Working safely in the pits

This lesson is general guidance. Every track and every team has its own rules. Their rules come first. Follow them every time, and ask the crew chief if you are not sure.

Read the track rules before the event. They cover pit speed limits, who can enter the staging lanes and where kids and pets can go. Many tracks also require a signed waiver and a wristband for restricted areas.

Wear safety glasses whenever you work on the car. Grinding, cutting and spraying fluids all throw debris and splash. Add a face shield over your glasses when you grind.

Race engines are loud enough to damage your hearing. Wear earplugs or earmuffs in the pits, near warm-ups and at the starting line.

Wear gloves that fit the job. Mechanic gloves protect against cuts and scrapes. Heat-rated gloves are for handling hot parts. Wear closed-toe shoes with good soles. Sandals and open shoes leave your feet bare to dropped parts, hot fluids and spills.

Wear fire-resistant clothing where your team or the track requires it. Synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester can melt onto skin in a fire. Cotton does not melt, but it still burns. Fire-resistant clothing is the best choice around fuel.

Fire extinguishers are rated by the kind of fire they fight. Class A is for ordinary materials like wood, paper and cloth. Class B is for flammable liquids like gasoline, oil and solvents. Class C is for energized electrical equipment. Class D is for burning metals like magnesium. Class K is for kitchen cooking oils.

A multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher is rated for Class A, B and C fires, which makes it a common pick for the pits. Know where every extinguisher is before the car starts.

Check each extinguisher before the event. The gauge needle must be in the green zone. The pin must be in place and the tamper seal unbroken. The nozzle must be clear and the body free of damage. Check the date on the service tag. A CO2 extinguisher has no gauge, so it is checked by weight.

Methanol can burn with a flame that is almost invisible in daylight. Treat a report of fire as real even if you cannot see flames.

Store fuel only in approved containers made for that fuel. Keep the lids closed.

Keep fuel, solvents and oily rags away from heat, sparks and flames. That means away from grinders, welders, generators, heaters and hot exhaust. Never smoke near fuel. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and can travel along the ground to a spark.

Keep fuel containers in the shade with good airflow. Never block an exit or a walkway with them. Report any spill to the crew chief right away.

A jack is for lifting only. Never get under a car that is held up only by a jack. Jacks slip, and hydraulic jacks can lose pressure.

Work on firm, level ground. Chock the wheels that stay on the ground. Lift at the points the chassis builder or the manual calls for. Stay within the rated capacity of the jack and the stands.

Set jack stands under solid frame or axle points, then lower the car onto them. Give the car a firm push before you crawl under to make sure it is stable. Leave the jack in place as a backup.

Headers, exhaust, turbos, brakes and radiators stay hot long after a run. Treat every part as hot when the car comes back. Wear heat-rated gloves and give parts time to cool.

A running engine has belts, pulleys and fans that can grab a sleeve, a rag or long hair in an instant. Tie back long hair, take off jewelry and keep rags out of the engine bay. Never reach into a running engine. Stand clear of the front and rear of a car during a warm-up in case it moves.

Stay out of the staging lanes and the burnout box unless you are crew with a job there and the track allows it. Never stand in front of or behind a car doing a burnout. Tires throw rocks and rubber, and cars can move sideways.

Keep kids and pets away from the work area and out of the path of every car. Keep pets on a leash. The pit area is a workplace, not a playground.