You must take all reasonable steps to ensure your own safety. The HM Project will equip you with safety equipment and the relevant safety knowledge to do your job without danger to yourself or others.
You have a duty to look after your own safety and that of others.

Hampton Motor Project (HMP) has a legal responsibility to carry out an assessment of the risks arising from the course and to take steps to eliminate or control those risks. You should inform HMP if you identify any potentially dangerous situations that come to your attention.

You should have received training, by the instructors, on the correct safety procedures for any of the tasks for which you are responsible.

On personal protection and hygiene:

The value of protective clothing, such as footwear, gloves and goggles, and when to wear them;
The need to apply barrier cream.
The need to wash properly with plenty of soap and water after finishing work, or at any time when you get petrol or oil on your hands.
The correct methods of handling and lifting.
You will be instructed in the correct method for lifting by your instructors before being assigned to the task.

Safety Rules for Vehicle Self-help

When working on a vehicle, be prepared in advance to have grease on your hands and you probably will break a fingernail or two. In addition to these minor inconveniences, there is always a risk in working on a vehicle. Use common sense when making inspections and repairs. Know how to fix an element before you begin, and then work efficiently. Below are some common sense rules to follow while working on a vehicle:

1. Petrol fumes and hydrogen gas are both explosive, and both gasoline and oil are flammable. Do not smoke while making repairs or even when raising the hood to diagnose the problem. Keep a small fire extinguisher nearby while working on the car, particularly if the work is being done under the hood.

Petrol other issues. Petrol is a highly flammable liquid which can give off flammable vapour, even at very low temperatures. This means there is always a risk of fire or explosion if a source of ignition is present.
It floats on the surface of water and may travel long distances, eventually causing danger away from the place where it escaped.
Petrol vapour does not disperse easily and may also travel long distances. It tends to sink to the lowest possible level and may collect in tanks, cavities, drains, pits, or other enclosed areas, where there is little air movement.
Flammable atmospheres may be present in empty tanks and petrol cans. There is also a danger if petrol is spilled on clothing, rags etc.
Petrol vapour can be harmful if inhaled. Petrol should not be swallowed and contact with the skin should be avoided.

2. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide - a poisonous gas. Do not run the engine in a closed area unless there is ample ventilation. If you begin to feel sleepy while working on a car, move away from the vehicle into the fresh air immediately. By the same token, if you can smell the exhaust while driving, open the windows at once.

3. The car battery contains sulphuric acid, which can burn, and it also emits hydrogen gas, which may explode. Wear gloves while working around a battery and do not smoke near it.

4. Car batteries can give electrical shocks and are a fire hazard. Disconnect the battery while working on the fuel line or electrical system. It is only necessary to remove the ground cable, which is easily identified by a black mark or a minus (-) sign on the battery casing at the terminal.

5. It is easy to get a spark or electrical volt that could create a fire hazard when jump starting a car. Be sure to connect the positive (+) terminal of the helping car to the positive terminal of the disabled car, and the negative (-) terminal to the engine frame before turning on either engine. Also, do not touch the positive cable to the end of any other cable or metal part while jump starting the car.

6. Radiator hoses, exhaust pipes, manifolds and mufflers can be very hot to the touch. Allow time for these parts to cool off before working on the car. If there is some reason that you can't wait, wear heavy gloves and be very careful. DO NOT remove the radiator cap in one turn. Turn it slowly to half off and allow the steam to escape. Always use gloves or a rag. When the steam has escaped, turn the cap off fully. Always keep your face turned away from the radiator cap.

7. Loose clothing can easily be pulled into moving machinery parts. A loose shirt cuff, necktie, dangling jewellery, frilled blouses, or long hair can all be pulled into a moving part while making repairs. Be sure to remove such hazards. Caps without brims are considered safer than those with brims, and it is advisable to wear a sturdy pair of shoes or boots to protect the feet.

8. The jack may collapse while holding up the car. Do not - under any circumstances - crawl under a car that is jacked up, unless you have a jack stand, which is made for that purpose. Be sure the jack stand is rated to support the weight of the car. Do not use metal drums, buckets, bricks, concrete blocks, or wooden assemblies in the place of the jack stand. All of these may crumble or collapse.

9. Slipping on oil, gasoline or other leaking fluids can cause serious injuries. To prevent slipping by the person working on the car, or by anyone else, wipe up all spills immediately. Be particularly careful when wiping up flammable or chemical fluids.

10. The car must be stabilised before fixing a flat tire, so that it will not jump the jack or roll. Try to stop the car on level ground to change a tire. If the car has an automatic transmission, put the gearshift into "park"; if the transmission is manual, shift into reverse. Before jacking up the car, place a brick, stone, 2 x 4, or whatever is within reach, in front of the front wheel and in back of the rear wheel that will stay on the ground. This will stabilise the car and prevent rolling. Be careful when jacking up a car on roads that allow truck traffic. The force of the air current produced by large vehicles speeding past, may be enough to topple a car which is up on a jack.

11. Petrol, brake fluid, and certain cleaning fluids used in repairing an automobile need special precautions to prevent fire. Fuel, thinner, and other combustibles should always be kept in closed containers designed for the purpose; these should also be well marked and stored safely. Smoking and unshielded flames should always be avoided while working on a vehicle. As a further protection against fire, oil and grease rags should also be kept in containers; use care, however, that spontaneous combustion does not occur.

12. There are many precautions that should be observed when using tools and here are some of them:

� Files should never be used without a handle, because there is always the danger of running the point into the palm of the hand. Files should also not be used as levers or hammers. Files are made with hard temper and are quite brittle, so if hammered, small pieces may fly off and cause severe wounds or loss of eyesight.

� Hammers or chisels should be checked to see that the head is attached securely so that it doesn't fly off when the tool is used. When the head of a chisel is mushroomed, it should be thrown away or reground to prevent bits of steel from flying off and causing damage. A shield or helmet should always be worn when grinding.

� Pull on the handle of a spanner, rather than pushing on it to prevent the danger of skinning the knuckles. When the jaws of the spanner become worn or sprung, the tool should be disposed of.

Do make sure you have the information and training needed to carry out your duties safely. If in doubt, ASK.!