Upon completing the research for this project, I have found that to operate a workshop, there is an intricate mix of environmental and consumer laws that an owner must abide by.
On the waste management front, there are many guidelines on how to practice environmentally responsible waste management. However, there is no specific law for automotive workshops that addresses it directly. Therefore there is a need to abide by the local district zoning plan, the Resource Management Act 1991, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, and Local Government Acts 1974 and 2002. These cover most of a workshop's duties including waste management of parts and used oils.
Similarly, I have also found out first hand that for end of life tyres, there is no specific law that governs on how it is to be disposed of. While the minimum requirement is that they be disposed in landfills, it can generate leachate albeit in small quantities. This can be avoided if the tyres were shredded finely. However, new specialist organisations have been formed which cater specifically to tyre disposal and management. These groups are able to maximise the use of the tyres by giving them to farms or other places that use tyres for other purposes such as safety barriers or small structures.
In addition, there is no law or body that requires automotive technicians to qualify or register in order to practice in the trade. It is only preferred as only workshop experience is really required. The exception to this is when people wishing to be warrant of fitness (WOF) inspectors, they must have minimum 5 years experience in the trade to be able to register and attain a practicing certificate.
This can lead to many workshops operating with un-qualified or inexperienced technicians which can adversely affect the industry standards. Perhaps if a proper qualification and registry system can be implemented in this trade, the field can become more standardised and organised with lesser grey areas. A higher standard of knowledge and workmanship is achieved as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment