’re putting our people, and sometimes ourselves, in that situation. So I thought it was important to share that experience and bring it to everyone’s attention.”
Normalising discussion
of mental health
In an effort to get more of the industry open to talking about mental health concerns, several speakers at the meeting did just that.
Ben Chesterfield of Car Craft Accident Repair Centers, which operates 150 shops in Australia, told US collision repairers about the Australian trade association’s effort to create and sell automotive-themed shirts to raise awareness of – and funds for – a no-cost counseling service for anyone who needs it.
Andy Tylka, another SCRS board member, said he appreciated the mental health topic being raised.
“I personally have always struggled with mental health, and always kind of felt alone until I started going to counseling eight years ago,” Tylka, who owns a chain of body shops and calibration centers in the central part of the United States, says. “I realised I wasn’t alone, and it made me understand that there’s no shame in having mental health challenges, there’s no shame in getting counseling, there’s no shame in possibly getting medicated for what you need to get medicated for.”
Tylka said he learned that “1 in 4 automotive professionals experience mental health conditions, and the suicide rate in the auto industry ranks amongst the highest of any industry.” But he said he’s also learned that “80 percent of workers say mental health support would improve their performance at work,” so he thinks talking to employees about this topic could really help the industry.
“It’s been such a passion of mine that two years ago I ended up starting a nonprofit called ‘Brake the Stigma’ for the automotive industry,” Tylka says. “It’s normalising getting people to talk about it. So my ask is: If you do struggle with this, talk about it and be transparent. By talking about it, you will be surprised that many others are struggling and normally wouldn’t talk about it. Those people might look down on counseling or talking to somebody, and never get help before it’s too late.”