Overview:
Safety is the most important factor with anything we do, but
with do-it-yourself fixes it is more
relevant. Since the weight of an automobile can literally crush a person, you
will want to use care with DIY fixes.
In addition, some people have lost limbs or eyes while working on automobiles.
My intention is not to frighten you, but I want you to understand how important
safety is for you to be successful with do-it-yourself
fixes or any job with risks that can cause injury or death. Fortunately for
me, I have not been injured with DIY fixes and I do not plan on it either. This
is because I follow the “Golden Rule” with DIY fixes, safety first.
Workplace or area
safety:
Whether you are in your driveway or garage, a clean workplace is a safe workplace. You will want to keep your overhead
clear. This means nothing should be hanging from the ceiling that can fall and
cause an injury. In addition, make sure your floor or pavement is clean and
dry. Spills or slippery surfaces can cause falls leading to serious injury. Regardless
of the do-it-yourself fix that you
are doing, you will always want to keep your workplace clean.
Dress properly:
You must dress properly for do-it-yourself fixes. This cannot be understated because improper
clothing creates added risk. I like to wear the Dickies which is traditional
mechanic’s clothing. In addition, a good steel toe boot is a great idea because
auto parts and tools can be painful if dropped on your toes. Anything hanging from
your body such as jewelry or sweater strings should be taken off. Use caution
because things hanging from your body can be pulled or snagged in a
split-second. Something often overlooked as hanging is long hair. This is
dangerous because your hair getting snagged can cause head injury or worse. If
you have long hair, it will have to be tied up because it can be pulled or
snagged as well.
I will list safety
glasses as a part of dress because I
like to think I am naked without them. I say naked because this is how I relate
to safety glasses as a reminder to wear them. Please note that the importance
of eye safety cannot be stressed enough. It can be something simple such as
dirt or rust which can fall in your eye causing serious injury. In addition, safety glasses protect from being poked in the eye. Remember, you cannot
replace an eye.
Safety tools:
Always use jack stands when working on a car because
jacks can fail without warning. In addition, you will need to use wheel chucks to block off the wheels which will prevent the car from
rolling while it is jacked up. My rule of thumb is to work on flat ground when
the car must be jacked up.
A first aid kit is mandatory with do-it-yourself fixes because accidents are possible. Also, you will
want to make sure you have an eye wash in the first aid kit because some kits
do not include them. Keep a phone handy and in case of an emergency call 911.
Article:
This blog post by Jalopnik is interesting because it talks
about common mistakes that do-it-yourself
fixers make. Some of the mistakes
I’ve come across with my fixes such as a stripped bolts or torque
specifications are listed. The do-it-yourself fixes community will be about
avoiding mistakes by sharing information.
Video:
Since you can never be too safe, I am including a safety video
that will be helpful. This video link published by Safety Videos goes in depth
about workplace safety that can be used with any job. I like this video because
it is like the safety videos shown in my brake class at Oakland Community
College.
I will conclude with a reminder to always keep “Safety First”. All comments, feedback, sharing or questions are welcomed
by Do-It-Yourself Fixes.
