Don't Be A Jackass With Jacks

[AWD Chaser]

http://www.productsafety.gov.au/cont...dontbeajackass

Under your car - DIY vehicle maintenance


DON'T BE A JACKASS WITH JACKS. People have been crushed or severely injured when they have not used jacks, support stands or ramps properly. The ACCC is leading a joint campaign with state and territory fair trading agencies to raise awareness about your safety when doing DIY mechanic work. Follow the safety tips and read the information to stay safe when working under your car.

• Working under your car - safety tips
• Do you sell jacks, ramps or stands?
• Get more facts and tips

Don't be a jackass with jacks

Over the past decade, at least 46 Australians have been crushed and killed when working under a vehicle.
In addition, an average of 160 injuries are associated with jacks each year. Injuries have ranged from amputation to fractures and crush injuries.
Most of the deaths were men and involved the vehicle being lifted or supported in the wrong way. Home mechanics are most at risk of this type of death or injury.
The correct use of jacks can prevent death or injury.
Never

• get under a car that is being supported by a jack
• place any part of your body under a vehicle unless it is sitting securely on support stands or ramps
• allow a person or pet to remain in the vehicle whilst it is being jacked
• exceed the weight capacity of the jack.

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Working under your car - safety tips

Follow these tips and stay safe when working on your vehicle.

• Park the vehicle on a hard level surface such as a concrete driveway.
• Before you raise the vehicle, chock the unlifted wheels and engage the park brake.
• Refer to the workshop manual for your car to locate the lifting point to position the jack under your vehicle. If the incorrect lifting point is used, the jack could slip or tip.
• Watch carefully whilst raising your vehicle. Check that the head plate of the trolley jack is sitting squarely on the point you are lifting, and make sure the jack is able to roll slightly to allow for the change of angle as the vehicle is raised.
• If you are planning on working under your vehicle, always use support stands or ramps. When using support stands, ensure you locate the correct position for them before slowly lowering the jack so the vehicle is resting on the stands. Ensure that your vehicle is secure on the stands before getting under it.

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Do you sell jacks, ramps or stands?

Suppliers including retailers are also reminded that there are mandatory standards for vehicle jacks, trolley jacks, support stands and portable ramps. You must comply with the mandatory standards if you are selling these products within Australia, at any part of the supply chain.
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Get more facts and tips

There are many ways you can learn more and stay informed about DIY vehicle maintenance safety.

• Get a copy of our safety alert brochure Working under a vehicle.
• Check out more tips on Working safely under vehicles.
• Get specific product safety information on:
  • vehicle jacks
  • trolley jacks
  • support stands
  • ramps.
• Find out the mandatory safety standards for:
  • vehicle jacks
    • get a copy of the Supplier guide — Vehicle jacks
  • trolley jacks
  • vehicle support stands
  • portable ramps for motor vehicles.
• Subscribe to email alerts from this website.

For general DIY safety information you can read the page DIY—home handyperson.

[ray38l]

So i wonder if me working under a car supported by a jack and two old rims is safe? I don't trust most stands. I have seen cars fall off stands before

[XRGhia]

I generally always have the car on ramps, and stands under the chassis rails incase the ramps fail....

[JG65TE]

seen a dude at the ford forum drags with the front on a car trailer and him under it spannerin something. Ya do what ya gotta do. I would have done the same. there was a bloke in the raaf when i was in that got crushed n killed by collapsing stands. just cant remember what base it was at.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by ray38l

So i wonder if me working under a car supported by a jack and two old rims is safe? I don't trust most stands. I have seen cars fall off stands before

Im not a fan of stands, and usually (if no wheel needs to be removed ie: doing a clutch) place a steel wheel (no tyre) under each wheel (laying flat obviously) and lower it on them. I only use wheels off older large cars, not jap light cars etc. They are made to handle all that weight at speed going round a corner (so the load is lateral not just upright), I cant see how the weight of the front or rear of a car will make them fail.

I also recall years ago people made stands from rims anyway. If youre worried, you could always get a pipe welded from the centre of the rim down to a flat bar at the bottom to support it.

[Zero_PSI]

I hate being under cars. But I always use stands and leave the jack under with the pressure off but still jacked up so it's touching the jack point., so if the stands fail the jack is there to catch it (I hope).

[XR6Runner]

I really did prefer the other one, something along the lines of "Take a stand when using Jacks". This one sounds a little offensive I think?

But other than that, I always place two steel rims underneath the car when ever I'm under it, there is just no way my muscular arms could lift almost 2 tonns!

[mik]

that`s a pretty good page, it covers most of it , i`ve used stands for most of my work(34 years) and not had a problem except for using the odd hand me down cheap old bit of junk stands, it`s good to have bigger rated stuff if you can afford it, i might add once i think the car is secure i stand at arms length and give it a shove, better for it to fall if it`s going too while i`m not under it than the other way.
i have 3 ton stands....no problems at all strength wise..... nice wide base on them , and it`s good to have a redundancy in case the worst happens, a tyre or 2 and or a block of wood on top if your not confident, (even if you are), anything to stop you getting crushed is good thing, if in doubt don`t get under............. re position the stands and try again.

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by XR6Runner

I really did prefer the other one, something along the lines of "Take a stand when using Jacks". This one sounds a little offensive I think?
!

I agree - it gives me the irrits when someone thinks it's a good idea to insult me to change my behaviour.

[R1XSTA]

I follow mik's procedure also.

Get the stands set, and then give it a heavy push from every angle..

[PHANTMXR6]

If anyone is taking offence to the campaign then you are exactly the target audience.

It's not that hard really.

[TZENU]

I use to work with the stands and jack as support... Now with access to a hoist I refuse to use the stand and jack!!!

[DRM ON]

Originally Posted by TZENU

I use to work with the stands and jack as support... Now with access to a hoist I refuse to use the stand and jack!!!

Show off haha

I use stands and the jack as backup too.

I have had a jack let go as I was putting stands under the car. Car dropped in an instant and the rear 1/4 actually landed on the car stand and punctured a hole straight through it. I was furious to start with but then was just glad I was alive.

[THE CADBURY KID]

Always use axle stands and when they are where you want them lower the jack slightly to take the weight and shake the hell out of the car to make sure its safe and then leave the jack there anyhow for insurance.
No stands ever broke that were being used properly,and they dont fall off either if they are positioned correctly.
i knew a guy who got killed when he was underneath a forklift on blocks of wood and it fell on him.
i also know a car mechanic who will freely go under without stands and thinks it will never happen to him

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by PHANTMXR6

If anyone is taking offence to the campaign then you are exactly the target audience.

It's not that hard really.

ummmm nope. Human psychology would indicate that those you offend are more likely to ignore your advice, whilst also undermining your credibility with the target population.

[PHANTMXR6]

Why you think it is offensive or insulting is something I can't understand.

The terminology is in jest, but the meaning behind it is still the same.

If you think it is quite safe to work under an unsupported load then go right ahead. You may end up another one of their statistics.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by XR6Runner

I really did prefer the other one, something along the lines of "Take a stand when using Jacks". This one sounds a little offensive I think?

But other than that, I always place two steel rims underneath the car when ever I'm under it, there is just no way my muscular arms could lift almost 2 tonns!

Yeah I liked that one as well, 'jackass' is an American word/term, it annoys me how people try do dilute our 'English' English with yank terms and phrases

[Franco Cozzo]

Where do the stands go under the car? Looking in the car manual it reckons where the crappy spare wheel Jacking point that came with the car, but last time I did that the weight of the car damaged it

[LOWBA6]

Chassis rails

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by PHANTMXR6

Why you think it is offensive or insulting is something I can't understand.

The terminology is in jest, but the meaning behind it is still the same.

If you think it is quite safe to work under an unsupported load then go right ahead. You may end up another one of their statistics.

Definition:• JACKASS (noun)
The noun JACKASS has 2 senses:

1. a man who is a stupid incompetent fool
2. male donkey

I would call either definition an insult.
I do not think it is safe to work under an unsupported vehicle, and i have had a car fall off stands while i was 1/2 way under it. Luckily it fell away from me as i was trying to jack it back up to get it squarely on the stands. I also treat people who have been lucky enough to survive - - so i think i am qualified to comment.
The issue is whether insulting someone will change their behaviour. I argue that it will not. If anything, the target audience will be turned off. Preaching to the converted (as you will deem yourself to be) is useless and achieves nothing apart from allowing you to attain an air of superiority, resulting in you thinking it is alright to insult those who are not quite so enlightened.

[PHANTMXR6]

Fair enough. Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

[Aussie.Battler]

Here is an expensive mistake

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvNKBe6DZhk&feature=related

[LTDHO]

I have never had or seen stands give way. Everyone has heard of someone who know some that heard something.
I have however seen both Hydralic and scissor jacks give way.

[XR6_661]

I hate getting under cars…

I’ll have ramps, stands and some wheels under it as well haha. Better safe than sorry! Only because once I jacked a car up, walked off to get a drink before getting under it, heard a loud bang and the car dropped off the jack.

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

I have never had or seen stands give way. Everyone has heard of someone who know some that heard something.
I have however seen both Hydralic and scissor jacks give way.

I was working on a VH commodore on 4 stands (small type). I was trying to get the door back on and wriggle that stupid pin back in place by myself. Levered door and myself against the car and the whole lot shifted so they jacks were crooked and up on two legs at the back of the car. Got the jack under the diff to lift it to put the stands back square. I was half under the back using the jack when the whole lot twisted off the stands away from me and crashed to the floor. Scared the life out of me, so i shut the shed door and went somewhere else for a while.

[aussie muscle]

i borrowed some ramps, only to find the xr8 is too low at the front to use them. damn. get the garage to do it.

[GT-GTF]

Be very careful if using old x series jacks. My 1974 Xb jack snapped in half while I was jacking my coupe up to changing a flat. Luckily no damage done. I now use my BF jack on my xb