Discovery 2. Manual — part 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

03-1

GENERAL INFORMATION

General Precautions

Dangerous substances
Modern vehicles contain many materials and liquids
which if not handled with care can be hazardous to
both personal health and the environment.

WARNING: Many liquids and other substances
used in motor vehicles are poisonous and should
under no circumstances be consumed and
should, as far as possible, be kept from contact
with the skin. These liquids and substances
include acid, anti-freeze, asbestos, brake fluid,
fuel, windscreen washer additives, lubricants,
refrigerants and various adhesives.

Always read carefully the instructions printed on
labels or stamped on components and obey them
implicitly. Such instructions are included for
reasons of your health and personal safety.
Never disregard them.

Synthetic rubber
Many 'O' rings, seals, hoses, flexible pipes and other
similar items which appear to be natural rubber, are
in fact, made of synthetic materials called
Fluoroelastomers. Under normal operating
conditions this material is safe and does not present
a health hazard. However, if the material is damaged
by fire or excessive heating, it can break down and
produce highly corrosive Hydrofluoric acid.

Contact with Hydrofluoric acid can cause serious
burns on contact with skin. If skin contact does occur:

l

Remove any contaminated clothing
immediately.

l

Irrigate effected area of skin with a copious
amount of cold water or limewater for 15 to 60
minutes.

l

Obtain medical assistance immediately.

Should any material be in a burnt or overheated
condition, handle with extreme caution and wear
protective clothing (seamless industrial gloves,
protective apron etc.).

Decontaminate and dispose of gloves immediately
after use.

Lubricating oils
Avoid excessive skin contact with used lubricating
oils and always adhere to the health protection
precautions.

WARNING: Avoid excessive skin contact with
used engine oil. Used engine oil contains
potentially harmful contaminants which may
cause skin cancer or other serious skin
disorders.

WARNING: Avoid excessive skin contact with
mineral oil. Mineral oils remove the natural fats
from the skin, leading to dryness, irritation and
dermatitis.

Health protection precautions
The following precautions should be observed at all
times.

l

Wear protective clothing, including impervious
gloves where practicable.

l

Avoid prolonged and repeated contact with oils,
particularly used engine oils.

l

Do not put oily rags in pockets.

l

Avoid contaminating clothes (particularly those
next to the skin) with oil.

l

Overalls must be cleaned regularly. Discard
heavily soiled clothing and oil impregnated
footwear.

l

First aid treatment should be obtained
immediately for open cuts and wounds.

l

Apply barrier creams before each work period to
help prevent lubricating oil from contaminating
the skin.

l

Wash with soap and water to ensure all oil is
removed (proprietary skin cleansers and nail
brushes will help).

l

Use moisturisers after cleaning; preparations
containing lanolin help replace the skin's natural
oils which have been removed.

l

Do not use petrol/gasoline, kerosene, diesel
fuel, oil, thinners or solvents for cleaning skin.

l

Where practicable, degrease components prior
to handling.

l

If skin disorders develop, obtain medical advice
without delay.

l

Wear eye protection (e.g. goggles or face
shield) if there is a risk of eye contamination.
Eye wash facilities should be provided in close
vicinity of the work area.

GENERAL INFORMATION

03-2

Safety Instructions

Whenever possible, use a lift or pit when working
beneath vehicle, in preference to jacking. Chock
wheels as well as applying parking brake.

Jacking
Always use the recommended jacking points.

Always ensure that any lifting apparatus has
sufficient load capacity for the weight to be lifted.

Ensure the vehicle is standing on level ground prior
to lifting or jacking.

Apply the handbrake and chock the wheels.

WARNING: Do not work on or under a vehicle
supported only by a jack. Always support the
vehicle on safety stands.

Do not leave tools, lifting equipment, spilt oil, etc.
around or on the work bench area. Always keep a
clean and tidy work area.

Brake shoes and pads
Always fit the correct grade and specification of
brake linings. When renewing brake pads and brake
shoes, always replace as complete axle sets.

Brake hydraulics
Observe the following recommendations when
working on the brake system:

l

Always use two spanners when loosening or
tightening brake pipe or hose connections.

l

Ensure that hoses run in a natural curve and are
not kinked or twisted.

l

Fit brake pipes securely in their retaining clips
and ensure that the pipe cannot contact a
potential chafing point.

l

Containers used for brake fluid must be kept
absolutely clean.

l

Do not store brake fluid in an unsealed
container, it will absorb water and in this
condition would be dangerous to use due to a
lowering of its boiling point.

l

Do not allow brake fluid to be contaminated with
mineral oil, or put new brake fluid in a container
which has previously contained mineral oil.

l

Do not re-use brake fluid removed from the
system.

l

Always use clean brake fluid or a recommended
alternative to clean hydraulic components.

l

After disconnection of brake pipes and hoses,
immediately fit suitable blanking caps or plugs to
prevent the ingress of dirt.

l

Only use the correct brake fittings with
compatible threads.

l

Observe absolute cleanliness when working
with hydraulic components.

Cooling system caps and plugs
Extreme care is necessary when removing
expansion tank caps and coolant drain or bleed
screws when the engine is hot, especially if it is
overheated. To avoid the possibility of scalding,
allow the engine to cool before attempting removal.

Air suspension system
Whilst working on the air suspension system, eye
protection must be worn at all times.

GENERAL INFORMATION

03-3

Environmental Precautions

General
This section provides general information which can
help to reduce the environmental impacts from the
activities carried out in workshops.

Emissions to air
Many of the activities that are carried out in
workshops emit gases and fumes which contribute to
global warming, depletion of the ozone layer and/or
the formation of photochemical smog at ground
level. By considering how the workshop activities are
carried out, these gases and fumes can be
minimised, thus reducing the impact on the
environment.

Exhaust fumes
Running car engines is an essential part of workshop
activities and exhaust fumes need to be ventilated to
atmosphere. However, the amount of time engines
are running and the position of the vehicle should be
carefully considered at all times, to reduce the
release of poisonous gases and minimise the
inconvenience to people living nearby.

Solvents
Some of the cleaning agents used are solvent based
and will evaporate to atmosphere if used carelessly,
or if cans are left unsealed. All solvent containers
should be firmly closed when not needed and
solvent should be used sparingly. Suitable
alternative materials may be available to replace
some of the commonly used solvents. Similarly,
many paints are solvent based and the spray should
be minimised to reduce solvent emissions.

Refrigerant
It is illegal to release any refrigerants into the
atmosphere. Discharge and replacement of these
materials from air conditioning units should only be
carried out using the correct equipment.

Checklist
Always adhere to the following.

Engines:

l

don't leave engines running unnecessarily;

l

minimise testing times and check where the
exhaust fumes are being blown.

Materials:

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keep lids on containers of solvents;

l

only use the minimum quantity;

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consider alternative materials;

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minimise over-spray when painting.

Gases:

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use the correct equipment for collecting
refrigerants;

l

don't burn rubbish on site.

Discharges to water
Most sites will have two systems for discharging
water: storm drains and foul drains. Storm drains
should only receive clean water, foul drains will take
dirty water.

The foul drain will accept many of the normal waste
waters such as washing water, detergents and
domestic type wastes, but oil, petrol, solvent, acids,
hydraulic oil, antifreeze and other such substances
should never be poured down the drain. If in any
doubt speak to the Water Company first.

Every precaution must be taken to prevent spillage of
oil, fuel, solvents etc. reaching the drains. All
handling of such materials must take place well away
from the drains and preferably in an area with a kerb
or wall around it, to prevent discharge into the drain.
If a spillage occurs it should be soaked up
immediately. Having a spill kit available will make
this easier.

Additional precautions
Check whether the surface water drains are
connected to an oil water separator, this could
reduce the pollution if an incident was to occur. Oil
water separators do need regular maintenance to
ensure effectiveness.

Checklist
Always adhere to the following.

Disposal:

l

never pour anything down a drain without first
checking that it is environmentally safe to do so,
and that it does not contravene any local
regulations or bye-laws;

l

have oil traps emptied regularly.

Spillage prevention:

l

store liquids in a walled area;

l

make sure that taps on liquid containers are
secure and cannot be accidentally turned on;

l

protect bulk storage tanks from vandalism by
locking the valves;

l

transfer liquids from one container to another in
an area away from open drains;

l

ensure lids are replaced securely on containers;

l

have spill kits available near to points of storage
and handling of liquids.

GENERAL INFORMATION

03-4

Spill kits
Special materials are available to absorb a number of
different substances. They can be in granular form,
ready to use and bought in convenient containers for
storage. Disposal of used spill-absorbing material is
dealt with in 'Waste Management' section.

Land contamination
Oils, fuels and solvents etc. can contaminate any soil
that they are allowed to contact. Such materials
should never be disposed of by pouring onto soil and
every precaution must be taken to prevent spillage
reaching soil. Waste materials stored on open
ground could also leak, or have polluting substances
washed off them that would contaminate the land.
Always store these materials in suitable skips or
other similarly robust containers.

Checklist
Always adhere to the following.

l

Don't pour or spill anything onto the soil or bare
ground;

l

don't store waste materials on bare ground, see
'Spillage prevention' list.

Legal compliance
Some sites may have a discharge consent for
effluent discharge to the foul drain for a car wash etc.
It is important to know what materials are allowed in
the drain and to check the results of any monitoring
carried out by the Water Company.

Where paint-spraying operations are carried out it
may be necessary to apply to the Local Authority for
an air emissions licence to operate the plant. If such
a licence is in operation, additional precautions will
be necessary to comply with the requirements, and
the results of any air quality monitoring must be
checked regularly.

Checklist
Always adhere to the following.

l

Know what legal consents and licences apply to
the operations;

l

check that the emissions and discharges
comply with legal requirements.

Local issues
A number of environmental issues will be of
particular concern to residents and other neighbours
close to the site. The sensitivity of these issues will
depend on the proximity of the site and the layout
and amount of activity carried on at the site.

Noise is a major concern and therefore
consideration should be given to the time spent
carrying out noisy activities and the location of those
activities that can cause excessive noise.

Car alarm testing, panel beating, hammering and
other such noisy activities should, whenever
possible, be carried out indoors with doors and
windows shut or as far away from houses as
possible.

Running vehicle engines may be an outside activity
which could cause nuisance to neighbours because
of both noise and smell.

Be sensitive to the time of day when these activities
are carried out and minimise the time of the noisy
operation, particularly in the early morning and late
evening.

Another local concern will be the smell from the
various materials used. Using less solvent, paint
and petrol could help prevent this annoyance.

Local residents and other business users will also be
concerned about traffic congestion, noise and
exhaust fumes, be sensitive to these concerns and
try to minimise inconvenience from deliveries,
customers and servicing operations.

Checklist
Always adhere to the following.

l

Identify where the neighbours who are likely to
be affected are situated;

l

minimise noise, smells and traffic nuisance;

l

prevent litter by putting waste in the correct
containers;

l

have waste skips emptied regularly.

Use of resource
Another environmental concern is the waste of
materials and energy that can occur in day to day
activities.

Electricity for heating, lighting and compressed air
uses resources and releases pollution during its
generation.

Fuel used for heating, running cars or vans and
mobile plant is another limited resource which
consumes large amounts of energy during its
extraction and refining processes.

Water has to be cleaned, piped to site and disposed
of; all of which creates more potential pollution.

Oil, spares, paint etc., have all produced pollution in
the process of manufacture and they become a
waste disposal problem if discarded.