Auto body repair industry welcomes certification

By Harry Sullivan
TRURO DAILY NEWS
TRURO - Uncertified auto body repair workers are heading for extinction, thanks to new provincial regulations coming into effect.
The upside, however, say those on the
professional side of the industry, will be safer vehicles heading back on the roads following a collision.
"You see a lot of vehicles out there that aren't repaired properly," said Allan Quigley, owner of Salmon River Collision Repair Ltd., who believes the move is "long overdue."
Changes being implemented by the Department of Labour and Workforce Development will see compulsory certification as a requirement for anyone working in auto body repair.
The move comes in response to calls from the collision repair industry as a way to improve workplace and public safety by helping ensure Nova Scotia's motor vehicle body repairers are aware of current safety practices and are trained to a high industry standard.
"Implementing compulsory certification in this trade is all about increasing safety for the motoring public in this province," said Lindsay Gates, executive director, Collision Repair Association of Nova Scotia. "We are in full support of the move to specify this trade as a compulsory certified trade."
The change in status means only people with a certificate of qualification, a valid temporary permit or registered apprentices will legally be permitted to work in the trade.
In the same way that the technological advances of modern vehicles closed the shops of many backyard mechanics, today's automobiles are also engineered much differently, Quigley said, from everything to air bags that require proper installation to the types of metals that are used in the frames and bodies.
"Some of it you can't bend," he said, of the steel used in automotive manufacturing. "Some of it you can't heat and all of that stuff is being done (by backyard body repairers)."
While today's vehicles are built with many safety features engineered into their designs, it often doesn't take much of an impact to knock things out of sync, and frames that once might have been straightened by a backyard method, don't respond the same way.
"There's little or no wheel alignment on your vehicles so they've got to be properly measured and pulled," Quigley said. ""And compulsory certification is going to help clean up that area, which is going to make it safer for the public."
The government also suggests compulsory certification will make the trade more attractive for young journeymen to enter into because they will view themselves more as professionals.
While Jon Denney, owner of Denny's Auto Body in Stewiacke, agrees with the safety aspects related to compulsory certification, he is not so sure about the latter point.
"I'm split 50-50 on it," he said, of the change. "I think the only thing that is going to attract more people to the trade is money."
And because of the way insurance companies control the way rates are often dictated within the industry, he said, it leaves little room for smaller shops to compete or pay wages comparable to those in the automotive mechanical industry, which are generally higher.
"They tell us labour rates, they tell us how much they are going to pay for materials," Denney said, of the insurance companies.
But, he, too, believes the move is a "step" in the right direction.
"I think it will help," Quigley added. "I don't think it will help in the real short term but it is certainly going to clean up the appearance of the industry ....
"As far as the door rate going up, possibly in a short time the door rate will change some but when the vehicle goes out of the shop you know it is done by a trained professional with a certificate. So, the customer has peace of mind and they are not going to be paying for the same job twice."
Enforcement of the compulsory certification is not to come into effect until early August 2011, to give those already in the industry a chance to bring their training up to date.

hsullivan@trurodaily.com

Brian: - January 18th, 2010 at 10:18:26

next time you need body work done as a result of an accident take it to 3 or 4 body shops, 1st question they'll ask is Are you going through insurance? Gee, i wonder why they ask that....should it matter? I was quoted $600 at one place, $2100 at another and 1200 at a 3rd place when my bumper was scratched in a parking lot. I eventually got it fixed for $250 at a 4th place that my insurance adjuster told me to visit. What a farce

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Aurora: - January 18th, 2010 at 10:17:53

Unless it is being covered through insurance, people will still go to where they can afford to go to have the work done.... regardless of certifications.

Mary: - January 18th, 2010 at 10:10:54

I agree with Nicole totally. Many backyard mechanics have excellent reputations, experience and honesty which is sadly lacking with certified professionals these days. Many big name garages and dealerships I will not allow to touch my car now because the charged me for work that was never done and put my safety at risk on the roads, not just my safety, the public's too. I have also been told by these certified professionals that I needed work done that was pure B.S. and just a money grab. The look on their faces when I insist on looking at the problem they are talking about is priceless. Any honest mechanic will show you the issue and explain why it needs to be fixed.

Peter Griffin: - January 18th, 2010 at 10:07:15

I agree with Brian Griffin buthow many times do I have to tell you Brian not to use the computer. Between you and Stewie you are driving Lois and I crazy.

Teddybear: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:59:03

As a comedian once said of doctors, someone had to finish at the bottom of the class, maybe it is your doctor!
The same holds true for all 'Professionals , someone finishes at the bottom of the class and gets the same certification as those who make 100 % on their tests.
The certification or licenses should show in what category or percent of the class the professional finished. As well there are those who have learned thru many years of experience and those who have learned from a text book. I will go with the more experienced myself.

Fred: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:57:26

More government dictatorship? Hitler would be proud of the way we have regressed.
Fred Isenor

nicole: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:53:01

I know of many people (myself included) who were quoted and then rediculously overcharged by a certain certified professional for work that was never done or not done properly and had to be repaired by one of those backyard mechanics he speaks so fondly of. As far as having the security of knowing work was done by a trained professional.....Thats what I thought I had hired....Alan Quigley should take a long hard look in the mirror and consider that just because you are certified does not make you capable.

Kat: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:49:47

What a joke . I had my car repaired after a mishap several months ago. It was covered by insurance..over $2000 later some glass in my car was replaced. I received an itemized list from my garage detailing the costs. It was a joke . Hazardous waste removal, paint my car never saw, almost $200 to detail it (for that kind of money I would have cleaned it myself) and the list went on. Thank heaven we have such honest professionals out there in the industry so they can bill insurance companies for what ever they can get away with therefore raising everyones insurance costs because of it. Let's give them more opportunities to do this by regulating the little guy out of business.

dave: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:45:00

sounds like a new tax to me.

Expired Sticker: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:41:46

I imagine a lot of the experts in this field who do the very best work are barely literate. The so called pro-shops who have the certified experts typically do the worst work out there. Way to go government....on once again completely mis-understanding an industry...or being fed a load of BS by the con artists in it to try and push some of the best out of the business. You did an excellent job on the new inspection legislation...a glowing example of incompitence at it's finest. I mean...a 5 year old could tell you that NO ONE is ever going to take 2 days off work and pay $400 to attend a course in order to be able to earn $5 for an hours worth of work inspecting a trailer with electric trailer...when the standard labor rate is $40 for the same hour of work. As a result...It's now next to impossible to find somewhere to inspect a trailer with electric brakes. No one wants to do it...no one is qualified to do it. Yeah...that legislation was a GREAT idea...

2 cents worth: - January 18th, 2010 at 09:41:08

Everything that has been said here so far in the comments is true. Body shops will continue to rip off the consumer and the insurance companies, even if they get certified .
I will always go to the person that has the reputation of being honest and does good work. Certified or not! (Certification will just be an excuse for body shops to charge more per hour...watch and see.)
If the government wants something to be certified...how about we pass a law that all Politicians be certified to run for office!