Operational and Mechanical Risk Management in Automotive Showroom Facilities
Keywords:
Automotive showroom safety, Facility risk management, FMEA, Structural loading, Hydraulic ramp safety, Chemical hazard management, Risk assessmentAbstract
Automotive showroom facilities are commonly operated as commercial retail environments despite involving several operational and mechanical conditions associated with light industrial facilities. The presence of heavy vehicle loading, confined vehicle movement, hydraulic lifting systems, and flammable detailing chemicals introduces risks that are often insufficiently addressed through conventional commercial safety practices. This study investigates operational and mechanical risks in small-to-medium automotive showroom facilities located in the Pune metropolitan region. Risk identification was conducted through structured facility walkthroughs and zone-based observation across six dealership sites. A 5×5 Risk Matrix and an adapted Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) framework were used to prioritise identified hazards. SolidWorks-based layout modelling was additionally employed to evaluate showroom floor slab loading under different vehicle display configurations. The analysis identified floor slab overloading from clustered SUV displays, vehicle-pedestrian interaction during manoeuvring operations, solvent vapour accumulation in detailing bays, and hydraulic ramp failure modes as major operational concerns. The findings indicate that relatively practical engineering controls, including layout optimisation, pedestrian segregation, preventive inspection practices, and controlled chemical storage, can significantly improve operational safety within dealership environments. The study highlights the need for structured facility-level risk management approaches in automotive showroom operations and demonstrates the applicability of engineering risk assessment methods within this sector.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Shubham Bandal, Raj Bobade, Samarth Yadav (Author)
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