Working On Your Vehicle: Stay Safe

People have been killed doing this. Almost always because they took a chance to get the job done quickly.

We are all for people fixing up their own cars — saving a bit of money and keeping the brain busy. The internet supplies the experience and advice, between the forums and YouTube; hardly a task exists that has not been filmed by some professional garage or amateur enthusiast, giving you a visual walkthrough of how to fix that fault or replace that part.

But whatever you do on your vehicle, one rule comes before all the others: do it safely. There have been deaths and serious injuries among DIY enthusiasts who took a chance and wanted to get the job done quickly, without making the work area safe first. So here are the basics.

Use a ramp or axle stands when working underneath

Being underneath a vehicle always carries the risk of a collapse, and if you are under it when that happens, serious injury follows. Making sure the vehicle cannot fall is a basic requirement, not an optional extra.

Using a jack to hold a car up while you are underneath it is a reliable way of ending up in hospital. A jack should only ever be used to lift the vehicle far enough to place axle stands underneath. Using other items — bricks, pieces of wood — is just as dangerous, if not more so. A professional ramp of the type used in garages is the ideal solution, provided it has been regularly serviced.

Disconnect the battery when working with fuel

When working on small fuel related jobs under the bonnet there may be no need to drain the tank, but disconnecting the battery should be automatic. The point is to prevent any spark that could start a fire. A tool dropped across the terminals, or spilt fuel on wiring, can create something a great deal hotter than anyone would want.

Do not leave it in gear

Many of us have the habit of leaving a car in gear when parking, especially on a hill. But when you are working underneath or in front of the vehicle with the battery connected, it becomes dangerous if the engine is turned over. With the battery disconnected there is no issue, and disconnecting is worth doing anyway if you are working on small ramps.

Drain the fuel before welding or grinding

Anything that can cause a spark is dangerous near fuel, and the intense heat of welding equipment can start a serious fire very quickly. It makes complete sense to remove all fuel from the vehicle before any welding takes place. Do not forget that oil is also flammable, and may be clinging to plenty of components around the work area.

Gloves and safety goggles

It seems an obvious thing to say, but any tool can throw grit or pieces of metal into your eyes. Heavy gloves protect against flying material while using tools, and against glass and sharp metal edges. Thin disposable gloves are worth having too, to keep oil and dirt out of your skin and nails.