Most mechanics won't survive retirement. industry plagued with health problems 

Yeah my mental health went out the window with code PO300.

At 44 I am done, I have my own shop now and this industry has made me into a person I never wanted to be. The physical and mental strains are not worth it.

My good friend started his own motorcycle shop in the early 2000s. Made a good life with it and made a plan to close it in 2025 and sell his house and retire in south carolina from California. He got diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and was gone in 4 months. Started in his lungs and went everywhere. He was only 53 years old. Watched him many times work on carburetors without gloves, hands covered in gas. If you have life plans, plan for your plans.

I'm just a DIY guy and clicked on this. I worked in Sales at a car & motorcycle dealerships. This should be played on the first day of orientation for service departments

I’m 61 and just diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Doctors seem to focus on all of the chemicals that were used, especially Brake cleaner and all the leaded fuel that I handled in aviation. Gloves are the best place to start.

I’m an amateur hobby mechanic and this video has been a real eye opener. Even watching RU-vid tutorials there’s a real romanticism about not wearing PPE, the few videos that tell you to wear it normally do so in a “I’m not wearing PPE but YOU should”. It just gives the impression that REAL mechanics don’t wear PPE. Keep up the good work, hearing this from a young professional makes a world of difference.

49yrs old, been professional tech for 30 yrs now, carpeltunner surgery, hernia surgery, bad back, bad hip, bad knee, bad neck, hearing loss, shortness of breath, and last year got an infection after blowing off a engine of a mouse nest ending up with sever sinus and inner ear Infection causing full on facial paralysis on the left side of me face... 4 months to clear up... this line of work will kick your ass physically, mentally and financially!

Grandad was a tank mechanic in the army and became a diesel mechanic after. Diagnosed with arthritis and lung cancer at 55 due to his stubborness to refuse to wear masks and gloves. Died at 57. Wear your PPE

When I became a mechanic in the 80's I was told straight out that if I became a mechanic my life would be about 25 years less just because of the work. I quit in the 90's I still hurt.

Im 17 and going into this industry, this video was more of a wake up call than I expected. I have the time to prevent damage to myself in every way possible, best to start before the damage happens.

I was an engine mechanic for 44 years just retired and I'm good , exposed to a lot of shit but tried real hard to avoid brake dust nasty chems and old oil on hands , always lifted the vehicles up a little so as not to hurt my back . I used to yell at those idiots blowing dust off brakes , using that stupid AIR broom , washed my hands 30 times a day . use those dam ear plugs too. my dad was exposed to a lot more but when he died he had lots of issues but lived to be 89

I used to think it was odd that any time I saw a Brit mechanic on tv they were wearing gloves. Then we recently had a family member who just sold his garage and retired after 42 years found out within a year of retiring he has a terminal blood cancer caused by long term benzene exposure. WEAR THE GLOVES.

The money is broken, which incentives cheating in all industries.

Mid 20s mechanic here , I’ve been pretty lazy the past few years with gloves. I’ve started bad getting skin irritation on my fingers. Since start of this year I have been religiously wearing gloves and it’s starting to heal. No one really drilled into me how dangerous the fluids are. (It’s common sense obviously but you don’t think about it/ignore it) I’ve been really looking into this stuff recently. There needs to be more awareness in the industry of the dangers.

25yo mechanic here. Been at it since highschool. This guy is bringing lot of hard truths out. The older generation will taunt you for wearing gloves, or any other PPE. Just expect it. Do what’s best for you. My back already hurts, shoulders shot, and beard is turning grey. This industry is a bitch but we keep the world turning, we just need to adjust our ways in how we do so. Thanks for the video man.

I'm 70, think I'm healthy, but I was doing this before asbestos was a bad thing. Wish me luck.

Great video, thanks for posting. To anyone reading: YOU DO NOT GET PAID MORE FOR SACRIFICING YOUR HEALTH

This is unbelievable and tremendously informative for someone who works an office job. My back starts to hurt after 15 minutes of bending over my car’s engine bay. Massive respect to all mechanics!

I’m 24, the shit I see my coworkers doing to themselves is insane. the automotive industry is undeniably one the most miserable health safety environment

Cancer seems to take a lot of us who were exposed to the "real" chemicals early on when PPE was not even thought of.

My grandpa was a mechanic all his life. Nobody in that profession took the proper precautions back then, and he paid for it in his later years. The last few years of his life were brutal and he was unable to continue doing the work he loved because he didn't take care of his body. I took up his passion for automotive work and learned a lot of what I know from him, and he even left me his shop with all his tools. The most important thing he ever told me was to take care of my body so that I wouldn't end up like him. Even though I don't do it as a profession, I always make sure to wear gloves, safety glasses, respirator when appropriate, and take care of my back when lifting things. I promise you it will save yourself a lot of misery later in life.

Retired at age 51 as a licensed millwright in a tire factory. 30 years service and out. Lots of chemicals and solvents. I pounded and tugged on a lot things with my hands. Suffered a hernia from lifting. Now at age 70 my carpal tunnel syndrome prevents me from riding my motorcycle. My advice: dont get old.

100% true. The constant push for speed, to complete everything as quickly as possible, forces one to cut corners and take shortcuts. If you take time to protect yourself, there's always another guy who will not and he'll be championed for it. As an apprentice in the 80's, the 'old' guys in the shop, the beat-up, hurt, unhealthy ones were only in their early 40's. I realized, too late, that no one survives to retirement on the floor. It's virtually unheard of that any kind of disability insurance, worker's comp, etc., ever pays out for the chronic injuries caused either. It's a trade that takes some of the hardest working geniuses and leaves them broken and suffering.

I am no mechanics, just a regular guy trying to do better. I work on my own cars since I have lost faith in auto shops (franchising, uhhhh...). After I have worked on my cars (Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla), I realized owning a car and responsibly owning a car are two different things. I have since cared for my cars religiously (my wife would be jealous, haha). Then I looked at my friends and families, saw how they treated their vehicles, then just dumped them into the shops expecting the car to be as good as new for the bare minimum price. I can imagine a mechanic going crazy over the years with all of these customers. To all of you truthful, honest and kind-hearted mechanics out there, take care of yourself.

My mother used to say don’t trade your health for a paycheck! Retired from this profession, in my late 60s . Toxins, wear and tear on your body. My body is older then it is . Broken bones,cancer. Find something else to do .

I’m a 71 year old aviation ,heavy equipment mechanic and welder and machinist.I have a lot of nice tools and a big shop building that I can’t even use.I can rarely do what I want and generally only do what is absolutely necessary.. I’m determined to keep walking even though i don’t have to because as a disabled Veteran I have a power chair and other equipment for mobility . Tough guys never took this seriously . Like you said, it’s too late now. Nobody to blame when the devil calls your name, so the song goes….

Worked for a dealership for 15 years. I thought after I stopped working there my body would stop hurting. I stopped working for them 3 years ago and my body is still hurting. I can’t sleep without my hands “falling asleep” and when they “wake up” that feeling is excruciatingly painful.

I was a mechanic from 1986-1995. I read an article about the dangers of brake cleaner and how it absorbs through the skin and accumulates in the organs. I started wearing latex gloves as some form of protection. Me and the mechanics in my shop agreed to keep brake dust to a minimum by flushing out brake drums in safety clean tank rather than blowing them out with compressed air. I underwent orthoscopic surgery on my right knee in 1991 from simply leaning over car fenders all day. I tried the management route while in recovery but it's not my thing so I went back to twisting a wrench a year later. In 1995, I went to work for Hobart working on commercial food equipment and loved it. Still doing it today as well as welding and fabrication for myself now. I couldn't imagine being an auto mechanic today with the sophisticated technology and bs.

I was an aviation mechanic and i got out of the industry because i saw all the older mechanics with back problems their hands were swollen from all the chemicals and their lungs were bad. I did not want to end up like them.

Been a mechanic for 40+ years. I'm now 60. Still enjoy every day I work, but my hearing is quite bad. My painful feet will probably bring my career to an end though. I'm going to keep going as long as I can.

I just turned 45 today. I had 20 years in the Collision Repair industry. I left the shops and now teach it at my local Voc Tech High School. I cannot stress enough the importance of PPE to my students and all the newcomers. I have hearing loss, heart issues, knee and back issues. Not to mention mental health too. Our students think we're just giving them a hard time when we get on them for their PPE usage.. great video man.. more people need to see it!

If you are tall that certainly doesn’t help. Your body wasn’t designed for you to be working under cars on vehicle hoists. You risk head injuries, neck, back and leg strain before you even start a task.

I don’t work as a mechanic but im a DIY guy and I’m a blue collar worker and have been all my life (42 now) and all these comments are spot on. Unfortunately there will still be some people who will choose to ignore these warnings and I still do too from time to time but it really is true….if you don’t take the steps to take care of your body, especially things like your lungs, back and repetitive stress injuries, you WILL pay the price. Technology has come a long way and can really help, but unfortunately employers, especially small business owners, won’t want to invest in your long-term health. You have to push them to care, find another employer if they don’t or take matters into your own hands if you want to stay there. This ain’t a practice run, you only get one life and one body.

If i did not wear safety glass, i would have been blind

Thanks for the video. I put lotion on my hands (cuts down on absorption through the skin) and wear gloves after my mechanic friend told me the same thing you just did. Don't soak your hands in this stuff. 1 drop won't kill you but years and gallons add up over time.

In 50 year old instruction manuals it already stated that working with oil , new and old, to wear rubber gloves. Oil, gas it penetrates the skin, gets into the blood, and it is all nasty stuff. Brake fluid and transmission fluid being the worst. I knew a couple of cases of guys that did not mind and at a certain point got ill and were soon gone. Automotive industry that was. My father worked in marine industry and never got any of that but has (had) many issues due to a life of alcohol and smoking, which seems to be standard in that industry.

I noticed the guys retiring were dying a few years after. I call it the "65 Rule". It's not just auto. It's any industrial environment. Factories, refineries, mines, basically anywhere we use chemicals and lubricants; machinery. Read the MSDS of the materials you come into contact with at work. Leaving it on your skin is not safe. It might not be an immediate injury, but you'll be sick from it later.

I retired from 45 years as a truck mechanic. Worn out muscles. Have Worksafe hearing aids. White flesh disease in my fingers. Back in the 70's 80's there was no hearing , eye , breathing protection. I got to a point where I could not wear gloves. I had white flesh so bad when wearing gloves I could not feel anything with my fingers. Do not forget about having to lift heavy by yourself. I have a destroyed lower back. Lucky I do not have lung cancer from the old asbestos days.

I think two things are needed. I get it, we're all tough guys but take your breaks. They don't pay you more or promote you for not taking them. Wear your ppe. Refuse to do the work without it. I'm pretty sure if the job requires it, they are supposed to supply it. That's the other thing, grow a pair. Stand up & remember you want to be able to hear, see, move without pain when you're chasing your grandchildren around the backyard. Or you want to retire some day- do you really want to physically not be able to enjoy that?

Yep! I worked at dealerships for over 18 yrs and your tech talk here is all right…. I have done and seen it all. I don’t work in that industry now. I found a better job working now at a school. My body is in pain all the time. Knees, that one knee still hurts thanks for that talk. Guys this guy is telling the truth!

I will always remember the welder at the first mine I ever worked. He would never wear ear plugs even air hammering wear plates under a scissor lift. When his wife would phone him, He could not hear his ringtone and she would get really mad because he would never answer his phone.

First off, love your channel, glad I found it, I was a tech at the same mazda dealer for 30 years, I was so beat up that I had to make a change, so I moved to the parts dept and run the counter for the guys in the shop, best move I have made, I am 51, not that old but man I feel old, my hands are toast, but I harp on the young guys in the shop all the time about ppe, but it just falls on deaf ears. Keep up the good work with the channel, I enjoy the content because I can relate

I tried to become a mechanic back in 04-05 with ford. The old guys I actually listen to and told me to get out and pick a different career unless you work for Ferrari or etc. you won’t make $, I later on learned the value of leverage and worked in construction. When a machine beaks down it’s not “ how much is it to fix it” it’s “ how fast can you fix it”? I then started to move to engineering and designing electrical systems since I didn’t want my body to break down. That’s my advice for anyone who wants to be a mechanic, you have to be a specialist to make $ and have leverage

I am in Australia. I lasted 50 years in the heavy truck and machinery game. It wasn’t until after I got lung cancer at age 65 that I started to notice all the people that I knew who had wierd cancers and auto immune diseases. Now that you mentioned it mental issues as well. I have hearing loss and joint issues as well. Wear your PPE.

I work in a diesel shop that has a machine shop inside of it. Welding gas, metal grinder dust and diesel exhaust is a daily thing..big fans at either end of the shop doesn't do the job. Wearing a mask and having eye pro trying to work under a dash with 100 degree plus air in the shop..I usually have to ditch the protection lol great video man

I finished one year of tech school for auto. I’ve been fighting with myself about continuing my education in the field endlessly. There’s so much pressure from my family to become a “real mechanic” and move on from the tire shop i work at. Anyways, this video was a reality check for me. I’m not willing to destroy my body to make my parents proud. I’ll find something different and less destructive. Thank you for making me and many others aware of these dangers..

64 year old truck driver owner here. I’ve messed up my back both shoulders, knees and neck working on equipment. Both lungs are about 1/2 from brake dust, welding fumes, and painting with a substandard respirator. I ended up in the hospital one night after spraying du Pont imron. That was back in the early 80’s. My lungs never recovered from that. I still run a truck and do most all my own work on them but now it takes me all day to do what I used to do all day. I preach at young guys about picking up heavy stuff or jumping off truck and trailers, they all laugh just like most of us here did back in the day.

Starting working on cars at 11 now 60, by time I was 40 had knee surgery, double hernia, elbow surgery and hand surgery. Then in 2009 was was out in my garage blew out L4 and L5 discs, what a living hell. Finally had surgery in 2016 after trying everything, took 2 years to recover. Then in 2021 had sepsis from the titanium in my back, they removed most but the rest is to life threatening to remove. Live daily with severe back pain shooting pain down my legs and numbness in my feet. I’ll be on pain meds for the rest of my life.

I'm 57 I've had 32 operations. All orthopedic, knees replaced, back fusions, who's watching out for us? Nobody I haven't gotten one dime for any of my injuries. I've been a wrench 40 yrs.

I’m a retired tech from a major dealer group in Ontario, Started as a kid pulling brake drums at a Uniroyal Tire Centre, in those days the practice was to blow the brake shoes off with shop air, leaving a huge brown cloud. No proper footwear, hearing protection and on Later years I had a couple dozen apprentices i did everything in my power to talk them out of this horrible trade So here I am 66. Both hips replaced, bad back, arthritis in the whole body and yes constant ringing in my ears. And oh yea No pension !! Other than $1366/mon from the government. Great video, sadly just the tip of the iceberg Like, Subscribe and Share with every tech and appreciate in my orbit

I think something else that should be emphasized in blue-collar fields is stretching before you start your day. Im talking full-body, static stretches, on the clock, before you start. It feels kinda dumb, yes, but you will feel much better after hitting a brake rotor or wheel hub off with a sledgehammer if you stretch, both before you start and at the end of the day. You'll be less sore, less likely to injure yourself, and by taking care of your body you wont feel like youre 80 in your 50's. Athletes stretch before workouts and competitions, and if your job requires manual labor all day, you should too.

My dad loved the job, lasted longer than many, made it to 72, lung cancer was diagnosed and he was gone in one year, he had so much more life left to live. This was after twenty years of physical suffering. Now I literally am working his job in his shop and Im only 33, I wear masks and gloves, ears and eyes, still feel like I'm not going to make it long. If somebody asks why a job costs a lot tell them because the mechanic doing it will probably be dead soon doing their dirty work.

Great video man and I agree 100%. People laugh about safety for some reason in the industrial maintenance field for factories. Thinks it makes them look cool until a grinder disc explodes and sticks in them lol. Biggest problem I know I’ll have when I get older is arthritis from constantly using your hands. That’s probably the only thing I think I would have added but great video!

67 here. Mechanic for 25 years, then got a "soft" job for another 20 years. No problems here except my knees, which just started recently. Still work on my old junky project cars all summer. No PPE ever. I must be extremely lucky. I had back pain while a mechanic for 13 years and beat it with physical therapy and doing the proper exercises daily for about a year.

Thank you for making this call out. I'm a graduated mechanic but I don't work this profession on a regular basis. I got laughed at by my colleagues for using nitril gloves, I told them about the chemical dangers of the substances we were touching and some of them listened; some of them told me "I have to die of something"

I'm only a couple months into cars working in a garage at 19, the very little I experienced is the immediate effects of brake fluid on my hands, that oil makes the skin on my fingers peel. Gonna get gloves soon, then I'll try to introduce all the other stuff into workdays. This video did help reminding me of things I never even thought about lol thanks

Glad someone made this video im apprenticing with a 63 year old and all he tells me about is his regrets when he was my age when it comes to safety.

I'm just about to fall into being a mechanic apprentice after simply being a receptionist. I've worked at the shop for just a couple of months and I've basically already heard and seen everything you've touched upon in the video. Hell, even being in a room next to the shop itself for 12hrs ends up in having a weird smell all over your clothes, hair, skin and whatnot. Grease is just everywhere. And that's JUST being in the next room. I'm a bit torn on whether or not I should make such a switch. Maybe it's better to ditch the whole industry all together. Man, this life thing is kinda complicated. Thanks so much for filming and posting this, it should be seen by millions of people. One day, hopefully.

I’m actually extremely glad to hear someone talk about this because you’re making me think about things that no one‘s ever taught me or mentioned. I’m 27 hopefully I can still be saved.

I’m a Trim/Electrical tech at Ford and Lincoln. I’m 26 and I just started working in the industry last October. I always stretched my interest past trim/electrical and to also do line work, but one of the vets told me to stay in Trim/Electrical “trims guys last longer”. I wear gloves during every single job I do. I will occasionally do flexible brake hoses, but I make sure to wear my safety glasses and gloves. Thanks for the informative video!

This is the first RU-vid video I've seen that's even covered this. Everthing you said is true and all the people who have worked in a repair shop know it. I worked for over 25 years on industrial equipment with all the welding and cutting torch smoke, the fumes from brake cleaner, paint, equipment being blown out with an air hose. So I would say definitely use your ppe, but really I would advise anybody in this business to get out while you can. If you make it to retirement you'll be so glad you did. Thanks for putting out these videos.

I’m 39 and been on trucks since 12 years old, I grew up working on my dad’s trucks all my holidays etc. I have spondylitis in my back, my left knee is due to be replaced January next year. But I’ve made a lot of money but my family has suffered with me always at work. I wish I’d never seen a truck as a kid now.

I work as a generator tech. Basically work outside all day. Still needed to watch this video . Thank you for posting this. Videos like this need to be played as a safety video . Not some bullshit about how to drive safe and how to wear a reflective vest

Great Video!! Started at my dealer a week after graduating highschool and now I’m about to turn 21. Upper back, neck, intermittent wrist and feet all hurt on a daily along with the ringing in my ears if I try to fall asleep without a fan on or the constant muscle soreness/fatigue. It’s rough on your body being an auto mechanic. I wish I wore hearing protection when I started. I miss when my ears would hurt whenever using an impact but now it sounds normal. This video really knocked some sense into me and made me reflect on how I treat myself at work. I’m going to start wearing hearing protection when needed, using a pad when having to kneel and I really want to start doing yoga/stretches(I know sounds super masculine lmao). I just want my body to feel normal again 🥲

Here in the UK never seen a mechanic wearing gloves sadly they all have hands covered in oil and also WD-40 which causing bone cancer , my late dad used to be a Mig welder for the MOD fabricating Aircraft and weaponry dead by 59 from bone cancer and it is not a nice way to go 7 years of hell so yeah wear gloves people ! don't risk your life.

I'm just about forty and am still in pretty damn good condition. I do a lot of the same protection you do and the worst injuries I've had are a broken knuckle, a very badly bruised shin from slamming it into a step stool, a very badly sprained wrist, and tennis elbow and rotator cuff repetitive stress injuries. Those last two were the absolute worst, they took years to heal. But working out, stretching, regular massages, and a good diet will dramatically help prevent injury and illness.

I been a mechamic for 48 yrs. Back in the 70's, we use to blow off the brakes with an air hose. I had asbestos powder in my nose , my mouth, all over me. We didnt know it caused cancer.

I’m an industrial engineer, and this video was amazing and applicable. Great video!

I am so glad to be a mechanic for the State. They harp on PPE and safety constantly. Tons of mechanics make it all the way to 65 and have long happy retirements. I wear gloves all the time. We have a fully ventilated shop. I always wear safety glasses. I wear ear pro whenever I fire up a grinder. We take our time and do things safely and correctly.

Great video. I'm 43 and already have hearing loss and constant tinnitus.. In addition to everything you spoke about, I worked with so many guys who were also heavy smokers and drinkers, myself included... I'm trying now to save what ive got left.

Video every youngster and oldster should watch. Protect yourself at all time. Money can't buy you health.

Thanks for making this video! I started paying attention to hearing protection after my shop (I'm a machinist) got a particularly noisy machine in, and that's been a big help in protecting the hearing I have left. But better still would have been starting when I was younger - hope some of the kids watching really listen to what you're saying!

I still remember going with my mom in the early 60's to the brake and tire shop. There was a glass window where customers could watch mechanics working. Drum brakes back then would accumulate brake dust inside and cause brake squealing. So the easy fix was to lift the car on the hoist and blow compressed air into the drums. I remember seeing mechanics in a cloud of asbestos laden brake dust. They didn't even wear masks (not that those even existed back then). I've often wondered since then how many of those young mechanics never made it out of their 30's. 😢

My mom said "you work on your own truck all the time, why dont you become a mechanic?" This is why. Was doing my fuel injectors and didnt realize i had tiny cuts all over my hands and then they get covered in all the soot/oil/grease, who knows how many carcinogens ive ingested. I love it when my truck runs, hate doing the work on it myself. If theyre not gonna provide proper PPE and make efforts to keep the shop safe yall should at least get hazard pay

My dad is 63, he worked in Auto Body until he was 58 (40 years). Everyone at the shop told him he was the oldest mechanic they had ever seen in a shop. He has osteo-arthritis, bad knees, shoulders, a torn rotator cuff. Fused several spine vertebra, he had pneumonia twice and now they found a mass on his good lung. He has memory and focus issues. I remember him using brakleen by the can and he only wore PPE when he was using an orbital sander. Wear your PPE.

I always worked without gloves until I developed a diesel allergy. Just filling up the car without gloves makes my skin fall off now. Now I always work with these gloves and I really don't understand why I didn't do that before. You get used to it so quickly. And it makes such a huge difference for your hands 🤯

Omg dude what a great video for bringing awareness to this! I was a mechanic and luckily I suffered from an early back injury. Yes, luckily because i had to re event my self to protect my lower back. I’m glad that i found a job as a parts advisor. Now i can walk, sit or stand when i want and that’s just perfect for me.

I used to work on my grandpa's farm then I went to grade school for automotive and work at a few automotive shops then years later I now work at a motorcoach company and as a diesel mechanic for a little over 3 years to this days since day one I've started there, I've always worn my PPE such as my protective glasses (with prescription because I wear glasses), my gloves, and my hearing plugs. A bonus I do is that I crouch in a correctful way and not hurt my back as well as not hurting my knees when I'm standing on the concrete so I use a mat instead. I always come prepare to think ahead of time to not hurt my body for future use when I get ready for retirement down the road. I'm only 32 but I keep seeing/hearing so many truckers and mechanics always making excuses and talk about how they are hurting on this part or hurting on that part because they don't give a crap when they were younger but when they get older, they shot themselves in the foot because of their dumb mistakes. As for me I was always taught the correct way in I know better too keep myself in shape. Always wear your PPE and one crouching do it where it doesn't hurt your spine or anyway shape or form to hurt yourself in the future.

I was a mechanic in the '80's and '90's. Almost no health protections were followed where I worked at. The newish brake shoes, pads, and the clutch disks no longer had asbestos, but I questioned the safety of the new materials. Nobody in the shop had an answer (This was pre-Internet). It was ASSumbed to be safe. I also wondered if the brand new synthetic fluids and other new chemicals might cause health issues in the future. Those concerns + the lying book rate times and the crappy mechanics who earned more money than me by taking shortcuts in repairs which short-changed the customers is why I left the profession! I sure am glad that I left! You guys be safe out there!!!!

I don't care, life is boring without work now. Everything is expensive, everyone is rude to each other. Unfortunately and fortunately, working in my shop or hanging out after hours with my employees that I see as family and friends brings me more fulfillment in life than the general public could ever come close to. The dating pool for my generation is so out of control that I don't want to deal with getting married and having kids to end up like the majority of modern relationships. I have done everything for myself for long enough that it has brought me to the conclusion that I don't want to die in a nursing home where all I can do is sit in a recliner and watch tv - if I can't take care of myself or be active, I want my life to be over. It might sound dark, but my shop has given me a life that makes me happy, and when my time comes, I am happy with how my life has turned out.

Holy crap, I remember a VW garage from my childhood, they were running old vws engines all day long inside that warehouse, no air filters of any kind, long before the days of unleaded petrol. The amount of exhaust fumes they inhaled defies human imagination...

The part about shop air quality is REALLY important. It first occurred to me when I was working at a large dealership and they moved us techs around the shop. This shop had built in workstations so we would take our desktop computers with us to our new workstation and it was during disassembling those computers that I noticed the tops of the cabinets and toolboxes were coated in a thick, oily, dusty, sludge like substance. I'm thinking "damn. We are breathing in this crap all day long!" 🤔 I am pretty good at wearing safety glasses but I still got a small piece of metal in my eye late one afternoon. I was using my air gun to blow the bottom of an engine clean that I had just worked on when something got in my eye. It must have blown in my eye around or behind my safety glasses. I tried several times to rinse my eye but could not get it. Since it was nearly shut down time, I did not report it and decided to try and rinse it out in my shower at home. Then I tried to sleep it off. The next day, by about lunch time it was still bothering me so I told management I needed to go have it looked at. It turns out in those 12-14 hours or so, my eye had grown over that piece of metal and they had to cut it out at the hospital. It wasn't as big a deal as it might sound but if I had reported the incident promptly and went to deal with it that evening instead of waiting, I think it would have been a much easier process.

I'm just an enthusiast... I'm actually a filmmaker, a technologist, a so-called intellectual... and a youtube addict, and I can tell you my friend, this is one of the best pieces of media I have seen. Honesty and true commitment to humanity is a hard to find thing in this b-shitting exploitative illusionary times. Thank you.

All I've ever done in my life is manual labor. Apprenticed in flooring from 13-17 years of age, switched to autobody from 17-24 years of age, tried automotive from 24-26 it took its toll on me pretty bad. Currently 28 years old wake up in pain everyday, both wrists have arthritis really bad, right shoulder has tendonitis, both my knees stiffing up from too much kneeling, my left hip has a bad nerve that can act up at times, both my heels need special foot insole supports now. I cant stress enough how important school is, get good grades and a desk job. Most trades are not friendly on your health or body, and 9/10 your employer does not care about you or your health. I will say from my experience stay away from big dealer ships or any type of fast paced production shop. They are not worth your time. If you are wanting to pursue automotive or autobody, try your best to find a half decent ma and pa shop. Otherwise stay away from these trades completely.

A guy I knew worked at a machine shop that manufactured nuts and bolts and small things like that. They used huge lathes with six spindles going at once and everything was bathed in cutting oils. The entire shop had oil misted all over and smelled terrible. The workers always seemed to have this rash and pimples on their hands and wrists. The called it "The Jones Clap" after the company name. Many of those guys died of cancers in their 50's and some even earlier.

Mental health has been a big one for me, it feels like I'm constantly fighting against the OEMs and all the crap they pull. I've been working for 5 years in a shop and between mental and physical health risks I just cant see myself doing this for the rest of my life...

Im 37, been a millwright for 16 years and i wish i didnt see this but glad i did at the same time. Much love to the men thaf sacrifice for their family, i would love to go a different route but the money keeps me here.

this was a very well-put-together video that covered tons of crucial points. i really wish the industry stressed these points to the youth, and i really wish a lot of us would listen to the old heads. this physical strain that i am experiencing at 23 is absurd, it has me rethinking my entire career path.

I’m 70, mechanicing since 72. Did a lot of fabrication and welding 89 to 03. Retired in 03. Bile duct cancer 2015. Still plugging away waking up everyday. Quality of life not great. Neighbor was a mechanic since 69. Died of prostate cancer in 2014. Neighbor on the other side body man then heavy equipment mechanic. Fighting prostate cancer right now. My Snap On man, in shops all day. Alzheimer’s. Old mechanic I used to see getting takeout food. Huge ugly melanomas on his head. Dead now.

I should have never got into this trade. Now in my 40s i feel like im in my 60s. I feel it on the surface of my skin and deep in my bones. But it's too late for me to start another career. So I've accepted I'll die a slow and painful death. No wonder mechanics are miserable.

I was two-thirds through my Army career before I heard leaders pushing PPE. I was in helicopter maintenance for over 25 years, and the damage is hard to imagine. I joined in 1981, and back then safety was joke. All talk, but hurry up and get it fixed! The first people we observed complying with protective equipment were our contracted civilians. Why were they all using nitrile gloves? I'm 61 now, and the damage has definitely taken its toll. Thanks for a great video. Young guy, Listen up!

I was fired from a body shop job and they had terrible health and safety and would legit lie about it to inspectors. At the time I felt so bad but looking back on it they probably did me a favour.

I wish i would have listened to all the mechanics who told me not to become one. Only 9 years in, and im already gettin knee issues. Tried to play soccer and was winded in seconds, and im not an overweight guy. We always gonna need mechanics, but man, im gettin out of this industry asap

He's right, when I was a young guy, I worked at a small auto repair shop at a service station. We were very busy; a lot of our customers were widows. And these old ladies would tell me that their husbands were auto mechanics. Most of their husbands died of some form of cancer of some type, and these guys were not all that old. The chemicals, solvents, and fumes, brake dust' plus eye injuries, cuts and burns all take their toll on your body. I made a good living as an auto repair tech. It's an honorable way to make a living. Just remember a few things, it's up to you to take care of yourself. Please do this for yourself and your family, always wear your PPE. Gloves, dust masks. safety glasses, long sleeve shirts when grinding. If you smell fumes, get away from the job till the fumes dissipate, try to only use chemicals in a well-ventilated area. Trust me, long term chronic health problems suck. So take care of yourself and also if you can start saving your money, the older you will thank the younger you, just trust me on this. Thank you for the video

Good video and a topic rarely discussed. I'm an "old guy" and luckily don't work in the industry anymore but have worked in every aspect of the auto industry as well as others. When I was an apprentice /young mechanic, there was no safety, PPE, OHS, etc. I was the only one who wore gloves! I started in the heavy vehicle industry but moved into many areas. There were no catalytic converters, DPFs, Scrubbers, etc. When a bus/truck started up in the morning, the whole site filled up with toxic smoke until they warmed up. We breathed this. How no one died is beyond me. Everything contained asbestos, especially brake shoes. People used to blow brake dust everywhere. Parts would be hand washed with kerosene or other petroleum product. Even the hand cleaner was toxic. Vehicles were noisy compared to today. Not to mention the wear and stress on the body. These days you have the added mental stress of poorly designed, highly technical and almost non repairable vehicles, workshop and economic pressures. I'm in good health because I moved around across various jobs, businesses and industries. I took care of myself. Safety first! I was always body aware and did all sorts of activities and training to counterbalance the effects of the negative work environment. No one mentions diet. What apprentices eat and drink is not food! Cans of red bull, monster and other shit as well as big macs and drugs. Wake up! The dealership will not care if you're not there tomorrow. Will these guys make it to thirty?

Your right about everything it's a bad industry when it comes to human health all the chemicals we use like brake cleaner carburetor cleaner it's bad stuff great video men.

Thanks for posting about this. I'm not a professional mechanic, but I'm fully aware of PPE. When I was younger, working as a facility maintenance technician, I did a lot of stupid stuff without proper PPE. I just did not know better. Know that I know, I always use PPE, gloves, masks, etc. I also run an air purifier in my garage. I'm not sure how much it helps but its better than nothing.

Most people think that it's only 5 minutes of exposure, it's no big deal. What they don't realize is 5 minutes of exposure today, 5 minutes of exposure tomorrow and everyday for the next 10 years is going to take its toll. Think of it like going to the doctor and getting an xray. A few times in your life is not going to hurt you, but having an xray everyday is definitely going to give you cancer. Great video!

64 yo retired mechanic, welder, machinist. You are correct, your body keeps up with all the damage you do to it I too have seen many tradesmen die in their early 60's. One more thing I suggest is giving consideration before taking those toxins to your loved ones.

the mechanic I've been going to locally just diagnosed with lung cancer. 75. worked in the industry all his working career. sad.