Car/truck safety precautions when working alone in your garage

[desoto1939]

Below is an article that I wrote for my Local car club.  Just think of how many times that you have been working on your car or truck, modern or antique

and you are alone in your garage?  We all have done this numerous time, Think of when you change the oil and your modern car is up on car ramps and you are under the engine taking off the bottom cover and then draining the oil and oil filter.  same when working on your antique or older car.

Do you use a bottle jack to hold up the car with only a very small point of contact to hold the 3000 lb car up in the air and did not use a hydraulic floor jack to also support the car or did not put a jack stands under the rea axle when pulling a rear drum and using a drum puller. Then do a brake shoe replace.

 

Just think about the potential for an accident to happen.  So read the article below and ask you kids for a set of baby monitors. They do not have to be a two unit but need to used so that your wife or someone in your home can hear you if you ever need help.

 

Makes a great Birthday or even Xmas present. It is one of those safety tools that i hope none ever needs to rely upon, but better to be prepared.

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

 

 

 

[ChrisMinelli]

That’s a great idea.  An old timer told me once, if you are alone and working on the car, to do it in silence.  Not even a radio.  That way you can hear all the moans and groans of the car when you are working on it and avoid problems before they happen.  
 

I am a metalhead and usually listen to music at obnoxious levels so I took it to heart.  Even with a radio doing the news your attention will be on the days events and not on the creaking Jack stand that is about to give way. 

[desoto1939]

Chris another important point that i did not even think about.  Thanks for the input

 

All input is great to have from the members. If these ideas prevent an accident inthe garage then we all have prevent and stopped 

 

a potential injury.

 

Rich Hartung

[kencombs]

My shop is too far from the hose for a normal baby monitor, but I always have my cell phone with me.  911 may be more available and faster that the wife anyway!

 

And, I would add that a good fire extinguisher is mandatory in my shop.  I have had to use one twice.  sure glad it was there.

[desoto1939]

43 minutes ago, kencombs said:

My shop is too far from the hose for a normal baby monitor, but I always have my cell phone with me.  911 may be more available and faster that the wife anyway!

 

And, I would add that a good fire extinguisher is mandatory in my shop.  I have had to use one twice.  sure glad it was there.

Ken: to me that was secondary option but most people do not have the cell phone right next to them incase of an emergency and if you are trapped under the car and just out of reach from the cell phone then you still have an issue. It is hard to plan for every possible situation and sometimes it is cost prohibited but just wanted to point out the potential safety hazard of working alone in a garage. Not sure if cell phone that have the Siri Option if you called out to Siri it is would then call 911.  The other option would be to have the google option to have a hands free monitor that might call 911 but you would still need the router to be able to reach your garage.

 

Rich Hartung

[Cannuck]

Great idea but my wife would shut the monitor off once I started swearing .

 

[kencombs]

40 minutes ago, desoto1939 said:

Ken: to me that was secondary option but most people do not have the cell phone right next to them incase of an emergency and if you are trapped under the car and just out of reach from the cell phone then you still have an issue. It is hard to plan for every possible situation and sometimes it is cost prohibited but just wanted to point out the potential safety hazard of working alone in a garage. Not sure if cell phone that have the Siri Option if you called out to Siri it is would then call 911.  The other option would be to have the google option to have a hands free monitor that might call 911 but you would still need the router to be able to reach your garage.

 

Rich Hartung

Yes, hey Siri works to call any number in your contacts.  And, in my case the phone links to my hearing aids.  My phone is in my pocket almost all the time as I use it to access repair and parts info on the web when in the shop .

[Tooljunkie]

Im in my shop seven days a week. Its my source of income as well as where i work on my hobby cars. 
im fortunate enough to have a 4 post drive on hoist. So very little risk of something falling on me as i always make sure the pins are in the pockets before i walk under. I take precautions when im jacking suspension and pulling wheels. 
 

jack stands when i work on the floor,jack remains under vehicle and i usually place wheels under rockers or frame. 
and a shake test. 
Note: if it doesent look right, it probably isnt. 
most crap happens when you are in a hurry..take your time and play safe. 
 

was loading car for a trip, air was thick with mosquitoes, everyone was in car and as i was loading trunk i noticed a bad taillight bulb. In my haste as i was removing the bulb from the socket it broke and i jabbed it into my hand. For whatever reason the glass was brittle, and i knew it. A glove or rag was 20 feet away and i opted to not protect myself. 
25 years ago and to this day i think about it every time i handle light bulbs. 

[Young Ed]

3 hours ago, Cannuck said:

Great idea but my wife would shut the monitor off once I started swearing .

 

Not to mention all the cutting grinding drilling air compressor running etc

[Plymouthy Adams]

I have convinced my wife that it is Turrets....now she is still holding firm with the no on the upstairs maid....maybe I play up the need for a young safety officer in the shop....lithe and curvy in case she needs to move about tight places...

Edited January 2, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Los_Control]

Pretty sure I will continue to do what I do.

Funniest damn thing I can mention is now that am retired, I no longer care about what others do.

 

I did once care when was a supervisor and had a team to take care of.

[keithb7]

A baby monitor may work for some people. I don't think it'll work for me. As mentioned, the cutting, grinding, hammering, tool clanking, cussing, the propane heater blasting. I believe the best advice is to just take your time and do things right. There are many ways to safely prevent a car from being able to pin you down. Before you get under there, take an extra 10-15 seconds to analyze the situation. What could happen? Then mitigate any risks. 

 

I can see how people are injured every year in their shops. A couple of years ago I came home to find my neighbor performing a brake job. Not sure where he got the 1" diameter screw jack that he had under an axle. No safety stand. The jack precariously positioned.  Wheel off. They were banging on things with a hammer. Prying with pliers to remove brake hardware. I was appalled at the stupidity. I sternly asked them to stop and get their legs out from under the car. I went and got my 3T hydraulic roller jack and 2 jack stands. I put them in place and prevented the imminent disaster.  This is merely 1 example of why every year so many people continue to get hurt around their cars. Stop. Think. 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by keithb7

[RobertKB]

You can’t fix stupid.............but is was nice of you to save them from possible harm. 

[pflaming]

I never trust any Jack or small hoist. I always use Jack stands.  I also give the vehicle a GOOD shake to settle in the Jack heads. What concerns me is cats! 

[Dan Hiebert]

Our last three houses had/have a detached garage.  Our place in Michigan already had an intercom set up between the house and garage.  Our shop in NY was only about 20 feet from the house, so we bought a baby monitor.  It was the wife's idea that I initially resisted but grew to appreciate.  Never needed it in the garage, but I had to run into the house once to put out a small kitchen fire when I heard the yelling and screaming.  Shop is too far from the house here, but I always have my cell phone, which is still kind of dicey because we have lousy service.  I've always been cautious and safety conscious when working around the house.  I made it a habit a long time ago because I rarely have help.

 

That is a good post, Rich, makes folks think.  Thanks for posting.  

[Tooljunkie]

Another forum, member driving down street a couple blocks from home. Saw a guy doing something with a bumper jack. 
was going to stop and changed his mind. Heard the sirens and found out the guy got crushed when car dropped. 
 

One of my past employers lost his brother to a car falling. 
 

another gentleman had a tractor wheel fall on him. 

[Eneto-55]

I almost always work on my cars at my (rented) business place, almost a quarter mile from our house.  Almost always alone, too, unless I'm helping my son work on his car.  I always use jack stands, plus keep the hydraulic jack under the car as well, and now that I have one, try to keep my cell phone handy.  But in respect to our old cars, I cringe when I hear of someone lifting the body off only working from below, with no lifting from above.  When I had the body off of mine, I kept the chains on from above, even though it was sitting on 4 steel barrels.  (I was also spending a lot of time under it, so it was well worth the time spent doing it right.)

 

Regarding bumper jacks, I would still maintain that they can be used safely.  Wheels blocked, solid surface under the jack, stop and start over if it starts to lean at all.  (And of course wooden blocks under it as well if you are going to be under it at all.)  I do not think that properly used, a bumper jack is any less safe than a scissor jack.  Maybe someone can point me to some information about this, but I suspect that the change from bumper jack to scissor jack was driven by the move away from steel bumpers and storage space requirements more than actual safety testing.  But neither should be used if anyone is going to be under the car, even partially.

[Sniper]

One of the things I don't see mentioned and is related.  Whenever I work on anything with my son I always make sure we both wear our PPE.  I have a metal cabinet on the wall with everything in it.  Dust masks, ear and eye protection, nitrile and work gloves, etc.  All that goes along with jack stands and the other things mentioned.  That and making sure my son gets in the habit of working safely.

[Art Bailey]

When I was a kid, my old man taught me that the jack stands went under the two arms of the enormous hydraulic bumper jack we had, which lived outside year round, and needed about 15 pumps before the jack even moved. They're called "jack stands", right? I spent hundreds of hours under big old cars with this set up, and I'm sure I used up all 9 of my lives doing this, and other ill advised things. 

 

I'm investing in a set of non-ratchet, 7 ton Gray jack stands that cost nearly a third as much as the car I bought. Ratchet style jack stands give me the willies. The baby monitor idea is great, I'm definitely getting those. Another good trick I've read is to toss the tires and rims from the car under the frame, so at least there's another obstacle for it to clear before it reaches your skull. 

 

-Art

 

 

[Sam Buchanan]

Good thread even if the baby monitors won't work.

 

I try to get these "jack stands" under the car if at all possible:

 

[NickPickToo]

My dad and I work as a pair.  He watches or I watch or when were both working one is always out from under heavy objects.  May not be practical for everyone, but having a wrench partner makes the project more entertaining as well.

[Plymouthy Adams]

shop related but when installing these huge heavy runways and knowing once in place I will be under them running cable and installing air lines and sheaves...I set these pallets in place as the columns are not to be bolted in place yet per the instructions...

 

 

[Booger]

I like those Sam. I was just about to add I have a put togethet sammiches of pt 2x6s I drive wheels on. No ramps or jack stands.

and wear glasses..sheesh

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 hour ago, Sam Buchanan said:

Good thread even if the baby monitors won't work.

 

I try to get these "jack stands" under the car if at all possible:

 

those are heavy enough for sure, fixed height is something I could live with also...I believe I would be inclined to V notch them for application in areas like an axle tube where there is so little skin to skin contact...

[Sam Buchanan]

3 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

those are heavy enough for sure, fixed height is something I could live with also...I believe I would be inclined to V notch them for application in areas like an axle tube where there is so little skin to skin contact...

 

That would work, matter of fact, a different size notch could be made on a couple of faces of the top 4x4 so it could be rotated for the best fit. I would keep the "notches" shallow, however.

Edited January 2, 2021 by Sam Buchanan