Favorite Garage Safety Tips

[dcovey]

One of my pet peaves..Anything round left on the floor...Step on it once and you will see what I mean

In addition: My old Auto Mechanics instructor had a roll up blind with shop safety rules on it #1 was :No Horseplay"

Dave

 

[krooser]

Never leave you floor jack handle laying down... a BIG trip and fall is in your future!

 

[shovel]

No. 1 rule, and as stated before SAFETY GLASSES!

My favorite advice/rule to live by in the shop is TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR FINGERS AT ALL TIMES, meaning know what the dangers are and keep your fingers out of the way.

I'd bet most serious shop injuries involve injuries to the eyes & hands.

Be careful out there y'all!

shovel

 

[Frank]

While safety glasses are certainly good advise, I've had enough close calls that I would better advise using a full face shield whenever possible instead of the glasses. I have been hit in the face by things that missed the glasses, I have had things bounce under the glasses and in my eye, and I have had things hit full face shields that would have done some damage. If you ever have a cutting wheel explode, you know what I'm talking about.

 

[Hal]

Found this out again yesterday. If you need to wear reading glasses, DO NOT wander around the shop without removing, or looking over them. I was sure I was stepping over that wheel chock. Did a face plant in the concrete. Nose only bled for about a minute, elbow is all skinned up, and my shoulder aches this morning. I will be extra-cautious about this in the future, I have done the same kind of thing once before, but didn't go clear to the floor that time.

 

[atch]

Found this out again yesterday. If you need to wear reading glasses, DO NOT wander around the shop without removing, or looking over them. I was sure I was stepping over that wheel chock. Did a face plant in the concrete. Nose only bled for about a minute, elbow is all skinned up, and my shoulder aches this morning. I will be extra-cautious about this in the future, I have done the same kind of thing once before, but didn't go clear to the floor that time.

as important as this is when walking around on a level floor it's infinately more important if you're wanting to climb a ladder or go up/down stairs...

 

[Mike83]

Be aware that some chemical vapors are heavier than air - including gasoline! One story I heard was of a mechanic working in a pit. He was burned to death because gasoline vapors accumulated in there and ignited. Also, those vapors can move across the floor to a pilot light on a heater or something. Don't store gasoline in your basement!

+100 on the safety glasses. No matter how quick of a cut I need to make or how small a job, I put them on. I know that either I'll get something in my eye or if I squint I will not be able to see/control the tool.

 

[a3tripod]

Something that I continually do is educate my wife and kids about the tools I use and how to respond to them in a safe manner. For example, my kids know that they are not to come within X feet of the car when I have it up on the stands. Another example would be that they know where to stand in relation to my table saw or miter saw when I'm using them. It sounds really obvious, but I found that my focus is not distracted (thus my personal safety) when they enter the garage while I'm working. Keeps them safe too.

Edit: Also, my wife and I agree that only one person rules the garage roost so-to-speak. In other words, everyone knows to come to me if they have any questions as to what the rules are in the garage. Sounds dumb, but it keeps the rules consistent.

 

[bop_pa]

For obvious reasons, for the garage and home a safety kit is a great idea. They can be had for $10 or less and you would be surprised how much stuff is in them. You will routinely cut and nick yourself, so the kit is handy. Hopefully you wont need it for anything bigger but they usually have couse and stuff in there too.

 

[Identaltech]

when working under the car with wheels off have the wheels under the car with you so if the car would fall you will only be smashed the same width of the wheel.
if you are thicker than one wheel stack them or go on a diet.

 

[a3tripod]

when working under the car with wheels off have the wheels under the car with you so if the car would fall you will only be smashed the same width of the wheel.
if you are thicker than one wheel stack them or go on a diet.

The wheels on my G20t are quite skinny. Instead, I use my Rhino ramps for added security. I slide them right under the frame rails. I had a car fall off it's jacks on me once (suicide jack that comes with the car) many years ago. Luckily I was flat on my back trying to put a band-aid on a leaky exhaust on my old 242 Volvo. My buddy saw that the jack was tipping and warned me, so I was able to flatten myself in the nick of time. EXTREMELY lucky I was not hurt/touched at all. Yeah, I don't mess around with the issue of falling cars any more.

 

[Possum]

Eye protection, hearing protection, JACKSTANDS!

 

[r6_cannibal]

Pull the cable off the battery when doing anything that could be bad if an accidental/remote start were to occur. They sell 12volt batteries you can plug into the cigarette lighter to keep your accessories from losing memory, so I don't want to hear anyone complain about having to reset their radio stations =P

Don't wear loose clothes around running engines/machinery/tools. And you hippies tie your hair back (i do)

Make sure you can get to running water with your eyes closed. If you're going to be working on something alone this is invaluable. I was rebuilding a carb and got carb cleaner in my eyes when a sudden gust got the nasty stuff past my goggles. A friend had just shown up a minute before hand and she lead me to water, but I started thinking what would have happened if my friend wasn't there. I was literally blind for a few minutes while flushing my eyes with water.
I would suggest practising this one with a friend around to make sure you don't run into anything until you get familiar with your area. Don't take steps, shuffle your feet in case there are sockets or other things you can slip on. Make sure you can do this from different points in the shop/garage and again, this a last ditch effort if there is no one in earshot.

 

[STClurker]

my personal pet peeve is creepers laying on the floor with nobody on them. if my creeper is not in use its either standing on an end or rolled under the vehicle or toolbox

 

[IH82BL8]

1) Before I move any vehicle I let my wife know what I'll be doing and make sure that she has both kids with her.

2) Disconnect the battery even if you're doing non-electrical work. Years ago I had my car up on ramps, engine off, in gear, replacing the exhaust gasket between the manifold and downfall pipe. Suddenly it occured to me that I was using a wrench just inches from the starter solenoid. If the wrench had accidently jumpered the soleniod posts the car (in gear) could have jumped off the ramps onto me.

By the way, sorry for resurrecting all these old threads, but I just found this forum last week and am working through it from newest to oldest.

 

[atch]

1) Before I move any vehicle I let my wife know what I'll be doing and make sure that she has both kids with her...

very, very, very smart. maybe the best tip yet.

 

[ranunculous]

If it looks safe(responsibly)it probably is?
Always remember your PPE(personal protection equipt)
You really can't apologize to a person you've crippled for life.
If you're that damned stupid about ______,you really shouldn't be messing with it.
Electricity,power tools,solvents,dumb luck,stupid people....dont care if they kill or maim you-it's up to you to cover your bacon.
Luck favors the prepared.
Self awareness is the key to life.Love and all that other stuff factor in there too,but not right away.

 

[chrislehr]

cant say enough about fire extinguishers. From back in the day watching my dad have a lit, bent cig in mouth pouring gas to me the other day having a tiki torch decide to engulf itself, I can't say it enough anymore. The worst part, extinguishers aren't cheap and TOO MANY people fore go them.