TECH: FIRE SAFETY, what NOT to do

DROP LIGHTS AND GAS TANKS:

Whenever you are messing with a fuel line or removing a gas tank make sure there are no cords or drop lights around. Remember, that gas flows and if you drop the tank taking it out ( always siphon gas out first if there is no drain) the gas might go over 10 feet from the original spill.

I had a really cool old shop in the 90's in an old huge Pep Boys building that was in an old art deco 1940's building. I could afford the rent because it was gutted from fire, just cool old bricks left, old school. In the shop they had dropped a gas tank onto a drop light........ Luckily no one died, but it burnt the whole place out.
It was a bitch'n shop, once cleaned up and repainted.
Wil
www.sakowskimotors.com

 

I do not allow gas in my shop unless it is ina gas tank on a car. All flammables are stored in an out building.
Only use coated rough service bulbs in a dropcord.
Don't pull pins on extinguishers till you are ready to use them. If you do, odds are very good when you do need them they will not have any pressure.

 

Try using the gas cans that have a lid that closes automatically when you let go of the handle. They seal great and they are not expensive.

 

Mabey this isn't a fire related burn, but if your car is over heating, never try and take the raditor cap off with your foot.

That is unless your not the one doing it, then it's very funny to watch. Just be sure and stand back a bit.

 

I was thinking about this post on Saturday, while my friend Pete was spraying his ABC fire extinguisher into my 4-barrel (Autolite 4100 600cfm with air horn removed and at idle, as recommended by my ford shop manual to adjust the floats) full of burning gas. The gas spread all over the motor, firewall and fenders but was soon overcome by the extinguisher.
It turns out that the ABC chemicals are caustic, and soon soon started to eat away at my carb while I was disassembling it and cleaning it out. By morning there was blooming corrosion on even the lightest layer of dust left over on the casting.
I am ordering a couple of Halon extinguishers from Granger's today.

My tip: Don't spray that caustic shit on your ride! Get Halon, it's a gas that just goes away.

 

Also never leave the parts washer running. I had a friend lose his garage because one of his employees left the parts washer running. The drain from the top sink stopped up and held all of the fluid in the top. The pump overheated since it was uncovered due to the low fluid level in the bottom tank. The hot pump ignited the surface of the liquid in the bottom tank and the rest is history. He lost his whole garage and years of race parts that were stored in the back. I'd say he lost a lot more in parts than the garage was worth.

 

guy in my home town was working on his race car alone in a shop at night in a dealership in town his freinds dad owned , the car fell on him he was crushed to death no jack stands. It was on a saterday night they found him on a monday morning .

 

And for you guys using some sort of furnace in your garage;commercial codes require any spark producing devices like furnaces electrical outlets,motors etc to be higher than 18 inches above the floor.Vapors from gasoline will linger low,enough and you got an explosion.This requirement normally isn't enforced for residential garages,but it's a good idea. And your garage electrical wiring,is it all fucked up? If your garage burns,even if it ain't electrical,your insurance company may try to reduce the claim saying your wiring is a sign of negilence and contributed to the problem.