Statistics

  • Around 200,000 UK workers are employed in the industry.
  • It is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Around half the workforce are in businesses employing fewer than 10 people.
  • The MVR fatal injury rate is approaching that present in the construction industry
  •  'All injuries' accident rates for the MVR industry are higher than the average for the whole of manufacturing.

In MVR, between 2007/08 and 2011/12 there were:

  • over 7,000 MVR injuries reported to the HSE and Local Authorities;
  • 33 fatal injuries (including employees, self employed persons and members of the public); and
  • around 1,600 other major/serious injuries to employees and the self-employed persons

Fatal accident numbers (above) in MVR do not currently include those in the 'roadside recovery and repair' part of the MVR industry, as these are not reportable under the RIDDOR Regulations, unless the casualty vehicle is actually being loaded onto the recovery truck at the time of the accident. Therefore, fatal accidents to workers in MVR will be higher.

Additionally, MVR type activities are carried out in other industries. Where accidents and ill health are notified under RIDDOR, these instances will be recorded against that industry, not against MVR. For example, a farmer might suffer fatal injuries on a farm when changing a wheel or tyre which then explodes/disintegrates when he tries to reinflate the tyre. This incident would be recorded against the agricultural industry. Therefore, the number of incidents/injuries and ill health would be higher in 'broader' MVR activities in industry as a whole.

The actual figures for serious and less serious injuries will be much higher than those quoted due to considerable under reporting.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Motor vehicle repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/index.htm
  2. Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/introduction.htm
  3. Overview - Common MVR topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/index.htm
  4. Benzenehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/benzene.htm
  5. Choosing the correct gloveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/gloves.htm
  6. Cleaning/degreasing substances including valetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/degreaser.htm
  7. Electric and hybrid vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/electric-hybrid.htm
  8. Falls from heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/falls.htm
  9. Fire and explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fire.htm
  10. Fluoroelastomershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fluoroelastomers.htm
  11. General COSHH essential sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/general-coshh.htm
  12. Hand-arm vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/vibration.htm
  13. Harmful dusts - Inhalation and Dermatitis riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/dusts.htm
  14. Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/manual.htm
  15. Noisehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/noise.htm
  16. Safety in the use of two-post vehicle liftshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/fallofflifts.htm
  17. Slips and tripshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/slips.htm
  18. Storing and handling airbagshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/storing-handling-airbags-seat-belt.htm
  19. Struck by...https://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/struckby.htm
  20. Updated guidance on vehicle liftshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/updated-guidance-on-vehicle-lifts.htm
  21. Used engine oilhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/oil.htm
  22. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/topics/transport.htm
  23. Overview - Bodyshopshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/index.htm
  24. 2-pack isocyanate paintshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/isocyanates.htm
  25. Bodyshop mythshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/myths/index.htm
  26. COSHH essential sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/coshh-paintspraying.htm
  27. Measuring paint spray booth clearance timehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/bodyshop/cleartime.htm
  28. Overview - Mechanical repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/index.htm
  29. Asbestoshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/asbestos.htm
  30. Hot work on wheelshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/hot-work-on-wheels.htm
  31. Tyre removal, replacement and inflationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/tyreremoval.htm
  32. Vehicle exhaust emissions (Diesel)https://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/exhaust.htm
  33. Welding and flamecuttinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/welding.htm
  34. Wheel and tyre explosionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/wheel-and-tyres.htm
  35. Working under vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/mechanical-repair/under-vehicles.htm
  36. Overview - Roadside repair and recoveryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/index.htm
  37. Automotive glazinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/glazing.htm
  38. Essential precautionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/essential-precautions.htm
  39. Repair or recovery of buses and coaches fitted with air suspensionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/roadside-repair/buses.htm
  40. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/index.htm
  41. COSHH essentialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/mvr.htm
  42. Overview - Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/index.htm
  43. Ill health statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/illhealthstats.htm
  44. Injury statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/injurystats.htm
  45. Useful external websiteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/links.htm
  46. Videoshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/videos/index.htm
  47. Contactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/contact.htm
  48. Injury statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/injurystats.htm
  49. Ill health statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/statistics/illhealthstats.htm
  50. Resources websitehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/resources/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

MVR
Motor Vehicle Repair
COSHH
Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health

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Updated 2024-08-13