Automotive Workshop Safety
Automotive Workshop Safety
This domain tests how well you recognise workshop hazards and apply controls before and during a job. Questions focus on PPE, machine guarding, fire response, safe lifting, chemical handling, electrical safety and first aid, not just definitions.
Core rules and concepts
- Match PPE to the hazard: safety glasses for grinding, a face shield over glasses for cutting, gloves for chemicals but never near rotating spindles, steel-toe boots and hearing protection where noise is high.
- Guard every rotating part. Remove the drill chuck key before starting; use push sticks at a bench grinder; never wear loose sleeves, rings or watches near machinery.
- Support a vehicle on stands, not on a jack alone. Chock the wheels, use the correct jacking point and lower slowly.
- Fire classes matter: Class A ordinary combustibles, B flammable liquids, C flammable gases, D combustible metals. For electrical fires, isolate power and use CO2 or dry powder. Never use a water jet on petrol or live electrical equipment.
- A charging battery releases hydrogen; keep flames away and ventilate. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, so never run an engine in a closed room.
- Compressed air must never be pointed at skin. Use low pressure and eye protection for cleaning.
Worked example
A petrol spill spreads near a bench grinder. Reasoning: stop work and isolate the grinder, remove ignition sources, ventilate the area, contain the spill with inert absorbent and dispose of it as hazardous waste. Do not wash it into a drain or blow it with compressed air, because vapour can ignite.
Traps that cost marks
Using water on a petrol or electrical fire; wearing gloves at a drill; relying on a jack without stands; leaving solvent rags in a hot corner; and treating first-aid knowledge as optional.
Key points
- PPE must match the task.
- Guard and isolate rotating equipment.
- Jack stands and wheel chocks are mandatory.
- Know fire classes and the correct extinguisher.
- Ventilate battery charging and engine exhaust areas.