Surviving a Shop Inspection Panama City FL

Don't wait to become a statistic. Any money spent on being proactive now is money that won't be spent on fines later

By Tara Munro
3/1/1998

All body shops are subject to inspection by state and county authorities. And knowing how to respond to an inspection determines whether you will handle it or it will handle you.

What can you do? Learn how to stay ready for inspections, what to do in the event of one and how to manage the "hereafter."

How to Prepare

First and foremost, know what's expected of your shop. Shop owners spend thousands of dollars every year to adhere to federal and state regulations that aren't always comprehensible. A voluntary compliance audit by an independent agency or consultant will help you to see your shop through the eyes of an inspector and anticipate issues that, uncorrected, could result in fines and remediation plans.

Secondly, record keeping is critical, and smart shop owners make it an operational priority. Designated personnel should know where the records are kept and how to understand them, and you, as the owner, need to know which records you're required to make available to an inspector and which ones are protected by attorney/client privilege. Identify information that you consider to be trade secrets and be assured that all inspectors can be asked to sign reasonable confidentiality agreements.

Appoint a member of your shop team to be the point of contact for any inspection personnel. If an inspector calls to sch...