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Then there are traceability issues so work commencement, completion, details of work carried out, names of staff involved in the repair, etc must all be recorded. In addition, the details of body alignment checks and a quality conformance declaration are required.
Equipment
The PAS even goes as far as specifying the tools and equipment the workshop must have - based on the type of repairs they are going to do, whether it be Cosmetic, Structural Steel or Structural Aluminium and composite.
This means the equipment has to match that detailed in the methods manuals and the manufacturers of the equipment must provide information to prove that the equipment is capable of meeting those requirements.
Bodyshops don’t have to have an electronic estimating system, but if there is one, it has to work and reasons given for selecting that particular system (do you think reasons such as ‘it was the cheapest’ will be acceptable?).
Equipment – particularly measuring systems and gauges (including those on welding gas bottles) have to be calibrated regularly and this includes the employee’s own equipment. Then the bodyshop needs a full maintenance plan and a list of responsibilities for cleaning and maintenance.
Materials
All parts, components and fastenings have to be:
- Original Equipment (OE) – carrying the manufacturers trademark. These are branded parts and traditionally bought from franchised dealers.
- OE branded with the component manufacturer’s trademark and independently certified. This is a mighty complicated way of saying parts made by the people who originally made the bits for the vehicle manufacturer. These are often branded and packaged under the parts manufacturer’s name.
- Parts of matching quality which have been independently certified under a recognised certification scheme such as Thatcham Parts Accreditation.
- Alternative parts which are not safety related – these can only be used in non-safety related repairs.
Paint
Has to be supplied by the vehicle manufacturer, or his approved paint brand – or someone who can demonstrate equivalent performance.
Parts have to be checked for conformity to purchase specification and they have to be identified and traceable to vehicle awaiting repair. This is particularly important when the technician is looking for them so he knows he is about to fit the right bits. BSI/Thatcham suggest the job number should be applied to each part. Handling and storage has to be done properly to avoid dings and dents.
Beyond this there are many other processes involving documentation and audits, but the most important aspect is a good quality repair which is as close as possible to the original and which does not reduce strength and impact resistance of the original design.
Costs
Accreditation involves an initial registration and audit fee of £800, a licence fee of £1000 and the first surveillance audit costs a further £650. That’s £2450 for the first year.
Some of the main insurance companies are already requiring their approved networks to apply for registration within the first three months and to achieve registration within two years. | 
