SAFETY RULES FOR AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE

SAFETY RULES FOR AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE

SETTING THE BRAKE

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Make sure that your car is in park or neutral and

that the parking brake is firmIy set.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER. Never work on your car

without having a suitable fire extinguisher handy.

A 5-lb, or larger C02 or dry-chemical unit speci-

NOTE

fied for gasoline/chemical/electrical fires is re-

commended.

Some vehicles have an automatic release on the

parking brake when the engine is started. This

Fireproof Container. Rags and flammable liquids

must be disconnected when any testing is to be

should be stored only in fireproof, closed metal

done in DRIVE.

containers.

A gasoline soaked rag should be

allowed to dry thoroughIy outdoors before being

discarded.

HOT SURFACES

Safety Goggles. We recommend wearing safety

Avoid contact with hot surfaces such as exhaust

goggles when working on your car to protect

manifolds and pipes, mufflers (catalysts), the

your eyes from battery acid, gasoline and dust

radiator and hoses. Never remove the radiator

and dirt flying off moving engine parts.

cap while the engine is hot, as escaping coolant

under pressure may seriously burn you.

WARNINGS

SMOKING ANO OPEN FLAMES

Never look directly into the carburetor throat

Never smoke while working on your car. Gasoline

while the engine is cranking or running as sudden

vapor is highly flammable, and the gas formed in

backfire can cause burns.

a charging battery is explosive.

LOOSE CLOTHING AND LONG HAIR

BATTERY

(MOVING PARTS)

Do not lay tools or equipment on

the battery.

Be very careful not to get your hands, hair or

Accidentally grounding the "HOT"

battery ter-

clothes near any moving parts such as fan blades,

minal can shock and burn you and

can damage

belts and pulleys or throttle and transmission

wiring, the battery and your tools and

testers.

l i n k a g e s . Never wear neckties or loose clothing

when working on your car.

Be careful of contact with battery acid. It can

burn holes in your clothing and burn your skin or

JEWELRY Never wear wrist watches, rings or

eyes.

other jewelry when working on your car. You'll

avoid the possibility of catching on moving parts or

HIGH VOLTAGE

causing an electrical short circuit which could

High voltage-30,000-50,000 volts--is present in the

shock or burn you.

ignition coil, distributor cap, ignition wires and

spark plugs. When handling ignition wires while

VENTILATION

the engine is running, use insulated pliers to avoid

Always work on your car in a well ventilated

a shock. While not lethal, a shock may cause you

Never run the engine in a closed garage

area.

to jerk involuntarily and hurt yourself.

without venting the exhaust outside.