Making sure a forklift is functioning as it should it the vital first step in ensuring employee safety. Once you've changed the height of the stand, put the safety pin attached to the stand through the hole at the base to secure it place. The car slipped from the supports, crushing and killing him. If there is no prop fitted or if one is fitted but you are unsure it will be effective, then provide your own additional support. He's got the car up on stands, the wheel is under the car, and he's wearing a mask and safety glasses. Otherwise, the results could be disastrous. © Copyright National Automotive Parts Association. If given a load to handle and someone is required to hold or position the load while the lift truck is moving – STOP. Ken yelled for help, but no one came to help him. No supplementary supports were used. If you are able to place the axle stand at the jacking point that would be ideal but quite often there won't be room for both the jack and the stand. Ken suffered serious injury to his back, and it literally took him months to get back on his feet. A mechanic was replacing a gearbox with a car raised on a hydraulic trolley jack and two wheel removal jacks. Be sure to use bottle jacks on a strong, flat surface like a garage floor to minimize the chance of movement. This is what locks in the air, and they are a known failure point. Use jack stands with a bottle jack just as you would with a floor jack. If your job is replacing a muffler, though, ramps are ideal. The mandatory standard is based on certain sections of the voluntary Australian Standard, AS 2538:2016 Vehicle Support Stands (available from SAI Global). Watch for employees working in the same area. In particular, you should consider the following issues (more detail can be found in HSG261). OSHA Fact Sheet. Stands should only be used on hard and level surfaces and only for the vehicles that are within the … THINK! Vehicles falling/rolling off incorrectly positioned jacks or stands, particularly where they are not chocked, are one of the main causes of fatal accidents in MVR. Working beneath a vehicle is often required to check for faults, servicing and repairs etc but because these tasks are so common people get used to working under potentially lethal weights. Floor jacks use rubber o rings to assist in sealing the compression cylinder. If you do a lot of heavy wrenching, a specialty lift is a great way to get the job done quickly and safely. If the hoist hydraulics malfunctions while vehicle raised on hoist, with out safety latch engaged, it will fall and the safety latch will NOT engage. They should be placed under the vehicle axle or frame to provide additional support for an elevated car. Your email address will not be published. Vehicles must be kept safe and fit for purpose and the driver must be able to get in and out of the vehicle safely. If you’re going to do anything under a lifted vehicle, it must be supported by jack stands. Raise an axle stand up to the strong part under your vehicle. Electronic safety systems Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) helps you keep control of the car in an emergency and have been a standard feature of all new cars since 2004. i would hate for it to crack and drop the stand to the ground with me under the car. Jack up your vehicle to your desired working height. If you're using jack stands, place them near the jack. If you place your jack incorrectly, you can injure your car. Do not lower the lift to rest on supporting jacks. A floor jack has wheels and will slide as the lifting arm extends. This is a true story about my friend Ken. Yet these safety features don’t work if they’re not engaged – so make sure you use them before starting work on the vehicle. If unable to handle the load alone, change the load or the equipment. Never work under a vehicle on a hoist, that the safety latch is not engaged. He died in hospital from crush injuries. If that's the case then you need to find another solid point under the car to position the stands. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and replace consumable items, such as lifting pads, before they become unsafe, Make sure employees evenly balance the lift for different types of vehicle and where major components (eg a gearbox) have been removed - knowing where the centre of gravity is important to prevent cars falling from a vehicle lift, Additionally for two post lifts, ensure that the arm locks are fully engaged and secure and that all the lifting pads are positioned correctly before raising the vehicle to full height (see, Vehicle lifts should be thoroughly examined periodically by a competent person, who should issue a 'Report of Thorough Examination'. Axle stands were available but not used. Because bottle jacks usually have a smaller footprint than floor jacks, though, they may not be as stable. 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