NRA-lnternal 6
En v ir o n m e n t A g e n c y
NATIONAL LIBRARY &
INFORMATION SERVICE
HEAD OFFICE
Rio House, Waterside Drive,
Aztec West, Almondsbury.
Bristol BS32 4UD
E N V IR O N M E N T A G E N C Y
099510
CONTENTS
PAGE
I NTR OD U CTI ON
3
D R IV ER S LICENCES
4
LICENCE E ND OR S EM E NT AND RE V O C A T IO N
4
D R I V E R S CHECKS
5
VEHICLE S E R V I C IN G
6
SPEED L IM IT S
6
DEFENSIVE D R I V I N G
7
DR IN K AND DRU GS
8
D R I V IN G IN FOG
8
USE OF VEH ICLES AND SEATBELTS
9
VEHICLE SE CUR ITY
9
USE OF R A D I O S AND TELEPHONES
10
T RA N S PO R T A T IO N OF PETROLEUM S P I R I T
11
T RA N S PO R T A T IO N OF F L A M M A I L E G A S E S
//
T RA N S PO R T A T IO N OF OTHER H A Z A R D O U S S U I S T A N C E S
12
IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT
13
LOA DING OF VEHICLES AND PROJEC TING LOADS
/5
SECURITY OF LOADS
18
I E A C O N S AND W O R K I I G H T S
18
T OWING OF T RA ILE RS
19
T OWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
19
D R I V E R S HO UR S AND RE CO RDS
20
S TA RT ING VEHICLES US IN G JUMP LE ADS
22
Nat
Infr
H
; Authority
Jantre
.3
Class .. o
Accession i\io
I NTRODUCTION
D ear colleague,
Your duties require that y o u drive an A uthority vehicle.
You m a y see this vehicle sim ply as a m ean s o f getting
yo u rself a n d y o u r equipm ent fr o m jo b to job.
For m a n y o f the p u b lic the o n ly contact they will have with
the A uthority is to see o u r vehicles on the road. The
condition o f the vehicle arid the m a n n er in which it is
driven will reflect in their m in d s the A uthority itself.
We w o u ld all w a n t o u r image a s ‘G uardians o f the w ater
en viro n m e n t' to ex te n d to all aspects o f o u r activities. We
m ust represent the A uthority a n d ourselves in the best
possible m anner. This is particularly im portant w hen
driving a n A uthority vehicle.
This b(K>klet does not set out o u t to be a g u id e to the Law o f
the Road. It outlines the A uthority's expectations o f y o u as a
driver, gives som e hints on w hat to do in certain
circum stance « a n d goes into so m e detail on freq u en tly
needed legislation.
Hopefully yo u will f i n d it useful b u t yo u sh ou ld not
consider it as a substitute fo r a thorough a n d regularly
updated know ledge o f the H ighw ay Code.
This booklet is p ro d u ced fo r circulation to a ll drivers
throughout the Authority. Your Region m a y well issue
ad d itio n a l instructions a n d these m ay be m ore stringent
than either the legal requirem ents or the advice offered in
this booklet. Regional instructions will alw ays take
precedence.
j
DRIVERS
LICENCES
Every em p lo y ee w h o drives an Authority vehicle must
have a licence that covers the ty p e of vehicle involved. As
your em ployer the Authority h as a responsibility in law to
ensure that this is th e case.
Each Region will have a system for checking licences and
may even issue its o w n Permits to Drive. This might
include a registration scheme fo r the drivers o f tractors and
m obile plant.
If you are asked to produce y o u r licence o r other relevant
docum ents, it is not a case of y o u r m anager being nosey!
He is ensuring that both you a n d he are m eeting the
statutory requirem ents.
LICENCE E N D O R S E M E N T S A N D
REVOCATION
If, in the course o f your duties, you have any involvement
w ith the police, the Ministry o f Transport o r any other
statutory body (ev en if this is o nly a routine check) you
must inform your supervisor. Y ou must alw ays provide
details o f any endorsem ents m ad e to your licence even if
the incident leading to the en dorsem ent w as outside of
w orking hours. This requirem ent to report endorsem ents
applies irrespective o f w hether you w ere driving an
Authority vehicle at the time. If you have your licence
suspended , it may well mean that you cannot undertake
the duties for w hich you w ere em ployed. The Authority
m akes no undertaking to find you alternative em ploym ent
and you risk dismissal. The possibility o f this happening to
you can be easily avoided:
•
Make sure that your vehicle is safe an d legal
by carrying o u t the Daily Checks.
•
Drive with consideration for other road users.
•
Drive defensively and av o id accidents.
•
K eep to the sp eed limits.
•
D o not o verload your vehicle.
•
N ever drink an d drive.
■For 6\
4
D R I V E R S CHECKS
A t th e sta r t o f th e day:
•
Check tax disc (and 0 - licence disc w hen applicable)
are visible and current.
•
Check tyres for visible dam age and deflation.
•
Check bodyw ork for dam age. Check lights and
indicators for cleanliness and operation. Ensure
w indow s and mirrors are clean.
•
Check an d replenish coolant, engine oil, brake and
clutch hydraulic fluids. If any of these items require
regular ‘topping- u p ’ then report this to y our supervisor
or the Transport D epartm ent.
•
Check level of screenw ash reservoir and the operation
of w ashers and w ipers. Check horn operation.
When y o u f i l l u p w ith f u e l
•
Check tyre pressures (including the spare) and ensure
that all tyres meet the statutory minimum requirem ents.
On th e road:
•
Be aw are o f any changes in the behaviour of your
vehicle. Do not ignore w arnings from o th er road users
(eg flashed lights) that som ething may be amiss with
your vehicle.
•
Note and report any changes in perform ance, handling,
braking an d fuel consum ption.
5
SERVICING
T he m anufacturer's service record txx)k should rem ain with
each vehicle. Drivers should:•
Report to supervisor if the vehicle has not been booked
in for a service an d the m ileage or time interval for
next service has been exceeded.
•
W hen collecting the vehicle from a garage following a
service, e n su re the garage h as com pleted the vehicle's
service record book.
•
W hen taking a vehicle to a garage, inform the garage of
all defects by the reporting system.
SPEED LIMITS
S peed limits are set for both vehicles and roads. The lower
limit alw ays applies. The vehicle speed limits that are likely
to affect you in th e course o f your duties are:-
Cars, car derived
vans an d dual
p u rp o se vehicles
Rigid goo d s
V ehicles up to 7.5
to n n es gvw
Rigid goods
V ehicles over 7.5
to n n es gvw
M otorways
Dual Carriage
O ther
Solo
70mph
70mph
60mph
Tow ing
60mph
60mph
50mph
Solo
70mph
60mph
50mph
Tow ing
60mph
60mpb
50mpb
Solo
60mph
50mph
40mph
Tow ing
60mph
50mph
40mph
A g r ic u U u r a l tr a c to r s : - In general tractors are limited to
20m ph. Certain tractors are n o w available that m eet
conditions in respect of wings an d springs and these are
subject to higher limits. Assume that your tractor is subject
to the 20m ph limit unless you are advised otherw ise.
K E E P TO THE L I M I T S - I T ' S Y O U R
6
LI CENCE!
IF yoO ENC0l)NT6fc fbC,.... /#/
DEFENSIVE DRIVING
Defensive driving does not m ean driving at slow speeds in
a state o f constant anxiety. It m eans driving your vehicle in
such a way that you avoid preventable accidents and avoid
contributing to others being involved in accidents.
At all times you should be concentrating on the task in
hand, that is, driving. We have all com pleted journeys and
had no recollection o f passing through particular villages o r
areas that w e know well. This is because w e have allowed
ou r concentration to w ander. You should be constantly
searching the traffic scene around and as far as possible
ahead o f you. In this way you can anticipate and assess
hazardous situations in time to take the appropriate action
w ithout danger to yourself or other road users.
You should be patient with other road users w ho may not
be as skilled, confident or familiar with the road as you are.
If you are driving a slow vehicle you should be aw are of
any hold-up you are causing others and allow them past
w hen it is safe to d o so.
You must be ready to adjust your driving to any special
hazards presented by abnorm al, unusual or changing
conditions in the w eather, visibility, traffic conditions, the
mechanical operation o f your vehicle, the road surface,
your physical fitness and your state o f mind.
You should take pride in your ability to 'm ake progress'
w ithout exceeding any speed limits and without
inconveniencing o r antagonising any o th er road user. You
should study the Highway Code and keep up-to-date with
changes and, above all, you should develop a confidence
that accidents are preventable.
U''hen y o u are a driver, y o u r most im portant responsibility -
to yourself, y o u r employer, y o u r fa m ily a n d to other road
users is the responsibility to avoid becom ing involved in or
contributing to a n accident.
DRINK
AND
DRUGS
Y ou must not drive under
th e influence o f alcohol.
R em em ber that alcohol
tak es som e tim e to disperse
from the bloodstream . It is
n o t unusual for the police
to breathalyse drivers early
in the m orning if they
su sp ect that a driver may
still be u n der th e influence
o f alcohol consum ed the
previous night.
PRiNK * C
You m u st en su re th a t a n y m edicines y o u are taking will not
affect y o u r driving (a sk your doctor).
DRIVING
I N F OG
I f y o u e n c o u n te r f o g
•
Slow d o w n
•
Switch o n lights, including headlights. If visibility is
seriously reduced, use your rear fog lam ps.
•
K eep a safe distance from o th e r vehicles.
•
Be sure that you can stop w ithin your range of vision.
•
Act u p o n ^//w arning signals.
•
Make frequent use of w ashers and w ipers.
•
Avoid travelling on the tail lights of th e vehicle ahead.
•
K eep a constant check o n your speed.
8
US E OF V E H I C L E S
You must not use your vehicle for any unauthorised
purpose or carry passengers in your vehicle if their journey
is not authorised.
This rule exists fo r y o u r protection. I f a vehicle was involved
in a n accident whilst being used fo r a n unauthorised
jo u rn e y the Insurance C om pany a n d the A uthority could
refuse to accept liability. The effect o f this could be
catastrophic to y o u r fu tu r e a n d that o f y o u r fa m ily.
SEATBELTS
You should always w ear seatbelts
w here fitted and ensure that your
passengers do likewise. Not only
is this a legal requirem ent but it
can also have a significant effect
on the level of Personal Injury
com pensation in the event of an
accident.
VEHICLE SECURI TY
You should always ensure that your vehicle is locked w hen
unattended. Avoid leaving items that are valuable or
'attractive' in clear sight. If your vehicle must be left in a
public place at night then try to leave it under a lam p-post
or in clear view. If you have been provided with additional
anti-theft or anti- vandal devices then these must be used.
Your vehicle is identifiable as belonging to a statutory
organisation. Be suitably suspicious o f signs that y o u r
vehicle has been tam pered with a n d o f packages left u n d er
or n ea r it.
9
U S E OF R A D I O S
AND TELEPHONES.
These recom m en d a tio n s are endorsed by ROSPA a n d are
in te n d e d to m a ke driving safer f o r yo u , a n d in particular,
other road users.
•
Do not m ake calls while driving a vehicle.
•
Incom in g calls - upon receipt, pull over w h en safe and
legal to d o so. Stop before answ ering, unless a hands
free facility is available, o r a passenger is able to
answ er th e call.
•
A han d s free facility should not be used for long
com plicated calls. Pull over once the call is
acknow ledged.
G e n e r a l S a fe ty P r e c a u tio n s
•
Refuelling - users should turn off equipm ent w hen at a
refuelling point.
•
Cellular telep h o n es are no t intrinsically safe and must
not be used in areas classified as hazardous.
•
•
D o not touch th e aerial d u rin g transmission
(H and/T ransportables).
Do not o p erate when anyone is within 20cms
(8 inches) o f th e aerial (M obile).
10
TRANSPORTATION
OF P E T R O L E U M S P I R I T
For your o w n safety you should not carry any m ore petrol in
your vehicle than you have to. T he Authority's
policy is that not more than 45 litres
(10 gallons) in 10 litre (2 gallon) explosafe containers should
be carried. Petrol must never be carried in containers not
specifically designed for the purpose.
It is recom m ended that containers are perm anently
m arked; four star; unleaded; or tw o-stroke, an d are only
used for the relevant fuel.
Irreversible dam age ca n be caused i f leaded petrol is used in
vehicles fitte d with catalytic converters.
TRANS PORTATI ON OF LI QUEFI ED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG)
If you carry such gases certain regulations apply. In brief
these require that you have adequate training in the hazards
of such gases and the em ergency procedures, that you carry
a Transport Emergency Card (trem card) and have such
equipm ent as stipulated o n the trem card. If you carry m ore
than 500kg o f LPG then additional regulations apply
including the display o f orange plates.
T hese regulations do not
apply if the only cylinder
that you carry is part of
(ie connected to)
equipm ent carried on the
vehicle such as a cooking
stove or burning
equipm ent. In such cases
you are also allow ed to
carry a spare cylinder so
long as the equipm ent
itself only uses one cylinder.
11
I r r e s p e c t iv e o f th e q u a n tity c a r r ie d , c e r ta in
c o m m a n s e n s e p r e c a u tio n s m u s t be ta k e n :
•
•
Make sure that there is a d eq u ate ventilation (an open
vehicle is best).
Make sure that you know w hat to d o in the event of an
em ergency - it is useful to have a trem card even if the
law does not require it. M ake sure that cylinders are
stow ed safely a n d securely.
•
Do not sm oke if you are carrying cylinders in a vehicle
w ithout an airtight bulkhead.
•
Make sure that you can g e t at the fire extinguisher and
if you sm ell gas do not lo o k fo r the leak with a lighted
m atch - soapy water is m u ch safer!
Your Region m a y have issued R egional Guidelines. These
m ust be follow ed.
TRANSPORT
OF OT HE R H A Z A R D O U S
SUBSTANCES
T here are regulations governing the transportation of
hazardous substances. The h azard may be d u e to the
substance being volatile, toxic, corrosive, irritant o r harmful.
You should en su re that you kn o w w heth er any substance
that you carry is covered by su ch regulations and that you
have received the appropriate training to handle it in a safe,
legal an d professional m anner.
I f y o u are in a n y doubt seek a d vice fr o m y o u r supervisor or
line m anager.
12
I N THE C A S E OF A N A C C I D E N T
I f y o u a r e in v o lv e d in a n a c c id e n t w h ic h c a u s e s :
•
•
Injury to anyone other than yourself.
Injury to an animal (horse, cattle, mule, sheep, pig,
goat, clog) not carried in the vehicle.
•
Dam age to other property on o r adjacent to the road.
•
Dam age to another vehicle.
Y ou m u s t s to p a n d i f required to do so by a person having
reasonable g ro u n d s yo u must:
•
Give your nam e and address an d the nam e and address
of your Regional Headquarters.
•
Give the vehicles registration num ber.
•
Produce the insurance certificate (if there is an injury).
If, at this stage, you are unable to produce a certificate
of insurance, you will probably be asked to produce it,
at a police station of your choice within 7 days.
Y ou m u s t r e m a in where the accident occurred fo r long
enough fo r persons having the right to do so to request this
inform ation.
If, having stopped,
you are unable to
com plete the above
procedure then you
must report the
accident to any
police constable or
at any police station
as soon as is
reasonably
.... G A T H E R
m OcH m i*ofU'\3T\oN
4s fbao'&iA.........
practicable and, in
any case, within 24
hours. This does
not m ean that you
have 24 hours to
report it!
13
A t th e sc e n e : I f y o u are p h ysically able y o u sh o u ld gather
as m u ch info rm a tio n as is possible. This will include:
•
Location.
•
N am es an d addresses o f other parties involved.
•
D etails o f their insurers.
•
N am es a n d addresses o f any w itnesses.
•
N um ber an d station of an y police constable in
attendance.
It will be helpful if you m ak e a sketch o f the accident and
note the road conditions etc. Your region may provide a
special form.
D o n o t a d m it a n y liability. Try to avo id getting into
discussion a b o u t the cause o f the accident. I f y o u talk to the
police, try to ensure that th e conversation is private.
Report the a cc id e n t to y o u r supervisor a n d complete the
in su ra n ce claim fo rm as so o n as possible.
14
L O A D I N G OF V E H I C L E S
W eight: I f you overload y o u r vehicle y o u cause a d a n g er to
yourself a n d to other road users. I f such a vehicle is detected
then both y o u a n d the A uthority are liable to prosecution.
You must be careful not to exceed the Maximum
Permissible Weight or the Individual Axle Weights for your
vehicle. Remember that axle loads can alter as the vehicle
is unloaded an d that the w eight o f loads such as sand will
increase if they becom e w et during the journey. If you are
towing a trailer you must ensure that th e trailer itself is not
loaded beyond its p roper w eight limit.
You must also ensure that neither the tow ing limit for the
vehicle nor the gross train weight for th e vehicle, plus
trailer is exceeded. I f the p erm itted weight fo r the vehicle,
plus trailer exceeds 7.5 tonnes then y o u m ust hold a n HGV
licence.
If you are in any doubt about the actual weight o f your
vehicle or trailer then get it checked at the nearest
weighbridge. Let your supervisor or control room know
that you are proceeding to a w eighbridge as this can
constitute a defence if you are stopped and found to be
overweight.
I F I N D O U B T - C H E C K I T OUT
H e ig h t Height will generally only be a problem to drivers
of heavy gcxxis vehicles. Regulations exist that require
vehicles that carry loads o f variable height eg. Low loaders.
Engineering plant, skip loaders and dem ounts to have a
notice in the cab indicating the travelling height w henever
this exceeds 3-66m.
15
If you drive a vehicle or plant item that exceeds this height
(even if this is rare) and travels on the highway, then
contact your Transport M anager. He will probably supply
you w ith a height indicator m eeting th e regulations even if
your vehicle is not specifically included in the regulations.
If you have a height indicator fitted it is your responsibility
to ensure that it is adjusted to your travelling height and to
rem ain aw are o f this height w hen travelling u n d er bridges,
cables, etc.
W id th : U nless you have m ad e special arrangem ents, the
w idth o f your load must not project laterally m ore than
305mm o n either side of y o u r vehicle (o r trailer) and the
overall w idth m ust not ex ceed 2.9m. If you n eed to move
anything w ider than this th e n contact y our Transport
Manager.
Length: Loads w hich project (forw ards o r rearw ards) are
subject to certain requirem ents.
Up to 2m the requirem ent is simply that they should be
clearly visible. Above this th ere is a n eed for special m arker
boards.
The requirem ents are su m m arised on p a g e 15, b u t i f you
need to m ove loads with a projection greater th a n 2m y o u
sh o u ld first seek a d iic e fro m y o u r Transport M anager about
the policy in y o u r Region.
16
PROJECTI NG LOADS
Loads w hich project forwards or rearwards over certain
limits must b e fitted w ith end a n d /o r side m arker boards
and require an attendant/police notification as follows:
KEY
CV
- Clearly visible to other road users eg bright rag etc
EM
- E n d M arker to the approved standard.
SM
- Side M arker to the approved sta n d a rd
ASM - A d d itio n a l Side M arker
A T F “ A tten d a n t Required
PN
“ Police Notification.
Front/rear marker boards must he fitted vertically not more than
0.5m from the end o f the load. They must be clearly visible a n d
the loivest part must be no more than 2.5m from the ground.
Side marker boards must show clearly on either side a n d the
lowest point must he no more than 2 .5m from the ground and
the nearest point no more than lm from the end marker.
At night independent lights are required.
CV
Projection rearwards
over lm to 2m
EM
SM
ASM
ATT
PN
X
jr
X
X
X
over 2m to 3.05m
X
over 3.05m to 5m
X
X
over 5m
X
X
over 2m to 3.05m
X
X
X
over 3.05m to 4.5m
X
X
X
X
over 4.5m
X
X
X
X
Projection forwards
over lm to 2m
X
X
17
X
S E C U R I T Y OF L O A D S
It is y our responsibility to ensure that y our load is secure.
Loads w ithin vehicles should be restrained so as not to be
a d an g er in the event of heavy braking. Loads o n open
back ed vehicles, on roof racks and in trailers must be
thoroughly lashed down. If you are carrying item s that
can n o t satisfactorily be ro p e d or are liable to be blow n off
th e vehicle (eg paper, hedge-cuttings etc.) then you
should use a tarpaulin or net. Roof racks must never be
loaded Iw yond the limits stipulated in the vehicles
hand boo k.
BEACONS AND
WORKLIGHTS
A m ber rotating beacons sh o u ld only b e used in the
follow ing circumstances:
•
W hen y our vehicle is causing an unavoidable
obstruction to the highw ay whilst you carry out your
duties (getting the new sp ap er d o e sn ’t count!).
•
W hen you are towing another vehicle w hich has
bro k en dow n.
•
W hen you are driving a slow m oving vehicle on a
dual-carriagew ay (m andatory).
T he hazard w arning lights fitted to y o ur vehicle must only
b e used w hen stationary. Contrary to pop u lar belief they
d o not give you any right to park on 'double yellows'.
If you have w ork lights fitted they m ust only be used
w hilst the vehicle is stationary. If they must be used whilst
the vehicle is o n or adjacent to the highw ay then they
m ust only b e operated w hilst the rotating beacon is in use
an d m ust be directed so as not to dazzle or inconvenience
o th er road users.
IS
T O W I N G OF T R A I L E R S
The safest place for any load is w ithin the designated load
area of the vehicle.
I f y o u h a v e to to w y o u m u s t e n s u r e th a t:
•
The trailer is not overloaded
•
The trailer is secured to the vehicle with th e correct
type o f pin and that the locking pin or safety catch is
fully hom e.
•
Any braking systems, safety chains or break-aw ay
devices are correctly fitted. The reversing catch (on
older type hitches) is off.
•
Jockey w heels/steadies are raised and secure.
•
The lights work.
•
The tyres are in good condition and properly inflated.
•
The trailer num ber plate m atches the vehicle.
On th e r o a d r e m e m b e r th a t:
•
Different speed iimits may apply.
•
Braking distances will increase.
T O W I N G A D I S A B L E D VEHICLE
Tow ropes must not exceed 4.5 m etres and m ust be clearly
identifiable if over 1.5 metres. Tow ropes should only be
used to rem ove a vehicle from a position of obstruction. If
it is required to tow a vehicle for an extended distance
then a solid tow bar o r oth er recovery device should be
used.
19
DRIVERS
H O U R S AND R E C O R D S
DKiv'fcJ?'* H oor*.
D riv e r s h o u r s : Most drivers
o f comm ercial vehicles have
limits set o n the h o u rs that they
can drive w ithout taking a
break an d o n the hours that
they can b e on duty. In most
circum stances we are exem pted
from the EEC rules that govern
m ost organisations but w e m ust still com ply w ith the
domestic rules. T hese rules are quite straightforward:
•
If you drive a vehicle w hich does not exceed 3 5
to n n es m aximum perm issible w eight o r a dual purpose
vehicle th en you must n o t drive for more than 10 hours
o n any day. This does n o t include your private mileage
in you r o w n vehicle.
•
If you drive a vehicle th at is heavier than 3 5 tonnes
and, on any day of the w eek, you drive for m ore than
four h o u rs then, for th e rest o f that w eek, you are
limited to a maximum o f 10 hours driving an d 11 hours
duty in any 24 hour period.
This m ay so u n d a bit com plicated but, in practice, it will not
affect m any employees. T h e driving tim e is the actual time
that is sp en t driving on th e highway. It does not relate to
B onus Targets and does n o t include any off-road driving.
If you think that your w ork might bring you w ithin these
limits then p lease contact y o u r Regional Transport Manager
w h o will b e pleased to g ive you any additional information
o r advice that you require.
20
D riv e r s r e c o r d s : T hese only concern drivers o f vehicles
that are 'O - licenced1. You can tell if your vehicle is 'O licenced' by looking to see if there is a second 'O - licence'
disc next to the tax disc on your w indscreen.
Most comm ercial vehicles need to be fitted w ith a
tachograph. This is a device that records, am ongst other
things, the hours that a vehicle has been driven, breaks
taken and speed.
As an Authority w e are exem pted from the requirem ent to
fit tachographs. We can if we w ant to, but w e d o n ’t have
to!
The fact that w e do not need tachographs d o e s not m ean
that w e never need to k eep records. If on any day you
drive beyond 50km from the vehicles approved operating
centre or drive on the highway for m ore than four hours,
then you n eed to keep records. T hese records can be in
the form of a tachograph disc or a Record Book.
If you think that this might apply to you, then contact your
Regional Transport M anager w ho will explain the
procedures adopted in your Region.
ji
STARTING
VEHICLES USING JUMP LEADS
W a rn in g : Ju m p starting is dan g ero u s if d o n e incorrectly.
Therefore if the following conditions can n o t be m et or you
are uncertain ab o u t them, call a com petent person o r a
recovery agent to jump start th e vehicle. This should be
d o n e in any case if the battery has its positive terminal
co n n ected to the vehicle chassis/earth.
•
D o not attem pt to jump start if the discharged battery is
frozen o r the fluid level is low.
•
Avoid n ak ed flames or sp ark s near th e battery.
E xplosive gas is formed during norm al battery
operation.
•
N ever co n n ect jump leads to more than one booster
battery, o r to a battery o f a different voltage to the
discharged battery.
•
Leads sh o u ld always b e connected to the booster
battery first to reduce th e risk of sparks.
•
R em em ber- batteries contain sulphuric acid. Avoid
contact w ith skin, eyes, clothing a n d vehicle. If any is
spilled, thoroughly w ash the contam inated area with
w ater. After personal contact obtain im m ediate
attention after washing th e affected area with w ater
P r e -c h e c k s :
•
Ensure the booster battery is the sam e voltage as that
w hich requires a boost.
•
Ensure vehicles do not touch if the booster battery is
fitted to an o th er vehicle.
•
E nsure all unnecessary electrical loads are tu rn ed off.
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Connecting up:
•
First connect o n e end o f jump lead to the (+) positive
terminal o f booster battery and the other e n d to the
positive terminal of the discharged battery. (Red cable)
•
Next connect o n e end o f the oth er jum p lead to the
(-) negative terminal o f the booster battery an d the
other en d to vehicle earth at least 30cm (12ins) from
the battery terminal of discharged battery.
S ta r t -up:
•
Start the engine on the booster vehicle and run for a
few minutes.
•
Switch off booster vehicle engine then start the engine
with the discharged battery.
D isc o n n e c tio n s:
•
W hen the vehicle engine is running sm oothly, carefully
disconnect the leads in exactly tne reverse o rd er they
w ere connected up.
COME HOME SAFE!