Safety Rules for Automobile Self-help

When working on a car, be prepared in advance to have grease on your hands and you probably will break a fingernail. In addition to these minor inconveniences, there is always a risk in working on a car. Use common sense when making inspections and repairs. Know how to fix an element before you begin, and then work efficiently. Below are some common sense rules to follow while working on a car: 1. Gasoline fumes and hydrogen gas are both explosive, and both gasoline and oil are flammable. Do not smoke while making repairs or even when raising the hood to diagnose the problem. Keep a small fire extinguisher nearby while working on the car, particularly if the work is being done under the hood. 2. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide - a poisonous gas. Do not run the engine in a closed area unless there is ample ventilation. If you begin to feel sleepy while working on a car, move away from the vehicle into the fresh air immediately. By the same token, if you can smell the exhaust while driving, open the windows at once. 3. The car battery contains sulfuric acid, which can burn, and it also emits hydrogen gas, which may explode. Wear gloves while working around a battery and do not smoke near it. 4. Car batteries can give electrical shocks and are a fire hazard. Disconnect the battery while working on the fuel line or electrical system. It is only necessary to remove the ground cable, which is easily identified by a black mark or a minus (-) sign on the battery casing at the terminal. 5. It is easy to get a spark or electrical volt, creating a fire hazard when jump starting a car. Be sure to connect the positive (+) terminal of the helping car to the positive terminal of the disabled car, and the negative (-) terminal to the engine frame before turning on either engine. Also, do not touch the positive cable to the end of any other cable or metal part while jump starting the car. 6. Radiator hoses, exhaust pipes, manifolds and mufflers can be very hot to the touch. Allow time for these parts to cool off before working on the car. If there is some reason that you can't wait, wear heavy gloves and be very careful. DO NOT remove the radiator cap in one turn. Turn it slowly to half off and allow the steam to escape. Always use gloves or a rag. When the steam has escaped, turn the cap off fully. Always keep your face turned away from the radiator cap. 7. Loose clothing can easily be pulled into moving machinery parts. A loose shirt cuff, necktie, dangling jewelry, frilled blouses, or long hair can all be pulled into a moving part while making repairs. Be sure to remove such hazards. Caps without brims are considered safer than those with brims, and it is advisable to wear a sturdy pair of shoes or boots to protect the feet. 8. The jack may collapse while holding up the car. Do not - under any circumstances - crawl under a car that is jacked up, unless you have a jack stand, which is made for that purpose. Be sure the jack stand is rated to support the weight of the car. Do not use metal drums, buckets, bricks, concrete blocks, or wooden assemblies in the place of the jack stand. All of these may crumble or collapse. 9. Slipping on oil, gasoline or other leaking fluids can cause serious injuries. To prevent slipping by the person working on the car, or by anyone else, wipe up all spills immediately. Be particularly careful when wiping up flammable or chemical fluids. 10. The car must be stabilized before fixing a flat tire, so that it will not jump the jack or roll. Try to stop the car on level ground to change a tire. If the car has an automatic transmission, put the gearshift into "park"; if the transmission is manual, shift into reverse. Before jacking up the car, place a brick, stone, 2 x 4, or whatever is within reach, in front of the front wheel and in back of the rear wheel that will stay on the ground. This will stabilize the car and prevent rolling. Be careful when jacking up a car on roads that allow semi truck traffic. The force of the air current produced by large vehicles speeding past, may be enough to topple a car which is up on a jack. 11. When confronted with a serious car problem on a car which is still under warranty, call a tow truck. Any attempts to repair a major part could void the warranty. 12. A car problem should not be worked on unless you have specific knowledge on what is wrong and how to fix it. Car first aid is for emergency and basic repairs only. Major problems should be taken to a mechanic. Otherwise, you may find that you have created even more problems than you had to start with, besides a higher repair bill for straightening out your mistakes. 13. Gasoline, brake fluid, and certain cleaning fluids used in repairing an automobile need special precautions to prevent fire. Fuel, thinner, and other combustibles should always be kept in closed containers designed for the purpose; these should also be well marked and stored safely. Smoking and unshielded flames should always be avoided while working on a car. As a further protection against fire, oil and grease rags should also be kept in containers; use care, however, that spontaneous combustion does not occur. 14. There are many precautions that should be observed when using tools. Files should never be used without a handle, because there is always the danger of running the point into the palm of the hand. Files should also not be used as levers or hammers. Files are made with hard temper and are quite brittle, so if hammered, small pieces may fly off and cause severe wounds or loss of eyesight. Hammers or sledges should be checked to see that the head is attached securely so that it doesn't fly off when the tool is used. When the head of a chisel is mushroomed, it should be thrown away or reground to prevent bits of steel from flying off and causing damage. A shield or helmet should always be worn when grinding. Pull on the handle of a wrench, rather than pushing on it to prevent the danger of skinning the knuckles. When the jaws of the wrench become worn or sprung, the tool should be disposed of. DO NOT point an air gun in the direction of anyone, because the high pressure can blow dirt particles at such high speed that they will puncture the skin and/or get in the eyes.