120 people killed in DIY car maintenance accidents in Australia since 2000

[GO FURTHER]

Be careful when working on your car, especially under it or working near fuel lines.

Always make sure your car is correctly lifted and supported with the right equipment before working under it.

Check and double check everything, your safety should be the number one priority.

Another local Melbourne man was tragically crushed and killed today while working under his car.

accc-warns-of-big-home-car-repair-toll

[jaydee]

A neighbour many years ago was in his garage on a cold winters night working on his hot rod. Took out the fuel tank with a section of fuel hose still attached, spun around to put it on the bench, but the fuel line flicked fuel onto a kero heater he had going to keep warm.
Was seriously burnt but survived, 3 cars not so lucky.

[Citroënbender]

I've done plenty of "roadside mechanicking" from flat tyres to suspension rebuilds and smash repairs out of sheer necessity. Chassis stands, chocks and a wheel on the flat chucked underneath as a last resort safety, are a given.

Almost to the last, idjits who seem to get a kick out of deliberately driving really close are in lifted crew cabs. The Camry pilots are just vague; see one coming you get out/away. Older people who grew up with frugality and DIY love to have a word or two, and there's often new arrivals who think I am operating a peasant business and can fix their stuff cheap...

[ford12]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I've done plenty of "roadside mechanicking" from flat tyres to suspension rebuilds and smash repairs out of sheer necessity. Chassis stands, chocks and a wheel on the flat chucked underneath as a last resort safety, are a given.

Almost to the last, idjits who seem to get a kick out of deliberately driving really close are in lifted crew cabs. The Camry pilots are just vague; see one coming you get out/away. Older people who grew up with frugality and DIY love to have a word or two, and there's often new arrivals who think I am operating a peasant business and can fix their stuff cheap...

Wow wee

[jpd80]

I am so grateful to my Father who was a Ford mechanic back in the 60s and 70s for engraining into me the right and safe ways to work on cars.
1. Never get under a car that's on a jack and not properly supported and stable.
2. Always wear steel capped boots, imagine if something cast iron fell on your foot.
3. No naked flames and heat/ignition sources around open petrol containers and fumes.
4. If you're frustrated and it just isn't going right, leave it and come back later.

There are lots of other life saving rules but mostly common sense and thinking ahead
about all the things that could go wrong an properly controlling them so you can't get
hurt and that includes working on your own.

and make sure you do things in the right order like putting the sandwich plate on before the flex plate and gearbox, otherwise you'll be pulling it all apart and doing again...

[Franco Cozzo]

Another good one is 79 series Toyota Land Cruiser with nothing on the tray - has a nasty habit of falling off 2 post hoists as you swing on stuff underneath because of its centre of gravity/weight distribution.

Toyota manual mentions not to lift it on these types of hoist.

[marty351]

And rember to replace the sump plug before refilling oil.

[smoo]

Some knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by smoo

Some knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge.

Quoted for truth.

And applies universally.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

Be careful when working on your car, especially under it or working near fuel lines.

Always make sure your car is correctly lifted and supported with the right equipment before working under it.

Check and double check everything, your safety should be the number one priority.

Another local Melbourne man was tragically crushed and killed today while working under his car.

accc-warns-of-big-home-car-repair-toll

Thanks for the reminder and as always think carefully before hand as to what risks you could be exposing your self to and take steps to keep safe.



Cheers.

[roKWiz]

Even more fun working on prime movers.
There's so much more to think about besides just the weight. charged air systems, Spring brake chambers exploding, COE tilt cab jacks letting go, fibreglass hoods blowing back down, run away Detroit diesel racks, super long barring bars to crack the wheel tension.

Last week I needed to "cage' the old spring brakes (way of releasing the park brake without air) on the Louie but found the LHS containment bolt would not engage into that chamber due to the slotted receiver being skewed, it took me 2 hours+ just to get that bolt in, to screw down.
Hid behind the duals the whole time while I did it as if these chambers let go, it can fly in any direction.
I reckon hayseed and GasOLane would agree. Killed a few people in the past.

Be safe everyone.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Even more fun working on prime movers.
There's so much more to think about besides just the weight. charged air systems, Spring brake chambers exploding, COE tilt cab jacks letting go, fibreglass hoods blowing back down, run away Detroit diesel racks, super long barring bars to crack the wheel tension.

Last week I needed to "cage' the old spring brakes (way of releasing the park brake without air) on the Louie but found the LHS containment bolt would not engage into that chamber due to the slotted receiver being skewed, it took me 2 hours+ just to get that bolt in, to screw down.
Hid behind the duals the whole time while I did it as if these chambers let go, it can fly in any direction.
I reckon hayseed and GasOLane would agree. Killed a few people in the past.

Be safe everyone.

And we wont even mention the old split rims to hold the tyre on

[Citroënbender]

I kind of wish you hadn’t, terrifying bit of old tech there. :-(

[Crazy Dazz]

Condolences to the young man's family. Terrible to lose a son and brother like that.

I lost my own brother (who was 24) to a stupid home accident when I was 17.
That was 35 years ago and I still cry when I see his Grandson.

On minesites, we have a simple rule: Always give way to trains and haul-trucks, because they will always win.
Similarly, anything that has the capacity to actually kill you stone-dead, must be treated with respect. Most Sites have "Golden Rules" to cover those.

Never get under a heavy load without at least one form of backup.
Never go anywhere near live power, even if you think it shouldn't be live.
And always assume that old crap is nolonger safe.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by jpd80

make sure you do things in the right order like putting the sandwich plate on before the flex plate and gearbox, otherwise you'll be pulling it all apart and doing again...

We only ever make those type of Mistakes Once, I've noticed.......

Common sense isn't very Common these Days..

[.:4:.]

To be honest, accidents that claim lives weather it be due to unexpected failures, inexperience, complacency or flat out stupidity are still tragic. I was at work in maybe 2011 or 2012 when a fellow sparky from another company did what eventually was his end. What still hurts me the most is back then my child was 2. His first child was born 7 days after his accident and he was in an induced coma untill he passed. I was on site when he made the mistake and seen him on a stretcher with 95% 3rd degree burns. Its not a good story. As slack as it sounds, at that time myself having a 2 year old, his daughter never having dad is probably easier then explaining after asking mummy wheres daddy. It still gets to me.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

Be careful when working on your car, especially under it or working near fuel lines.

Always make sure your car is correctly lifted and supported with the right equipment before working under it.

Check and double check everything, your safety should be the number one priority.

Another local Melbourne man was tragically crushed and killed today while working under his car.

accc-warns-of-big-home-car-repair-toll

Over the 30 years as a Paramedic, I've been to several of these crush accidents. They all had the same history...incorrect or insufficient stands under the vehicle. Fortunately (for me) only one resulted in a fatality. You never forget.

[danzvtil]

There’s still a lot of no worries mate attitude going on. When I had cheap cars over the years I’d go to the wreckers, they would sit a car on 4 tireless upright rims, then put another car on top. They would allow the public to climb all over this automotive jenga game to grab parts. Dunno how worksafe allowed it to happen.

[aussiblue]

I used to work with a paraplegic who got that way working on his MG exhaust system while it was held up with bricks stacks that collapsed on him. He was fairly stoic about it and still drove the MG (with a hand throttle and the wheelchairs in the back behind the seats).

[xxx000]

beware of jacking cars up on concrete waffle slabs. They can fail without warning and aren't easy to identify. Treat any concrete slab as one and ensure the load is spread over a wide area of the slab not just a small jack base

[66FAIRLANE]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

And we wont even mention the old split rims to hold the tyre on

Worked with a Fitter once that nearly got killed by one of those. Someone painted the wrong nuts red.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Even more fun working on prime movers.
There's so much more to think about besides just the weight. charged air systems, Spring brake chambers exploding, COE tilt cab jacks letting go, fibreglass hoods blowing back down, run away Detroit diesel racks, super long barring bars to crack the wheel tension.

Last week I needed to "cage' the old spring brakes (way of releasing the park brake without air) on the Louie but found the LHS containment bolt would not engage into that chamber due to the slotted receiver being skewed, it took me 2 hours+ just to get that bolt in, to screw down.
Hid behind the duals the whole time while I did it as if these chambers let go, it can fly in any direction.
I reckon hayseed and GasOLane would agree. Killed a few people in the past.

Be safe everyone.

& changing tyres, the old split rings in particular!

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I am so grateful to my Father who was a Ford mechanic back in the 60s and 70s for engraining into me the right and safe ways to work on cars.
1. Never get under a car that's on a jack and not properly supported and stable.
2. Always wear steel capped boots, imagine if something cast iron fell on your foot.
3. No naked flames and heat/ignition sources around open petrol containers and fumes.
4. If you're frustrated and it just isn't going right, leave it and come back later.

Point number 4, is one I learnt to use in house renovations. frustration/tiredness leads to errors.

[Citroënbender]

It’s a near universal truth. If I trip myself up in this way (ie; not making a balanced judgement about a situation and it bites me on the bum) I freely admit to what I call “paying the idiot tax”.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

Point number 4, is one I learnt to use in house renovations. frustration/tiredness leads to errors.

Yeah IMO it is a hugely important point that a lot of people don’t consider.
There is nothing worse than listening to someone swearing and cursing while struggling on a job because things aren’t going to plan. Well, a lot of things don’t go to plan.
Stand back for 5 mins and think about it, or go for smoko and come back later. Some guys can’t do this, too rough, no patience, no foresight for how something is going to go back together while they are tearing it down. Five mins breather to think about it might save one hours mucking around or any re work plus parts they bugger on the way.
I run a shift in a truck workshop. Blokes who are proven to do the above are delegated the **** kicker jobs, TA duties like brakes & wheel bearings or spinning filters and greasing.

[aussiblue]

My biggest risk I think is the occasional uninvited neighbour or relative who wants to shake my car lift or worse the car itself while it's on the lift. While I have a total ban on observers while the car is on the lift, and I have confidence in the lift's stability, unexpected and invited visitors have sometimes called in and then walked into the backyard and then to my shed. I really don't want idiot people shaking the car while I am using it as I think enough force or weight applied in the "right" place could move the lift point off the lift pad overbalancing the vehicle onto me. I do have my wife and or son keep an eye on me while I am working with car lift and avoid getting too far under it or between the supported vehicle and my shed wall etc.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

frustration/tiredness leads to errors.

Been involved in too many cases in the industrial setting with huge/heavy machinery and guys who are very fatigued and frustrated cutting corners and getting killed.

One was a guy working long hours- changing a mining truck wheel- anxious to get home to his pregnant wife. Did the job too quickly when angles of wheel not connected to his crane clamp at correct angle and without taking time to step out of way in rush to bring wheel back to ground to re-align crushed wheel against himself and controller box when bringing it back down to ground for re-alignment.

Another case a truck driver on hot day working overtime got up on load with forklift to speed things up- desperate to get home- and load moved and crushed him.

Another case guy working on mining site sandblasting and working massive overtime on Sunday- understaffed, hose got caught around mobile hopper that a forklift was picking up and he tried to do it quickly by getting underneath and pulling hose causing massive hopper to fall on him.

I could go on - but it is so common in industrial crush fatalities- fatigue and stress/frustration.

Please- when tired and/or hot/ dehydrated- do not cut corners on safety things like getting under crush weights when potential for masses to fall.

When tired and stressed, after setting up-have a moment and stop- and re-work in your mind risks and what active/passive safety you have implemented. And never when under pump then disregard those active/passive safety work practices you have implemented.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

& changing tyres, the old split rings in particular!

I still have split "rings" on my jap trucks and they're fine (well alright) on the duals, steers are one piece tubeless.
I think the ones GasOLane was referring to was the three piece split "rims" (windowmakers)

Geeze and I still see guys working on cars using besser blocks. !!

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by hayseed

We only ever make those type of Mistakes Once, I've noticed.......

Common sense isn't very Common these Days..

You know, I was so excited getting the EB's 5.0 litre built and off the engine stand that i forgot the sandwich plate, rookie mistake but all good now.

I've learned that there is no common sense, just awareness level and experience,
all of us look at situations differently depending on experience and confidence.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I still have split "rings" on my jap trucks and they're fine (well alright) on the duals, steers are one piece tubeless.
I think the ones GasOLane was referring to was the three piece split "rims" (windowmakers)

Geeze and I still see guys working on cars using besser blocks. !!

No I meant the split rings, I just phrased it badly