Occupational Safety, Health and Environment
Workshop hazards and PPE
The exam tests safe behaviour in a two-wheeler and car workshop: hazard recognition, PPE selection, fire response, chemical handling and environmental duty. In India, the Factories Act 1948 and state shop-and-establishment rules make the employer responsible for guarding machinery, ventilation and first aid, but the technician must still follow the job card and safe system of work. Before work, do a quick 5S and hazard check: spills, trailing leads, unguarded belts, jack stands, and carbon monoxide from engines run indoors. Use safety glasses when grinding or using compressed air, nitrile gloves for solvents and brake fluid, hearing protection above roughly 80 dB(A), and steel-toe boots in the bay. Never use compressed air to blow brake dust; it may contain asbestos and silica.
Fire, chemicals and first aid
Fire needs fuel, oxygen and heat. Class A is solid, B is flammable liquid, C is gas, D is metal, and electrical fires are treated with CO2 or dry powder after isolation. Petrol fires need foam or ABC dry powder, never water. Keep spill kits, eyewash and MSDS/chemical safety data sheets accessible. For a burn, cool with clean running water for about 20 minutes and cover loosely.
Worked example
A fuel line leaks onto a hot exhaust and ignites. Reason it out: the fuel is a Class B liquid, the source is still flowing, and electricity may be nearby. Stop the engine and fuel pump if safe, raise the alarm, evacuate, and use a foam or ABC extinguisher from the upwind side. Water would spread the burning petrol.
Traps
Marks are lost by choosing water on a petrol or electrical fire, cleaning dust with compressed air, storing solvents near heat, and failing to report a near miss. A near miss is a free lesson; record it.