US officially adopts OEM repair procedures

MTA NSW has written to the US Society of Collision Repairers to endorse its statement on collision repair standards.

In November 2011, the most prominent US collision repair organisations, representing the voice of the collision repairer nationally, issued and signed a joint statement officially recognizing OEM vehicle manufacturer-published repair procedures as the industry's repair standards. “These standards, where they exist, shall be the basis for the establishment of training, testing, repair practices, and documentations.

"Whereas we acknowledge that OEM repair procedures are incomplete in comparison to the full scope of vehicles and repair operations which exist in the marketplace. The OEM-published repair procedures shall serve as the baseline for industry repair standards, with the recognition that further development of procedures will be necessary in areas not covered by published procedures.

"Therefore, we officially ask the board of directors for the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), to establish within their overall organisational structure, an industry council to identify gaps in existing OEM procedures and develop processes to close gaps, vet industry proposed alternatives, modifications, and additions to OEM procedures."


The letter from MTA’s chief executive officer James McCall said: “ On behalf of the Motor Traders' Association of New South Wales we also endorse the Leading collision repair organisations' release joint position statement on collision repair standards, and would welcome the opportunity to place our name alongside those reputable organisations that have already committed to this standard. “

He went on to outline the national code of conduct, and what advantages it has for Australian repairers. He also related other "industry-related victories” such as real time, real money, repairable write off laws and certification for assessors.