Garage MOT Equipment: Pit vs Lift

If you’re just setting up your professional business or looking to enter the world of MOT testing- one thing is for sure, you’re going to need access under the vehicles you’re working on. For this you’ll need some specialist garage MOT equipment.

To do this properly, you’ve really got two options: an inspection pit, sunk into the ground, or an above vehicle lift.

Both options have their merits and drawbacks, ranging from cost, ease of installation, user functionality and safety. In this blog, we’re going to examine these factors, and hopefully by the end you’ll have a fair idea of which option would meet your needs most effectively.

Garage MOT Equipment - The Considerations That Count

Ease of Installation

Your choice of garage MOT equipment, naturally, will need installing.

Both pits and lifts present their own challenges at this stage.

Pits obviously require excavation works to be carried out which may require ground surveys, permission from your local authority, and engagement with contractors to carry out the works (enter at this point, the CDM regs which place duties on you, [the client] and any designers or contractors engaged in the installation works).

Meanwhile, an MOT test lift will require a hard standing (concrete pad) to be fixed to - most garages will have this already but naturally this will need to be of a high enough standard to properly anchor the lift to the ground.  If your current base is unsuitable, groundworks will need to be carried out to prepare the ground and lay the concrete. In most cases, a vehicle inspection lift is the easier of the two to install.

Another key consideration is roof height; naturally if you have limited headroom at your premises, you will either have to raise the roof to accommodate a lift, or accept that the decision has been made for you and opt for an MOT test pit.

Performance in Use

Once installation considerations are understood, any garage MOT equipment will need to perform properly and reliably in use and enable you to carry out the work that you intend to do.

Here are things to consider:

• Do you need access to the entire underside of the vehicle? Pits offer a central access down the middle of the vehicle, so reaching areas such as suspension and steering linkages, brakes, etc, may be a challenge.
• If you’re tall, or the pit isn’t particularly deep, you run the risk of banging your head. There is potential for this with lifts too, however, the likelihood is increased with a pit.
• Lifts offer the ability to vary the height of the vehicle. This is helpful when working on areas such as wheel arches and exterior components, improving the ergonomics of the work area and reducing back strain.
• Do you work on long vehicles? If so, a pit is more likely to meet your needs as they can be fabricated and installed with almost limitless length - so working on goods vehicles, for example, is possible. While it is possible to install a lift capable of lifting all manner of long and heavy vehicles, the cost of these compared to a pit enabling access to the same vehicle is much, much higher.
• Cleaning - throughout MOT testing and generic workshop duties, fluids may be released from the vehicle, grime or dirt may be dislodged, and any debris such as paper towels, fixings, etc, may be dropped throughout work. Clearing this will be more straightforward with a lift (just sweep it out), however, the task is made more onerous within a pit.
• Maintenance - in general terms, an inspection pit will require a less rigorous maintenance and inspection regime to ensure its’ ongoing performance and safety. Whereas a lift may require maintenance such as greasing of lift chains and slideways, and more strict pre-use checks to ensure functionality of safety features (see below). 

Safety - Pits

One unescapable factor to consider when choosing your garage MOT equipment is that of safety and ensuring legal compliance. Pits naturally introduce a fall from height hazard and, therefore, a means of controlling this risk must also be implemented.  Remember, the Work at Height Regulations still apply to below-ground structures.

Controls here will include covering over the pit when not in use and using cordons and signage to prevent access when it is uncovered.

Pits, by their very nature, also have an inherent ability to ‘collect’ substances, i.e. liquids and gases. Therefore, a drainable sump should be factored into the design to collect the various fluids that may be released from the vehicle throughout works.

A ventilation system should also be provided.   Many gases are heavier than air and will collect in the pit. Exposure to these gases (for example, Carbon Monoxide in exhaust fumes) may cause loss of consciousness or poisoning which could prove fatal, so having a means of removing these must be considered. Some gases may be flammable so types of lighting and other electrical equipment must be considered to prevent an explosion. On that note - the DSEAR regulations and Confined Spaces regulations will apply and will require adequate controls implemented.

Safety - Lifts

Lifts on the other hand introduce other hazards and fall under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations.

Factors to consider here are safeguards to prevent the failure of the lifting equipment, slack chain detection, falling load protection, and also contact with stationary objects (bumping your head on the lift!).

Under the regulations a lift will also require thorough inspection every 12 months by a competent assessor, with a schedule of these inspections drawn up, inspection reports held, and any actions recorded and implemented. Normally these annual inspections are carried out by a third party.

Between these though, the equipment should be inspected according to a schedule to ensure ongoing fitness for use and given a basic inspection prior to every use (to ensure operator controls are functional, there is no obvious damage, etc).

Overall, there are fewer inherent risks associated with vehicle lifts, however, there is more to do in order to ensure legal compliance. As is often the case with safety and health regulations, compliance is actually relatively straightforward once you’re aware of your duties (it’s useful to remember at this point that any garage MOT equipment - be it lifting, hand tools, power tools, etc- will also be subject to the PUWER regulations too).

Cost

Usually, the first consideration is how much each option costs to buy and install.

Neither option is cheap; an MOT test pit can cost upwards of £15,000 once features such as the brake tester recess, play detector, and radius plate recess have been considered, let alone safety features and of course, the ground works associated with excavating the hole!

Meanwhile a standard class 4 MOT lift may set you back over £10,000. While it won’t require a fluid sump or extraction, there will be other costs associated with it such as safety features and statutory inspections which are usually carried out by a qualified competent third party - who will charge a fee.

Pit or Lift…You decide your garage MOT equipment!

Hopefully by now you’ll have an idea of whether your garage MOT equipment should include either an inspection lift, or a pit.

Some factors such as limitations associated with the building you work from, or the vehicles you intend to work on, may just make the decision for you.

However, if you have a blank canvas, there are far more options available to you. Whichever option you choose is not going to be inexpensive and will require significant investment to purchase and install.  So, factors such as performance in use and your ability to commit to the safety requirements of either solution should influence the decision making process to a greater extent.

Naturally, whichever type of garage MOT equipment solution you choose - and if you need any advice - JHM Butt have you covered.   Visit our Garage and Workshop Equipment page for more information.