AASP-MN News November 2015

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November 2015November 2015

AASP-MN News2 November 2015

AASP-MN News November 2015 3


CONTENTSVol. 23 No. 11

AASP of Minnesota is an association ofindependently-owned automo-tive service businesses and industry suppliers dedicated toimproving the state’s automo-tive service industry and thesuccess of its members.

AASP-MN News is the official publication of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, Minnesota, Inc. 1970 Oakcrest Ave., Suite 102 • Roseville, MN 55113 Phone:612-623-1110 • Fax: 612-623-1122 email: [email protected] • website: aaspmn.org. All rights reserved. To keep its readers better informed, AASP-MN News allowsits columnists to fully express their opinions. All views expressed are not necessarily those of the publication. AASP-MN News is published by Thomas Greco Publishing,Inc. Cover image © www.istockphoto.com.

AASP-MN BOARD MEMBERS 2015 - 2016

PRESIDENTTom Gleason

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTJerald Stiele

SECRETARY-TREASURER Greg Kasel, AAM

COLLISION DIVISION DIRECTORJim Siegfried, AAM

MECHANICAL DIVISION DIRECTORWayne Watson

ASSOCIATE DIVISION DIRECTORKevin Martin

COLLISION SEATSJoyce WeinhandlWill Latuff

MECHANICAL SEATMars Overlee

STAFFEXECUTIVE DIRECTORJudell Anderson, CAE, AAM

OFFICE ADMINISTRATORJodi Pillsbury

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORTom Kluver

PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110PHONE: 973-667-6922 • FAX: 973-235-1963

PUBLISHER: Thomas Greco ([email protected])DIRECTOR OF SALES: Alicia Figurelli ([email protected])MANAGING EDITOR: Jacquelyn Bauman ([email protected])EDITOR: Joel Gausten ([email protected])ART DIRECTOR: Lea Velocci ([email protected])OFFICE MANAGER: Donna Greco ([email protected])

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COLLISION DIVISION DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE ..........................................6Why Do I Belong to AASP-MN?by Jim Siegfried, AAM, AASP-MN Collision Division Director

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ......................................................................7How to Win Friends and Influence People at the Capitolby Kevin Walli, AASP-MN Lobbyist

LOCAL NEWS ................................................................................8

NATIONAL NEWS ............................................................................10

INSURANCE I.Q. ............................................................................12Individual Medical Premiums Are Going Up in 2016by Dennis P. Begley, CLU / ChFC / LUTCF / CBC, CBIZ AiA

AASP-MN RACE FOR AUTOMOTIVE EDUCATION REGISTRATION ....................17

DEG ESTIMATING TIPS ....................................................................19

COMPLETE HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL & SAFETY SERVICES (C.H.E.S.S) ........21Wheel Cleaners Can Be Nastyby Janet L. Keyes, MS, CH and Carol A. Keyes, MA, CSP, CRC

FEATURE ......................................................................................24“Black Box” Basics: A Conversation with Jeff Lange & Larry Montanezby Joel Gausten

CASH IN ON YOUR MEMBERSHIP!........................................................26AASP-MN and Identifix® Help You Boost Production on Every Car, Every Day


January 12 & 13, 201614th Annual Race for Automotive Education

ProKart Indoor Racing, Burnsville

April 14, 20162016 Leadership ConferenceRamada Plaza, Minneapolis

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

aaa Auto Parts..................................................................13AmeriPride ......................................................................10Assessment Associates International ..............................22Axalta Coating Systems ..................................................OBCBlue Net, Inc. ..................................................................18Buerkle Hyundai ..............................................................6CBIZ ................................................................................IFCC.H.E.S.S. ......................................................................21Choice Auto Rentals ........................................................16Dentsmart ........................................................................7Inver Grove Honda / Inver Grove Toyota ..................................16Jack McClard ..................................................................18Keystone..........................................................................3Lowell’s PCE....................................................................23Maplewood Toyota ..........................................................3

Meadowbrook Insurance..................................................IFCMercedes Benz of Maplewood ........................................4Mills Parts Center ............................................................18Morrie’s ..........................................................................9Motorwerks BMW............................................................IBCMotorwerks MINI ............................................................IBCMPA ........................................................................................................14-15PAM’s Auto ......................................................................20Proven Force ..................................................................22Rosedale Chevrolet ..........................................................22Roseville Chrysler............................................................18Straight & Square ............................................................23Thexton Manufacturing....................................................4Toyota Group ..................................................................11United Fire Group ............................................................IFC

UPCOMING EVENTS

For more information, contact the AASP-MN office at 612-623-1110or visit the Association’s website, www.aaspmn.org.

Why do I belong to AASP-MN? That’s a good question, but Ibelieve it can be summed up by the AASP-MN tagline, “Buildinga better industry, one shop at a time.” I have been a member forover 18 years, as a manager and now as an owner. AASP-MN hasplayed a vital role in the success of my business. They not onlyoffer great training and educational programs, but significant sav-ings through discounted vendor programs, great networking and avoice for the independent automotive industry at the Capitol. AASP-MN does an excellent job providing current trainingand educational programs. The training sessions are geared tokeep technicians and managers up-to-date with rapidly changingautomotive technology. My technicians and managers alwayscome back from a class having learned about the latest and mostup-to-date information and technology available. AMI classes arealways offered and have been a great resource for my managersand me. The classes are geared to help us with the daily needs ofmanaging a business. Every class I attend, I come away with newand exciting ideas on how to manage and grow my business. If you haven’t taken advantage of the preferred provider

benefit programs, you really should. I have saved considerablemoney using these programs. I have taken advantage of the work-ers’ compensation insurance, uniform and linens discounts andcredit card processing program. There are many more programsoffered that may benefit you as well. It is very easy to comparequotes and decide which ones work best for you. Please check theAASP-MN website at www.aaspmn.org for further details. AASP-MN hosts great networking and information events.The Body Shop Sessions and Mech XChange workshops are agreat place to stay current with collision and mechanical issues.They provide a time to network with your industry peers and aninformational presentation about a specific industry-related topic.Through these sessions, I have developed valuable friendshipswith many colleagues. We all share many of the same industrychallenges. These sessions help us come up with different ideasand solutions. AASP-MN has offered me a great experience in becoming

6 November 2015 AASP-MN News

Why Do I Belong to AASP-MN?

by Jim Siegfried, AAM,AASP-MN Collision Division Director

COLLISION DIVISION DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

continued on page 13

How to Win Friends and Influence People at the Capitol

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

by Kevin Walli,AASP-MN Lobbyist

One of the advantages trade associations have in the publicpolicy arena is the fact that members come from all corners of thestate – and so you have members in every, or nearly every, leg-islative district. Still, your presence alone is not enough to getthrough the clutter of issues that compete for the time and atten-tion of your state representatives and state senators. As with any marketing effort, the shop owner or managerneeds to develop a routine for communicating with legislators sothat they know you, have some general understanding of yourbusiness and will give you some of their time and attention whenyou have a particular issue you need them to address at the Capi-tol. One of the most effective trade association member “lobby-ists” I have ever met is Roger Bonn of Peter’s Body Shop in St.Cloud. Roger is involved in all things St. Cloud, but he also makesa special effort to engage with his area legislators about the latestindustry issues. Over the years, I have been in Roger’s shop onmultiple occasions to talk to St. Cloud area legislators aboutAASP-MN priority concerns. Just last month, Roger hosted Rep-resentative Jim Knoblach and Senator John Pederson at his shopto talk about legislation that would limit insurance company man-dates in the collision repair sector. That meeting was a direct re-sult of years of effort on Roger’s part to make himself known tohis legislators. Because he has been a consistent voice on theseissues and has stayed in contact with legislators, they respondwhen Roger asks for some of their time. It’s not only back in the district that Roger has been active.He makes his way to the Capitol for individual meetings with his

legislators. In addition, when we have had AASP-MN “Day-at-the- Capitol” events, Roger has attended to visit with legislativeleaders and his own legislators on AASP-MN issues. He also comes to the Capitol when his community – St.Cloud – has their “Day-at-the-Capitol” event and invites Judelland me to join him so that he can introduce us to his legislatorsand make sure they make the connection to his trade association.This is particularly helpful to me when there is a new legislatorfrom St. Cloud who I have not yet met and my first meeting isthrough an introduction from one of their constituents – Roger –who they already know. I can’t say enough about how helpful it is to have a memberlike Roger running interference for me with his legislators. He in-vests the time on the issues and he invests the time in the rela-tionships to make himself the “go-to” guy for policymakers whoneed to sort out issues affecting the auto repair industry. Roger is one of the best examples, but certainly not the onlyexample, of a member who has gone the extra mile to help withour legislative issues. Our success at the Capitol comes from thegrassroots connection between members and their legislators.The message I deliver for you at the Capitol would almost cer-tainly fall on deaf ears without the connections you create withyour representatives and senators. So to everyone in the Association, reach out to your legisla-tors, become their source of information and don’t be afraid toask for their help when AASP-MN is advancing and protectingthe industry’s interests at the Capitol.

November 2015 7AASP-MN News

AASP-MN FALL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTS

Twenty-eight students attended the AASP-MN-hosted R.O.Writer™ User Training Camp on September 30 and October 1,2015 at the Ramada Plaza Minneapolis. The two-day event wasdesigned to provide R.O. Writer™ software users with a newlevel of understanding about the tools and capabilities built intothe software program. The workshop included recommendedsetup and best practices, as well as building a business and mar-keting plan. R.O. Writer™ Software Expert Paul Stewart led theprogram, which covered: • Software usage and functionality, • business analysis, • marketing and follow-up, and • service center processes and procedures.

AASP-MN hosted a Body Shop Session for collision shopson October 7 at Grumpy’s Bar and Grill, Roseville. The maintopic of discussion was General Motors’ new MyPriceLink pro-gram, which will launch on December 1. Thirty-four AASP-MNmembers had the opportunity to hear about how the programworks and what it will mean for the day-to-day operations oftheir collision repair shop.

The GM program will enablereal-time list pricing during theestimating process. John Eck(left), manager for the wholesaledealer channel for General Motorscustomer care and aftersales, toldthe group that shops’ workflowshouldn’t change at all underMyPriceLink.

“Shops will write estimatesin the same manner as they always have and dealers are able toprocess orders and invoice customers,” Eck said. On October 21, AASP-MN presented its first-ever live

webinar, “Supercharge Your Digital Marketing Success.” The in-teractive webinar, presented by Margaret Klemmer of AutoshopSolutions, gave participants a plan to connect the dots betweentheir website and online marketing tools available. Viewerslearned: • How to attract the right kind of website visitor, • the most cost-effective way to get in front of a target customer, and • proven strategies to convert website visitors into paying customers.

IN MEMORIAM OF WHITEY... Beloved industry icon John W. “Whitey”Westlund passed away peacefully in Octoberat the age of 84. Whitey spent over 60 yearsin the automotive service industry, most re-cently with Lehman’s Garage, until his retire-ment a few years ago. Over the years, Whitey assisted AASP-

MN with its annual picnics, conventions and Lights On ForSafety programs. And, up until his retirement, he continued to bean active attendee at most AASP-MN events. Whitey had also been active in ASA, ASE, the Twin CitiesManagers’ Club, I-CAR, SkillsUSA/VICA and technical collegeadvisory boards. In 2007, Whitey was a recipient of the NationalAuto Body Council’s Pride Award and was recognized as Volun-teer of the Year by I-CAR. In 2009, AASP-MN presented Whiteywith its first ever Lifetime Service Award. Whitey was preceded in death by his wife, Audrey. He is sur-vived by his children, Steve (Carol), Sandie (Tim) Fuller andRick (Kim); grandchildren, Jim, Tom, Dan, Stephanie, Dan,Michael, Patrick, Keira and Gavin; and great-grandchildren,Hannah, Connor, Madeline and Claire. Memorials in honor of Whitey may be directed to thedonor’s choice.

I-CAR/SKILLSUSA GOLF OUTING A SUCCESS The MN I-CAR/SkillsUSA annual golf tournament was an-other big success. The local volunteer I-CAR committee wouldlike to thank all the golfers and sponsors for their support in help-ing raise money to help local students in the auto body industry. The move to Oak Glen Golf Course in Stillwater proved tobe a great venue for the event. Nearly $10,000 was raised thisyear! Now more than ever, the auto body industry needs new,skilled auto body and refinishing technicians. This money will beutilized to provide grants, scholarships, tools and equipment tothose deserving schools and students who will continue to sup-port a strong auto body industry. The MN I-CAR Committeelooks forward to another successful event next year.

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR THE 2016 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

AASP-MN is accepting sponsorships for educational pro-gramming during its 2016 Leadership Conference. The event willtake place on April 14 at the Ramada Plaza Minneapolis. Sponsoring a program at the AASP-MN Leadership Confer-ence provides a wonderful opportunity for companies to extendtheir support and outreach not only to existing customers, but toother potential customers in the automotive service industry.


LOCAL NEWS

Top: Paul Stewart led the 2-day R.O. Writer™User Training Camp. Bottom: Twenty-eightstudents attended the two-day workshop at theRamada Plaza Minneapolis.


Companies may choose to sponsor a sessionhand-picked by the volunteer leaders of AASP-MN with a contribution of $1,500. The follow-ing programs will be offered:

• Mastering the 5 Skills for Effective Leadership - Richard Flint • Help – My Industry is Consolidating! - Brad Mewes • Keynote: No More Excuses, It’s Non- negotiable - Sam Silverstein • Building Your Accountable Organization - Sam Silverstein • Authentic Persuasion: Communication That Moves Others to Action - Josh Dye • Increase Your Diagnostic Labor Sales - Kelly Bennett • Collision Workflow: Better Scheduling = Greater Success - Kent Carlson

Program Sponsors receive: • Pre- and post-event promotion to 2,000+ AASP-MN members and automotive businesses • Promotion via emails, faxes, event marketing brochures, AASP-MN website, press releases and on-site program materials and signage • Recognition before, during and after the event as a sponsor supporter • Access to AASP-MN members (the best in the business!) and other industry constituents

If you would like to sponsor a programlisted above, please contact the AASP-MN officeat (612) 623-1110 or (800) 852-9071 by Decem-ber 31.

AASP-MN SEEKING VOLUNTEER LEADERS

AASP-MN is looking for automotive indus-try professionals who are interested in advancingthe industry by serving in leadership positions onthe Association’s Board of Directors and Advi-sory Committees. A number of positions are open on the Colli-sion, Mechanical and Associate Advisory Com-mittees, as well as the Government/RegulatoryAffairs and Education/Training Committees.There are also two seats open on the AASP-MNBoard of Directors, one collision and one me-chanical. If you have a personal interest, or would liketo nominate someone else, contact the Nominat-ing Committee Chair Jerald Stiele, Hopkins AutoBody, at (952) 935-7556 or the AASP-MN officeat (612) 623-1110 or (800) 852-9071.


CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS & TERM EXPIRATION DATE

• Tom Gleason, Pro-Tech Auto & Truck Repair, President, 3/31/17 • Greg Kasel, Downtown Tire & Auto, Sec./Treasurer, 3/31/16 • Jerald Stiele, Hopkins Auto Body, Immediate Past President, 3/31/16 • Kevin Martin, PPG, Associate Division Director, 3/31/16 • Wayne Watson, Auto Works Diagnostics & Repair, Mechanical Division Director, 3/31/17 • Jim Siegfried, Crystal Lake Automotive, Collision Division Director, 3/31/17 • Joyce Weinhandl, Twin City Auto Body, Collision Seat, 3/31/16 • Mars Overlee, Rick’s 36 Automotive Services, Mechanical Seat, 3/31/18 • Will Latuff, Latuff Brothers, Collision Seat, 3/31/18

10 November 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

IT PAYS - LITERALLY - TO RESEARCH ON PROCEDURES Shops that research OEM procedures are more likely to ask and get paid for “not-in-cluded” repair operations, according to the latest results from the “Who Pays for What?” surveyseries conducted by Collision Advice and CRASH Network. While the surveys are primarily designed to explore the payment frequency of “not-in-cluded” repair operations, the latest survey also asked shops how often they research OEM re-pair procedures at the time they write the estimate. In a nearly perfect correlation, the results(see table below) showed that shops who said they “always” research OEM procedures wereover 20 percent more likely to be paid for not-included repair operations most (if not all) of thetime. Conversely, those shops that said they “never” research OEM procedures were over 80 percent more likely to say they have“never asked” to be paid for those same “not-included” repair procedures. “Perhaps this speaks more about the attitude a shop takes toward educating themselves and their employees more than any otherfactor,” industry trainer and consultant Mike Anderson, who designed the survey series, said. “It stands to reason that those who takethe time to research the proper repair procedures also take the time to learn how they should be properly reimbursed for the extra effortit takes to do the job right – which is what these survey results are designed to help them with.”

The 51-page report of the second survey findings on frame and mechanical operations is now available atwww.collisionadvice.com/survey. Also available is a 62-page report on the first survey results released earlier this year for refinish-related not-included procedures.

LOCAL NEWS

continued from pg. 9

AASP-MN News


12 November 2015

INSURANCE I.Q.

The continuing saga of healthcare reform is tossing out somenew changes. Many smaller employers cancelled their groupmedical coverage in the last couple of years – essentially tellingtheir employees to obtain their own individual medical insurance.With much lower pricing for individual medical, that appeared tomake good business sense. I saw savings in the Twin Cities of 25percent or more, compared to the group medical. That price dif-ference is going to change in 2016. The local medical carriers have filed rates with the Com-merce Department for individual medical for 2016. It doesn’tlook good. Blue Cross’ average rate increase is 47 percent, from45 percent to 49 percent depending on the contract and/or net-work. HealthPartners’ increase is 32.2 percent. Preferred One is39 percent; Medica is 14 percent. The actual increase will dependon the particular medical plan and network issued by the carrier. Why the rate increases? That is the subject of a broader dis-cussion. Let’s just say that the carriers feel higher premiums areneeded to cover the claims, and in 2016 the federal reinsurance ofindividual medical is going away. Blue Cross Blue Shield(BCBS) revealed the company lost $135 million in 2014 on itsindividual medical block of business, and expects to lose a simi-lar amount this year. These increases are not going to their bot-tom line. Healthcare reform limits how much medical carriers canearn as profit. The small group market is much more stable. BCBS is actually averaging a rate DECREASE of 4.8 percent on 2016 renewals. HealthPartners asked for a 5.6 percent average in-crease. Medica’s small group increase is 4.5 percent. PreferredOne is asking for a three- to five-percent increase. I discussed some of the following points before, but a lot of

small business owners are going to have to revisit this conversa-tion again soon. Is it better for a small business owner to providegroup medical or force their workforce to find individual medicalcoverage? There are more things I can list, such as how limited individ-ual medical coverage is compared to group or that most individ-ual medical networks are much smaller than group. But if I stopright here, I think it’s pretty obvious that the primary reason asmall business would consider individual medical as a legitimateoption is the price savings, and those price savings are goingaway in 2016 with the rate increases. Most of the members of AASP-MN are “small group,”meaning companies with fewer than 50 employees. I need tomention that the new HealthCare Reform rules change a fewthings for the 50-employee or more size companies: 1) If you own multiple companies, you need to count all theemployees of all the companies. (Look up the controlled groupownership rules.) 2)You need to count all employees except 1099. Full time isconsidered at 30 hours a week. Part time and seasonal must alsobe counted. There is an adjustment based on hours to determinewhat the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) number is. If you have alot of part time or seasonal employees, you may be considered alarge group. 3) Small group medical is going to continue to be defined ashaving 2-50 employees. 4) Employers with 50 or more employees have to file a newinformational set of forms to the IRS during the first quarter of2016: The 1094-1095. This is a somewhat complicated form tofile that will likely require you to seek outside assistance to

Individual Medical Premiums Are Going Up in 2016

by Dennis P. Begley, CLU / ChFC / LUTCF / CBC, CBIZ AiA

AASP-MN News

comply. I have heard that most of the com-panies offering this service are at capacityand not taking any new customers. (Thisfiling requirement does NOT apply tocompanies with fewer than 50 employees.) 5) The pay-or-play penalties for em-ployers with 50 or more employees stillapply. If an employer doesn’t providegroup medical coverage, the potential fineis $2000 a year for EACH 30-hour em-ployee, minus the first 30. That does notchange with the small group.

I am optimistic that the rate increasesand changes in the small group medicalhave stabilized. The carriers seem to haveembraced the new rules, with 2016 beingthe standard. Medica is coming back intothe small group market on January 1,2016. BCBS is replacing a good portion ofits portfolio one more time to accommo-date the requirements. HealthPartners iseliminating the non-smoker discountsstarting on renewals after January 1, 2016.

So what is a small business owner todo? Talk to your insurance broker – if youstill have one – about setting up a smallgroup medical plan. And you should do itprior to 2016. Your employees won’t knowabout the rate increases on their individualmedical until they get the renewal in themail. Those renewals start on January 1,2016.

November 2015 13

WHAT’SWRONG

WITH THIS PICTURE?

Answer: The picture is of an eyewash with blockedaccess. (It also had not been serviced routinely, butyou can’t tell that fromthe picture.)

involved with the State Legislature. Whileserving on the Collision Advisory Com-mittee, I have had the opportunity tospeak to different legislative committeesregarding bills involving our industry. Ithas been rewarding to have had input onlaws that affect our businesses. It was alsovaluable to help educate senators and rep-resentatives on the challenges we faceevery day. These are just a few reasons whyAASP-MN is so important to my businessand me. What can you do to help? AASP-MNoffers great training and managementclasses throughout the year. They alsohave many member benefit programs thatsave you money. In order to continue tooffer these programs, AASP-MN mem-bers have to participate in them! If you arenot involved, I encourage you to do sotoday.


COLLISION DIVISION DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

AASP-MN News







Audatex Labor Report – Labor times listed in the Audatex estimatingsystem are constructed differently than other estimating products, anduniquely use an “inside out” approach to defining labor units. Audatexprovides an Audatex Labor Report, which documents the operationsused in the development of their published time. This report can beprinted along with the estimate and can be useful in determining thingssuch as included operations and overlaps deductions. Below is an ex-cerpt from the Audatex P-Pages (DBRM):“Audatex Labor ReportShows the operations that may be performed for each panel on the esti-mate. This report includes:1. The guide number where any overlap has been considered2. The full labor of the panel before overlap consideration3. All operations that may be applicable for a specific estimateThe Labor Report is specific for each vehicle and provides a break-down of included operations. This report is viewable on screen or print-able for any estimate.”Also, don’t forget that in the back of the P-Pages in Audatex is a fre-quently asked questions section. There are 40 questions with answersthat could help during the estimate/repair process. Feather Prime and Block is a Refinish Operation – All three estimat-ing systems state the Feather Prime and Block (FPB) operation is a re-finish procedure.Audatex – Has the option to add FPB to a repair panel but also states inDEG inquiry number 8061: “FPB is recognized as a refinish operationand is so denoted within the body of the estimate.”CCC – Says FPB is a refinish operation in DEG inquiry number 6824:“Prime and Block is a refinish operation and is not included in anylabor operation.”

Mitchell – Just like Audatex and CCC, Mitchell states FPB is a refinishoperation in DEG inquiry number 3727: “FEATHER, PRIME &BLOCK IS THE NOT-INCLUDED REFINISH OPERATION.”Remember to set up your Audatex profile to calculate FPB materials.This can be found in a previous estimating tip: Audatex Feather Primeand Block – In order to calculate for materials, Audatex users must gointo each unique profile within the estimating system and define thematerials rate for Feather Prime and Block in the rate tab. Like all un-defined rates, this will default to $0 until defined by the user. Duringthe estimate preparation process, you must factor the necessary time forfeather, prime and block into the repair time, and then allocate the por-tion of the total repair hours to be applied to the Feather, Prime andBlock operation.Adding a New Aluminum Rate Category in CCC – Aluminum repairis becoming more common, and if you have CCC One you have theoption of adding an aluminum rate category, outlined in the procedurebelow. Audatex and Mitchell do not currently allow the end user to cre-ate a new rate category, and it must be accounted for manually.1. Navigate to the profile under the configure link: 2. Select the profile you would like to change.3. On the left side expand the estimating folder, then rates folder andclick Labor:4. Click “Add Charge Category.”5. Input the Name of the category and dollar amount. Remember thecode number for future use.6. Once the rate category is in the system you can add it to a repair orreplace line by clicking the box next to the labor amount and inputtingthe code number for the new aluminum rate.

You can view these tips and others on the DEG website, www.degweb.org.

ESTIMATING TIPS



How would you feel about using acleaning product that warns that it couldbe fatal if it comes in contact with skin?Sounds pretty nasty. Maybe it’s the mosteffective product for the job, but wouldn’tyou at least want to take some extra pre-cautions when handling it? Too often, we don’t see those precau-tions taken – and too often, it is the least-experienced workers who are assigned towork with this product. What’s the prod-uct? Wheel cleaner. We’ve seen three types of wheelcleaners: Strong acids, weak acids andnon-acids (alkaline cleaners). The ones labeled as non-acids are cor-rosive, able to cause skin burns and per-manent eye damage. In general, they’repretty straightforward except for onemajor point – you may not feel pain or ir-ritation from them immediately. Instead,they may feel soapy on your skin. But ifyou get them washed off your skin beforethey can start damaging the tissue, youwon’t have any long-term effects. The strong acid ones also causeburns. They often contain sulfuric acid,the same acid found in lead-acid batteries.That’s a “what you see is what you get”chemical. If you get it on your skin orsplash it in your eyes, you’ll immediatelyfeel pain or irritation. The strong acid wheel cleaners andthe weak acid ones also contain hydroflu-oric acid or ammonium bifluoride. Thesefluoride compounds are nasty. Burns fromthem aren’t felt right away – it can take aslong as 24 hours to notice the pain. Thechemicals readily go through skin, caus-ing very deep burns that can be very slowto heal. If not treated correctly, the burn-ing can continue for days. These chemi-cals are hazardous from skin contact, eyecontact and from breathing any mist ifthey’re sprayed. If you get a corrosive chemical on

your skin, the standard first aid procedureis to immediately remove any contami-nated clothing and flush the skin with lotsof water. That’s true for fluoride burns, butthat’s not enough. Because fluoride pene-trates and binds, water alone won’t re-move it. Special and prompt treatmentwith an iced solution of benzalkoniumchloride (a common disinfectant) or cal-cium gluconate gel is needed. Don’t haveany on hand? Get to a doctor immediately. If it’s in the eye, flush with lots ofwater and then get to a doctor right away. Make sure you tell the treating clinicthat they’re dealing with a fluoride burn.You want to be sure they understand that itisn’t an ordinary acid burn. If this type ofburn is not treated correctly, the fluoridecan even penetrate to the bone, making

it lose calcium. It makes sense for shops that use acidwheel cleaners to stock some of the treat-ment for skin contact, but prevention isbetter than treatment. • Evaluate the wheel brightener or wheel cleaner you use. Could you change to one that is less hazardous? If you think you must use a very strong one, can you get away from the fluoride-containing cleaners? • Require that anyone using wheel cleaners wear protective gloves. Neoprene, butyl rubber or nitrile should be sufficient, but check the safety data sheet for the specific chemical. Keep the gloves clean and

By Janet L. Keyes, MS, CIH and Carol A. Keyes, MA, CSP, CRC

COMPLETE HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL & SAFETY SERVICES (C.H.E.S.S.)

Wheel Cleaners Can Be Nasty




WelcomeNew Members:

OCTOBER 2015

Jensen’s Car CareMinneapolis

Midas Auto Service CenterBloomington

Tesch Service CenterWaseca

Under Car ServicesEdina


The automotive repair indusry is rifewith misconceptions about event datarecorder (EDR) technology - also known as“black boxes” - and how it could affect theircustomers and their businesses. AASP-MNNews connected with industry experts LarryMontanez and Jeff Lange to clear up some ofthe mysteries on this topic.

What are some of the common thingsrecorded by the event data recorders(EDRs) - otherwise known as “black boxes”- in current vehicles?Jeff Lange: In a very broad sense, you’llsee two types of data recorded if a ‘crash’occurs: Pre-crash and crash [or crash-re-lated] data. The pre-crash data reflects theoperational conditions during the five toeight seconds [depending of the manufac-turer] prior to when the supplemental re-straint system is activated or ‘wakes up.’The crash-related data reflects the condi-tions during the crash, such as change invelocity. This total time is generally under300 milliseconds. In the world of carcrashes and airbags, things happen inthousandths of a second, so the data col-lected after the system determines that acrash is happening is only collecting thefirst quarter to third of a second. In pre-crash data, you’ll typically see vehiclespeed, brake application, seat belt use andthe accelerator pedal and/or throttle posi-tions. It should be noted that there are twotypes of events recorded: Deployment andnon-deployment. Deployment events arethose of sufficient severity to activate anddeploy the airbag[s]. A non-deploymentevent is of sufficient severity to ‘wake up’the airbag system, but a deployment is determined to be unwarranted.

Larry Montanez: If the airbag controlmodule detects that the vehicle might be indanger due to the condition the vehicle isin, or the condition the vehicle might bein, then the airbag system will activate. Ifthere is no collision event and the manu-facturer’s threshold has not been brokenbased on the deceleration of the vehicle,then the airbag won’t deploy. It will justrecord, ‘We woke up; we almost had to getinto a fight, but we hit ‘snooze’ on thealarm clock and went back to sleep.’ If anevent does occur - and this could be a pot-hole making the car think it’s in enough ofa deceleration at enough speed over ashort distance - the airbag system woulddeploy the necessary components based onthe information input from the driver andpassenger. For example, if you hit a pot-hole on the left-hand side, the airbag sys-tem may decide that only my seatbeltmight need to be locked for me to be safe,while the passenger airbag might deployfor them based on their weight and the factthey’re on the side of danger. It’s a dis-criminatory system all based on the airbagcontrol module.

Is there anything that EDRs typically trackall the time, such as GPS location and soforth? What makes EDRs different from“pay as you drive” devices used by some in-surers that track customers’ driving habits?LM: The electronic data recorders thatAllstate and Progressive are using arethings that drivers elect to have placed intheir cars. You voluntarily put that in, andthat will record a whole bunch of stuff. Itrecords a slew of things, including yourfastest speed. The data recorder inside the

airbag control module does not do that. Itcan’t tell you the fastest speed the car hasever reached. Currently, there’s no GPSthat connects to the electronic datarecorder, or vice versa.

What are some of the greatest misconcep-tions people in the industry - as well as themedia - have about the information trackedby event data recorders? For example, it’s acommonly held belief that headlights andhazard lights are among the things recordedby this equipment, but this might not be thecase. JL: You’re right; that is not the case. An-other big misconception is that EDRstrack time and date. People think these arelike true black boxes, where they recordflight and date stamps and audio of what isgoing on at the time of the event. Also,there is no way to identify if a specific keywas used. It is also a mistake to believethere is something in that box that canidentify a specific driver, although therehave been cases where someone said, ‘I letmy girlfriend drive the car, and itcrashed,” and then you find out the seat isin a position for a guy who’s six-foot-fourand not a girl who is five-foot-two.

LM: I’ve tried to explain to people that itdoesn’t tell you what time you woke up inthe morning or had breakfast before get-ting in the car and putting on your seatbelt.There is not a videographer following youaround the entire day. In many cases, it’lltell me if the car is going forward or in re-verse, and it’ll definitely tell me speed,whether or not the brakes were appliedand if the ABS system had to be activated.

FEATURE by Joel Gausten

“Black Box”BASICS:

A Conversation with Jeff Lange & Larry Montanez

uncontaminated. One car washer lost her fingers when she wore contaminated gloves. The gloves held the substance right against her skin, causing severe tissue destruction. • Require that anyone using wheel cleaners wear a face shield and chemical safety goggles. We don’t see this often, but it should be mandatory. • Don’t use stronger solutions than needed, and be especially careful when diluting solutions. If you buy a concentrated product and then dilute it for use, remember to always add the acid to water, never the other way around. • Be prepared for a spill. If you use a strong acid wheel cleaner, get some limestone pebbles (calcium carbonate) or a spill kit designed for hydrofluoric acid to neutralize it. Other neutraliz- ers, such as baking soda, can leave toxic salts after the acid is neutralized. Use a commercial neutralizer for the nonacid (alkaline) wheel cleaners. • Be prepared for an accident. Make sure you have a working eyewash nearby. If you use the fluoride products, have some of the first aid treatment (the gel, for instance) on hand. Honeywell, the world’s largest producer of hydrofluoric acid, has a good guide to medical treatment for fluoride exposure. You can find it by searching for “Honey- well exposure treatment guide.” If an employee is exposed, provide that guide to the clinic.

If you have questions about chemicalsafety, requirements for personal protec-tive equipment, or general safety issues,call CHESS at (651) 481-9787 or email usat [email protected].

It’s not going to give me “yaw rate,” andit won’t tell me if the lights were on oranything like that.

How much information can be gatheredfrom a vehicle black box by a police officerwho pulls you over?LM: None. The car is not recording any-thing unless it thinks it’s in an accident.

JL: If there’s no crash, and an officerstops you on the road and says, ‘I thinkyou were speeding, so we want to pluginto your event data recorder,’ there’snothing in there because there’s no event.Many times, we even have cars that havea crash, but the crash was not of a suffi-cient-enough severity to activate therecording portion of an EDR. It’s just nottrue that these things are always record-ing.

What is the biggest impact EDR technologywill have on the collision repair industry? JL: Insurance companies will use thedata to make a determination on if they’regoing to honor a claim. For example, if acustomer is claiming that their car wasparked and unoccupied when it was hit,the insurers can deny the claim if it is ob-vious - even without EDR data - that thecar was moving at the time of the crash.That’s a misrepresentation. Honestly, Ithink the concern for body shops at thispoint may be that they’re advocates fortheir customers. When the shops advocatefor those customers, the data could actu-ally end hurting that shop’s good inten-tions. I’ve had claims adjusters send meto a shop to investigate whether or notthat shop’s customer is telling the truth.The data in the module can conflict withthe customer’s statements. If that happensand you’re advocating for that person, itreduces your credibility. I think that’s agenuine concern. More insights from Jeff and Larry on ve-hicle “black box” technology - includingthe debunking of several other commonmisconceptions - are available athttp://www.pnlestimology.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Dispelling-the-Myths-About-Black-Boxes-HD-Jun13.pdf.

November 2015 25

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AASP-MN News November 2015