Safety first. Man crushed while working on his car
 

Man crushed under car in Lawrenceville

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A man was crushed to death in Lawrenceville Sunday afternoon when a car he was working on collapsed on him, authorities said.

A neighbor called for help in the 700 block of Chandler Drive after seeing the man in trouble around 3:45 p.m., Gwinnett Fire spokesman Capt. Thomas Rutledge said.

The man, whom authorities would not identify, was pinned underneath the car when emergency crews arrived.

He was apparently doing work on his car in the driveway, when investigators believe the drive shaft disengaged and caused the vehicle to roll down the driveway, Rutledge said.

The neighbor was able to keep the car from rolling any further, authorities said.

Emergency workers used an air bag to lift the vehicle, but the man was already dead when he was freed, Rutledge said.

Wow, just wow...


We all have done stupid things working on our cars. We can all be more careful as this brings home the fact that there are real deadly consequences if we are not.

I was raised in my Dads Independent Garage in the fifties. I started sweeping the floor and hanging around when I was about six. If I got anywhere NEAR a car that was in the air my Dad was yelling at me to stay away from it.

As I got older and started wrenching a little myself, he was all over me to use jack stands, wheel chocks, be safe and ALWAYS think about what you were disconnecting and what effect it could have. Disconnecting a driveshaft is a PERFECT example of thinking about what your pulling loose and what are the potential consequences.

I only write this here so that others might get the same message that I got when growing up around cars.

So true, no matter how tired or frustrated we get, or how easy the job, we need to be safe first. For you baseball fans who missed it, Mark "Byrd" Fidrych died the same way earlier this year, see http://wbztv.com/local/mark.Fidrych.dies.2.983934.html.

The only reason I suspect the amount of these tragic events have declined is fewer people work on their cars in the last decade or so anyways. At one time these accidents were far more common.

I am almost paranoid at blocking etc when under cars. Another thing to consider is if there is any possibility of another car nudging yours or running over your legs if the car is semi exposed?

If the car is not in a secure location errect at least tape barriers. The reason of course is one event can be the last event of your life. I still do not totally trust jackstands even. Still block with wood as a double safety. Also do not work with cheap ramps only. I have seen them collapse. If you use cheap ramps get some timber blocks cut and insert under them when setting up. No need to disgard them.

In a way it is a stupid, preventable and pointless way to die otherwise.

I just dont get some people who dont think about safety while working on a car. I always engage the parking brake, use jack stands,wheel chocks so the chances of something like this are reduced. same rules apply when you are working on a car on a lift since those kill you faster.

Anybody up for this???

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...kProppedUp.jpg

Got Wood?
 

What a fool !

Everyone knows you should use 3 Peices of wood to hold up a truck!

I dunno, unorthodox, but I see 2 pieces of protection and a rock under the tire.

all that needs to happen is the boards to give out and this guy has a broken back

At least he has the wheels against the curb to prevent a side slide. No I would not go his route otherwise. I have witnessed worse.

Why he did not tie a rope from the bases of the 4X4s to the other side of the truck as well is beyond me. They might otherwise skid out. Just not my cup of tea anyways.

Isn't that the area where the fuel tank is located? And he's using an arc welder?

"DARWIN AWARD"

Nominee...
Runnerup...
Winner... :rolleyes:

Some people shoot themselves, others slit their wrists...some...well, let's just hope that one there never had a swimming-date and took her to the gene-pool... :rolleyes:

I think the picture is a hoax. What is stopping the 2x4 from slipping as it is bearly touching the ground?

On a different safety issue. There was 1 guy in UK ran over by his OWN car a few years back. He was using a self starter at the front of the engine with the hood up. The car started up but it was in gear. Most cars are manual in UK. It ran over him and he was history. Sad but true.

We cannot be more careful when we work around cars. Some lessons I learned:

1) Always wear safety goggle when working underneath car or charging A/C.
2) Also holding wrench with hands in open or close position, it matters and I learned it the hard way.
3) Wear gloves if possible.
4) Jack stand, blocks etc as other have mentions
5) Keep the workarea clean and tidy
6) Don't mis-place tools, or try not to.:D

May be others - other members can chime in.

I always go to extreme measures when I work under the car. I prefer to have the wheels on ramps I made by just screwing together 10 pieces of heavy boards (so it is entirely solid).....or I use multiple 6-ton or 3-ton jack stands....in various places. I also chock multiple wheels.

Can never be too paranoid when working under a 2-ton vehicle! :eek:

The report I read on Fydrich was that loose clothing met with spinning pulley under a Mack. Different situation, but similar result. This was only 2 towns over from me.

Jack stands are a must...and when I pull a wheel off, the wheel gets set under the car. Redundant safeties.