The easiest way to create a risk assessment for your car body shop is to use our editable Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template, which comes pre-filled with industry-specific content that can be quickly adapted to your business.

To create a compliant risk assessment, start by listing each potential hazard in your body shop — such as paint spraying, sanding and filler preparation, welding and cutting, using power tools, and vehicle movement. Then identify who could be harmed (staff, contractors, visitors), describe how, and outline the control measures in place — including PPE, ventilation, extraction, and training. Each assessment should also name the person responsible for implementing and monitoring those controls.

Writing risk assessments from scratch can be time-consuming, which is why many body shop owners choose our Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template — a pre-filled, editable document designed specifically for car bodywork operations.

For a complete compliance solution, our Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle provides over 60 professionally prepared health and safety documents — including risk assessments, policies, COSHH forms, and staff safety guidance — helping you manage risks effectively, stay compliant, and run a safe, professional body shop.

Yes — every car body shop must carry out risk assessments to identify and control health and safety hazards.

Under health and safety law, all car bodywork and refinishing businesses are required to complete suitable and sufficient risk assessments for their operations — including tasks such as paint spraying, sanding, welding, cutting, and handling hazardous substances. If your business employs five or more people, these assessments must also be recorded in writing. However, even if you have fewer than five employees, keeping written risk assessments is strongly recommended as best practice. Written records make it easier to demonstrate compliance to inspectors, insurers, and clients, and help ensure assessments are reviewed and updated regularly as your business or processes change.

Risk assessments help identify hazards such as paints and solvents, 2-pack isocyanates, dust exposure, fire risks, and manual handling, while showing how these can be controlled to keep staff, contractors, and customers safe. Our editable Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template comes pre-filled with content relevant to typical bodywork operations and can be easily adapted to your business, making compliance quick and straightforward.

For an all-in-one compliance solution, our Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes a suite of over 60 essential health and safety documents to help you manage risks, meet legal requirements and maintain a safe, compliant, and professional body shop environment.

Car body shops face risks from hazardous paints, sanding dust, welding, fire, manual handling, and vehicle movement.

Car bodywork businesses are high-risk environments, with hazards ranging from isocyanate paints and solvents to welding, grinding, and heavy lifting. Staff may be exposed to respiratory illnesses, burns, fire risks, or musculoskeletal injuries.

A Car Body Shop Risk Assessment helps identify these hazards and put controls in place to protect staff, contractors, and visitors. Our all-in-one Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes everything you need to manage these risks effectively.

Yes — all hazardous substances must be assessed through COSHH risk assessments carried out in line with COSHH regulations.

Paints, solvents, fillers, thinners, and cleaning products are covered by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations. Car body shops must carry out COSHH assessments to identify risks and put safe handling measures in place. Our ready-to-use COSHH Risk Assessments and Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle include pre-completed examples for common products, saving time while ensuring compliance.

Use spray booths, local exhaust ventilation, air-fed masks, and regular health surveillance.

Two-pack isocyanate paints are one of the biggest health hazards in body shops, with a strong link to occupational asthma. To stay compliant, employers must provide spray booths with extraction, ensure air-fed respirators are worn and maintained, and carry out health surveillance such as lung function testing.

Our Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template and COSHH Risk Assessments include pre-filled content for isocyanates, helping you implement the right controls quickly and effectively.

All car body shops must complete a fire risk assessment and take steps to prevent and manage fire hazards.

With welding, grinding, flammable paints, and solvents in use, fire is a major risk in car body shops. The law requires a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment to be carried out, alongside measures such as extinguishers, alarms, good housekeeping, and staff training. Our Fire Risk Assessment Template and Essential Fire Safety Template Bundle provides the documents you need to stay compliant and protect your workshop, staff, and customers.

Yes — if your car body shop has five or more employees, you must have a written health and safety policy in place.

Under health and safety law, every employer must have a policy for managing health and safety. If your body shop employs five or more people, this policy must be recorded in writing and shared with all staff. Even if you have fewer employees, having a written policy is strongly recommended, as it clearly demonstrates your commitment to safety, helps maintain consistency, and provides evidence of compliance during inspections or insurance reviews.

A good health and safety policy for a car body shop should outline responsibilities, arrangements, and procedures for managing risks such as hazardous substances, fire, welding, spray painting, and manual handling.

Creating one from scratch can take time, which is why our Health and Safety Policy Template — also included in the Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle — provides a pre-filled, editable document designed specifically for bodywork businesses. It helps you meet legal requirements quickly while maintaining a safe, professional, and compliant workshop.

Spray booths and LEV must be tested at least every 14 months under COSHH regulations.

Car body shops using spray booths or other local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems must have them thoroughly examined and tested every 14 months by a competent person. This ensures harmful vapours and dusts are properly controlled.

Our COSHH Risk Assessments and Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template help you document these checks and keep your records up to date.

Dust extraction, PPE, wet sanding, and regular cleaning are essential controls.

Dust from sanding and filler shaping can damage the lungs and cause skin irritation. Employers must control exposure by providing dust extraction systems, suitable PPE (such as respirators), wet sanding methods, and safe cleaning practices.

Our Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template includes detailed controls for dust hazards, helping you put compliant measures in place quickly.

Staff in car body shops must be trained on hazardous substances, safe equipment use, fire safety, and manual handling.

Car body shop employees should receive health and safety training on COSHH for paints and solvents, spray booth operation, correct PPE use, welding and hot work safety, manual handling of panels, fire procedures, and general workshop safety. This ensures compliance with health and safety law and reduces the likelihood of accidents.

Our Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle includes H&S induction forms, risk assessments, and staff safety guidance that support training and demonstrate compliance.

Car body shops must assess high-voltage, fire, and battery risks when working on electric and hybrid vehicles.

With more electric and hybrid vehicles arriving for bodywork and refinishing, car body shops need to consider the dangers of high-voltage components, electric shock, and lithium-ion battery fires. Staff must be trained to safely isolate systems, use insulated tools, and follow manufacturer guidance. Safe battery storage and charging areas with ventilation and fire suppression equipment are also essential.

Our Car Body Shop Risk Assessment Template includes EV-specific controls to help you stay compliant and protect your team.

You could face fines, enforcement notices, prosecution, reputational damage, and even closure.

Failure to comply with health and safety requirements can result in financial penalties, claims, or enforcement action from regulators. More importantly, it puts staff and customers at risk of serious harm.

Using our Car Body Shop Health and Safety Template Bundle — which includes a suite of over 60 essential health and safety documents — including policies, risk assessments, fire safety templates, and more — is a cost-effective way to stay compliant, reduce risk, and protect your business reputation.