- Don't run an engine in a garage or anywhere else without proper ventilation– EVER! Carbon
monoxide is poisonous. It is absorbed by the body 400 times faster than oxygen.
It takes a long time to leave the human body and can build up a deadly supply
of it in your own system to simply breathing in a little every day. You may
not realize you are slowly poisoning yourself. Always use power vents, windows,
fans or open the garage doors.
- Don't work around moving parts while wearing a necktie or other loose clothing.
Short sleeves are much safer than long, loose sleeves. Hard-toed shoes with
neoprene soles protect your toes and give a better grip on slippery surfaces.
Jewelry such as watches, fancy belt buckles, beads or body adornment of any
kind is not safe when working around a vehicle. Long hair should be kept under
a hat or cap.
- Don't use pockets for toolboxes. A fall or bump can drive a screwdriver
deep into your body. Even a wiping cloth hanging from the back pocket can
wrap around a spinning shaft or fan.
- Don't smoke when working around the battery. When the battery is being charged,
it gives off explosive hydrogen gas.
- Don't use gasoline to wash your hands. There are excellent soaps available.
Gasoline may contain additives, which can enter the body through a cut, accumulating
in the body until you are very ill. Gasoline also removed all the natural
oils from the skin so hat bone dry hands will suck up oil and grease.
- Don't service the air conditioning system unless you are equipped with the
necessary tools and training. The refrigerant, R–12, is extremely cold
and when exposed to the air, will instantly freeze any surface it comes in
contact with, including your eyes. Although the refrigerant is normally non-toxic,
R–12 becomes a deadly poisonous gas in the presence of an open flame.
One good whiff of the vapors from burning refrigerant can be fatal.
- Don't use screwdrivers for anything other than driving screws! A screwdriver
used as a prying tool can snap when you least expect it, causing injuries.
- Don't use a bumper jack (that little rachet, scissors, or pantograph jack
supplied with the vehicle) for anything other than changing a flat These jacks
are only intended for emergency use out on the road: they are NOT designed
as a maintenance tool. If you are serious about maintaining your vehicle yourself,
invest in a hydraulic floor jack of at least 1 1⁄2 ton
capacity, and at least two jackstands.