You must work in a safe manner or you are breaking
the HSWA and are liable to a fine of up to £2000
and/or imprisonment. This means following the safe
working practices which are normally used within
the industry. The guidelines published by the Health
and Safety Executive (HSE) and motor vehicle textbooks
usually identify industry accepted safe working
practices. Examples of important procedures are:
1 Always use axle stands when a vehicle is
jacked up.
2 Always use an exhaust extractor when running
an engine in the garage.
3 Always wear overalls, safety boots and any other
personal protective equipment (PPE) when it is
needed, for example safety goggles when grinding
or drilling and a breathing mask when working
in dusty conditions.
4 Always use the correct tools for the job.
Even if you are working in a safe and careful manner
you are still likely to spill the odd small amount
of fluid or snag the airline, this will then create a
hazard. The procedure here is always to remove the
hazard, no matter how it was created, immediately.
If you spill petrol or oil when you disconnect a
pipe from the engine you should clean it up immediately
or else you, or a colleague, may slip and
fall. Absorbent granules should be used for this
job, as they will soak up the liquid without causing
a fire hazard or making the floor more slippery.
Brake fluid is a special hazard because if it is
spilled on the vehicle’s paint work it will soften the
paint and may cause it to peel off, just like paint
stripper. Therefore any spilled brake fluid should
be wiped off immediately and the paint surface
washed and polished if needed. Antifreeze spilled
on paintwork will soften the paint surface and
cause discoloration, so it too must be wiped off
immediately with absorbent paper roll or towel and
washed down if needed.
When working on any system which contains fluids
it is good practice to use a drip-tray to catch any
possible spillages, this saves having to clean the floor
as well as ensuring that all the used oils and fluids
are disposed off safely, that is, you can pour them
from your drip-tray into your disposal container. The
Environment Protection Act requires that you dispose
of used oils and other fluids in a way which will
not cause pollution. In practice many vehicle manufacturers
now collect used oil and brake fluid for
recycling or safe disposal. Smaller garages without
franchises will dispose of these liquids either through
a private waste collection company or through a
scheme in conjunction with the local authority. No
waste oil, petrol, brake fuid or similar chemicals
must be allowed to enter the drainage system.
Exhaust fumes are very dangerous, they can kill
you. Small intakes of exhaust fumes will give you
bad headaches, and over time can cause lung
and/or brain diseases so ensure that you do not run
a vehicle in a workshop without an exhaust extractor.
Also ensure that the extractor pipe is correctly
connected and is not leaking.
The airline used in most garages operates at
between 100 and 150 psi (7 and 10 bar), this is a
very high pressure, so it must be handled with
great care. When you are using an airline always
wear safety goggles to prevent dust entering your
eyes. You must not use an airline for dusting off
components, especially brake and clutch parts as
the very fine dust can cause damage to the throat
and lungs. Before you use an airline ensure that the
coupling is fitted firmly into the socket and that the
pipe is not leaking anywhere along its length. Any
damage or leaks should be immediately reported to
your supervisor or manager so that they can be
repaired. The high pressure of the air can quickly
turn a small leak in an airline into a large gash
which in turn may make the airline wip around and
cause damage to colleagues or customers’ vehicles.
Another area of potential danger is when using
electrical equipment such as an electric drill, handlamp
or grinder. Most mains operated equipment
78 Repair of Vehicle Bodies
runs at 240 volts; an electric shock from such a
voltage is most likely to kill you straight away.
Some companies use 110 volt equipment which
is operated through a transformer, this is much
safer, especially if the transformer is fitted with
an overload cutout. Hand-lamps should operate at
50 volts, or preferably 12 volts to give the highest
level of safety. Plugs should only be fitted to electrical
equipment by skilled persons, at the same
time a fuse of the correct amperage rating should
be fitted and the equipment tested and logged in
accordance with the Portable Appliance Testing
Regulations (PAT testing). PAT tested equipment
should be numbered and carry a test date label.
Before you use any electrical equipment visually
check it for signs of damage and check that the
cable is not frayed or split. Then ensure that you
plug it into the correct voltage outlet. Do not
attempt to use any electrical equipment which you
suspect may be faulty; report the fault immediately
to your supervisor.
