Professional detailers, fixed base or mobil, PPE questions...

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Sonic Pilot

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What, are your thoughts on use of "Personal Protective Equipment" (PPE)? At least glasses, earplugs, when machine polishing, and perhaps hand protection. Do you guys use it? Do you require your employees to use it? Are there any particular types or brands that you prefer.

I'm sure some have policies against wearing any jewelry, belt buckles, etc. but that is different. For the purpose of this question, lets stick to PPE.

Separate question... does Autogeek offer this stuff? Just thought of that as I was writing this. If not, it might be another nice product offering for them!
 
3M does a lot of different PPE. They offer just 1 set of glasses and earpluggs. But they have many more and also mouth protection for cleaning the air you breath. Nitrile gloves is the most common use I think. And it's a very good question as many products you use when detailing are quite hazardious. Maybe not from one exposure but useing it often you can damage your body in the longrun. There are warning signs for a reason on products that many just shrugg at. Then it's also products you dilute that the concentrate is what it's noted on the warning signs.

All 3M Car Care Products

Orange Heavy Duty Nitrile Gloves
 
For liability it’s essential however liability is boring sh1t that no one wants to bother with. So turn it into something useful that makes you money; branding.

If you break down detailing to its core it’s essentially caring more about something that most people don’t or can’t be bothered to. Oscar Wilde would say it better but let’s keep it simple.

It’s care, attention, respect and pride. If this is what resonates with you as a detailer and your brand, why wouldn’t you apply the same rules to yourself?

Not only does PPE represent the above points to your customers, it also instills the same in your employees and helps you find the right staff who care. Those that don’t want to look after themselves sure as hell won’t be looking after a customers car.

As a quick exercise, put yourself in the customer’s shoes (your ideal customer that is) and write down what it is you would want to see in a detailer to part with triple what you charge now on your most desired, affordable car. Then do that.

The importance is to repeat this on the regular to maintain the vision for your business.

The bros that say no way are missing a trick because they’re too cool to bother or understand the important of branding for their business.

What’s to say that your love for detail doesn’t manifest in everything you appreciate and one of those appreciations is music. Brilliant side story for your brand but you’ll be damned if you’re appreciating Bach with a decade of polisher noise burnt into your drums.

P.s. Branding isn’t having a website, a social media account and a YouTube channel. That’s marketing. Branding is WHY you do something, not what you do.
 
I only employ 2 items that you would consider PPE.... ear plugs and gloves.
I won't even turn on my blower to blow water off a car without first having ear plugs in. The shrill, loud whistles that are made when the blower hits certain crevices and gaps is enough to damage your ears permanently.
And as for gloves, well, I'm a firm believer in the "If it's on you, it's in you" credo. Considering the amount of chemicals I touch all day, every day, there's no reason to believe it can't and won't do permanent damage to my skin and/or cause muscle and tissue damage in the long run if I didn't protect my skin.
One more thing I do to protect my feet from getting frostbite in the winter is, I wear shoes that are waterproof and keep up on keeping them coated with Camp Dry. It's impossible to do a regular full water washy without your feet getting wet and when it's cold outside, wet feet become painful quick. I didn't used to be that diligent about it and remember it taking hours to regain the feeling in my toes after working most of the day with wet, cold feet.
 
WristyManchego said:
For liability it’s essential however
liability is boring sh1t that no one
wants to bother with.
So turn it into something useful
that makes you money; branding.

The bros that say no way are missing a
trick because they’re too cool to bother
or understand the important of branding
for their business.

Brilliant side story for your brand but
you’ll be damned if you’re appreciating
Bach with a decade of polisher noise
burnt into your drums.

P.s. Branding isn’t having a website, a
social media account and a YouTube
channel. That’s marketing.

Branding is WHY you do something,
not what you do.
Click to expand...
Careful...
Branding: It is renowned for
working both sides of the street.



Bob
 
Great replies so far guys...thanks and keep them coming!

I think that Safety, safe operating practices & PPE could be a useful and helpful section of the forum. Autogeek should consider launching a specific forum for this stuff.

Another nice and helpful subject matter, again, for the professional detail business operator would be a Legal forum where professional detailers could discuss legal challenges and solutions associated with operating a successful business!

These two forums (in addition to "How to make money detailing") would indeed complete a much more well-rounded and authoritative source for the professional detailing community. Once again making Autogeek the no-brainier, go-to source for reliable detailing information!
 
I normally only wear earmuffs when im vacuuming or pressure washing. I wear headphones underneath while working. THe muffs mainly make it so i dont have to turn the volume up all the way. I have gloves but normally never take the time to wear them lol.
 
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