When it comes to safety and compliance in automotive dealerships, the most significant challenges often aren’t what you might expect. While specific regulations certainly matter, the underlying factors that determine success or failure typically come down to three critical elements: time, commitment, and accountability.

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Time: The Investment That Pays Off

Many dealerships mistakenly believe there’s an “easy button” for safety programs. The reality? There isn’t one.

Safety programs require a genuine investment of time from the entire organization, starting at the top. When frontline employees see their managers taking safety seriously and dedicating time to it, they follow suit. Without this visible commitment, even the best-intentioned safety initiatives will fail.

Commitment: Beyond Lip Service

Commitment means more than just saying safety matters—it requires allocating appropriate resources. A safety committee needs a budget to:

Implement more efficient processes
Upgrade equipment
Address hazards promptly

Without financial commitment, delegated safety tasks remain undone, and the entire program loses credibility.

Accountability: Holding the Line

Accountability is where many safety programs ultimately succeed or fail. We can have all the safety regulations in the world, but if line managers don’t follow up because they’re focused solely on selling or repairing cars, the program will collapse.

Managers must be held accountable for safety outcomes. When everyone operates as a cohesive unit with clear responsibilities and consequences, safety becomes an integral part of daily operations rather than an afterthought.

Hazard Communication: The #1 Regulatory Challenge

While the foundational challenges are time, commitment, and accountability, the specific regulation that causes the most issues for auto dealerships is hazard communication.

Hazard communication involves:

Identifying and managing chemicals throughout your facility
Maintaining accurate Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Conducting site-specific training
Ensuring employees understand chemical hazards

Many dealerships believe simply having SDS sheets on file solves their compliance needs. Unfortunately, that’s far from sufficient. True compliance requires having SDSs that match the specific chemicals at your site and providing training so employees understand their specific workplace hazards.

A Tragic Example

The importance of proper hazard communication was tragically illustrated at an Alabama facility where three young technicians lost their lives. These new automotive technicians were working in a lube pit with a 55-gallon drum of flammable brake cleaner nearby. The technicians were tasked to clean the lube pit floor by using the flammable brake cleaning solvent.

The vapors from this brake cleaner—heavier than air and extremely flammable—collected in the unventilated lube pit. When a spark occurred, it ignited these vapors with fatal consequences.

This devastating incident could have been prevented with basic hazard communication training. Simply understanding the properties of the chemicals and storing the brake cleaner away from the lube pit (or in a proper storage cabinet) and not using it in an unventilated area would have avoided this tragedy.

It’s a sobering reminder that hazard communication isn’t just a regulatory requirement—it saves lives. Yet the automotive industry remains the third most cited industry for hazard communication violations.

Transforming Safety Programs: Success Stories

Effective safety programs don’t happen overnight, but dealerships that partner with safety experts see remarkable transformations.

One of the largest automotive dealer groups in the United States significantly improved their safety program after transitioning to a new EHS professional. While they were already conducting regular safety audits, their training compliance was low. By focusing on this gap, they trained over 26,000 employees in a single year using a comprehensive software platform.

This shift moved their safety program from adequate to exceptional by ensuring employees truly understood safety requirements rather than simply checking compliance boxes.

Another dealer group in Southern California took a different approach to accountability. They held managers accountable by tracking compliance scores and requiring the three lowest-scoring managers to present an explanation and improvement plan at the next management meeting. This motivational strategy quickly improved scores, as no manager wanted to be in the bottom three.

The key to both success stories was the partnership approach. Rather than outsourcing safety entirely, these dealerships worked with experts who guided them through the process while maintaining internal ownership of the outcomes.

Why Comprehensive Safety Programs Matter

Beyond compliance, there are compelling reasons to invest in a thorough safety program:

1. Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset: Your People

Your employees are your greatest asset. When you take care of them, they take care of you through increased productivity and loyalty. A comprehensive safety program demonstrates you

2. Avoiding Direct and Indirect Costs

Workplace incidents carry significant costs, both direct and indirect:

Direct costs include:

Medical bills
Insurance premiums
Workers’ compensation

Indirect costs include:

Lost productivity
Overtime for other employees
Hiring and training replacements
Potential civil lawsuits
Reputational damage

3. Attracting and Retaining Talent

Today’s workforce values safety and work-life balance. A strong safety culture helps attract and retain quality employees, especially among younger generations entering the workforce.

Building a Safety-First Culture

A comprehensive safety program isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about creating a culture where safety becomes second nature. This requires:

Clear leadership commitment
Ongoing training and education
Regular hazard assessments
Employee involvement
Consistent accountability

When these elements come together, dealers can significantly reduce risks while creating a more productive, loyal workforce.

Take the Next Step

Is your dealership struggling with safety compliance? Start by examining your commitment to the three foundational elements: time, commitment, and accountability. Then assess your hazard communication program to ensure it goes beyond simply having SDS sheets on file.

Remember, safety isn’t just about regulatory compliance—it’s about protecting your people, your reputation, and your bottom line. Want to learn more about implementing effective safety programs at your dealership? Contact KPA today for a consultation with our automotive safety experts.

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