DIY safety campaign – tell us what you think!

[ACCC]

Nearly 50 Aussie men have died over the past decade after getting under their car which had been raised for DIY repair or maintenance work using a jack, ramp or stands.

That’s nearly five deaths a year, not counting the many other serious and often irreversible injuries people have suffered.

Australian governments are developing a joint campaign to raise awareness of the very real risks of death and serious injury when working under your car, and would like your feedback on some possible campaign slogans.

Suggested slogans are:

1. Don’t be a jackass with jacks
2. Don’t be a tool with jacks!
3. Don’t be a jerk with jacks!
4. Look before you lift!
5. Think before you lift!

Which one do YOU like better? Which message would make you think twice before using a jack to get under your car? Do you have other ideas?

Let us know what you think: either vote in the poll, reply to this post or email us psa@accc.gov.au

Thanks & stay safe!

[FalconForce]

Take a stand when you use a jack.

a mate of mine lost a finger a few months ago to a jack collapsing.

i could never state it enough don't just think aww she'll be right because one day it won't be and jacks don't give a warning before they go, they just do

[krzysiek]

Good on you guys for raising awareness. I have not voted yet because I don't really like any of them (I'm not complaining because I don't have anything better to suggest).

I think something more catchy, perhaps like:

"Don't be slack when using a jack" or "Don't be slack with jacks" would personally be a better choice IMO. But good job anyway for a good cause.

[NAK302]

i like to think if you need a slogan to help you do something, then you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

nanny state baaaaaa.

[FalconForce]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

i like to think if you need a slogan to help you do something, then you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

nanny state baaaaaa.

When it comes to safety , it takes a repeated slogan to get it into peoples heads, think of only a little bit over? you bloody idiot, if reminding people to be safe is nanny state then yeah but i would rather that than careless don't give a damn state IMO

[XR6_661]

Use a jack ya jack off

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by FalconForce

When it comes to safety , it takes a repeated slogan to get it into peoples heads, think of only a little bit over? you bloody idiot, if reminding people to be safe is nanny state then yeah but i would rather that than careless don't give a damn state IMO

just an opinion buddy. you have yours, i have mine.
anyway, i don't think i'm a "bloody idiot", i use stands without having a slogan punched into me, neither does my son, i taught him properly

[PHANTMXR6]

I always use stands too GT-0733, but I"ve been in the mechanical game for a very long time, and I too was taught properly.

Unfortunately it's the ones that aren't taught properly that end up on the receiving end.

People that think concrete blocks can be used for stands are also at risk.

There is nothing better than using the right tool for the job.

[FalconForce]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

just an opinion buddy. you have yours, i have mine.
anyway, i don't think i'm a "bloody idiot", i use stands without having a slogan punched into me, neither does my son, i taught him properly

yeah, i use stands too because my dad taught me properly as well and good on you for that mate, but some people don't and some people do need a slogan "punched into them" and i wasn't calling you a bloody idiot i was referring to the drink driving campaign by the TAC

[MAD]

Whenever I've done gearbox change, I have the car on stands and spare wheels under the tyres just in case a stand slips. My chest cant cope with 1600kg+ on it, and I dont think my wife could lift it.

How do you get someone to pause and think before they act?
How many times have you cut yourself with a knife, or injured yourself in any way, right after you've thought to yourself, this might go bad?

[Gobes32]

Also it would be good to see better education on the load ratings too, because you can't pop into super cheap, grab the 1300kg on special that week, and go jack up the BA, it's a quick way to hurt yourself.

[Jim Goose]

A few yrs ago when putting the rear leafs back into my Falcon, car was on chassis stands and the diff was being supported with a floor jack.
While under the car it suddenly slide sideways an inch or two... I scrambled out as quick as possible.

No idea how or why is went sideways... but i jammed 2 rims under the cill panel after that.

[04redxr8]

Whatever happened to survival of the fittest. I would prefer to allow the idiots to kill themselves.

Why must we be the only species to protect the carriers of the idiot gene?

edit: just realised this a Govco thing. How about penalise new home builders who use waffle pod slabs in garages? If you want more info, send me a pm. This is far more dangerous than a jacking technique. No protection from a slab failing with a jack falling through it.

Oh wait, I am referring to a major tax paying Company. Never mind, nothing will be done.

[mik]

think before you lift slogan ftw!!!

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by FalconForce

Take a stand when you use a jack.

i like this one too.

It is a serious issue.

If I,ve gotta get under the car at front end, I will support from the cross member with a two tonne jack and have a stand under each rail, thats three points of support.

at the back, jack under diff and a stand under each rail.

and have put some spare rims under a few times.

the xr can,t drive up the ramps, to low

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

Whatever happened to survival of the fittest. I would prefer to allow the idiots to kill themselves.

Why must we be the only species to protect the carriers of the idiot gene?

edit: just realised this a Govco thing. How about penalise new home builders who use waffle pod slabs in garages? If you want more info, send me a pm. This is far more dangerous than a jacking technique. No protection from a slab failing with a jack falling through it.

Oh wait, I am referring to a major tax paying Company. Never mind, nothing will be done.

i'm hearing you mate

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by krzysiek

"Don't be slack when using a jack" or "Don't be slack with jacks" would personally be a better choice IMO. But good job anyway for a good cause.

These are pretty good.

[FalconForce]

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

i like this one too.

It is a serious issue.

If I,ve gotta get under the car at front end, I will support from the cross member with a two tonne jack and have a stand under each rail, thats three points of support.

at the back, jack under diff and a stand under each rail.

and have put some spare rims under a few times.

the xr can,t drive up the ramps, to low

good on you mate i do the same thing i never take the jack out that way its also easier to lift the car up again when you are done

[GTP owner]

To the OP - i don't think insults work well for many blokes, especially as it is coming from govco. It is not really smart to insult the very people who elect you in the first place, and it does nothing to engender a caring type of governance (as if we have that anyhow!). So a "think before you lift" slogan works for me, and back it up with some real stuff. I have seen the effects of cars on chests, fingers lost in jacks, etc. It's not nice. But even then, I have had a car fall off its stands while I was underneath it. It was not my day to die...

But if we see how govco really works, we will see mandatory licencing, fines for lifting your jack too fast, designated jacking areas, restrictions placed on provisional lifters (number of pistons per jack, rate of lift, size of wheels), and anti-hoon provisions when you lower your jack too far, or skid it across the floor, and other nanny state tactics to save us from ourselves. (Sorry I had that last rant bit).

[cheek]

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

Whatever happened to survival of the fittest. I would prefer to allow the idiots to kill themselves.

Why must we be the only species to protect the carriers of the idiot gene?

edit: just realised this a Govco thing. How about penalise new home builders who use waffle pod slabs in garages? If you want more info, send me a pm. This is far more dangerous than a jacking technique. No protection from a slab failing with a jack falling through it.

Oh wait, I am referring to a major tax paying Company. Never mind, nothing will be done.

THAT^^^

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

Also it would be good to see better education on the load ratings too, because you can't pop into super cheap, grab the 1300kg on special that week, and go jack up the BA, it's a quick way to hurt yourself.

Thinking of Supercheap. Right now there is a recall on one of the SCA jacks.

In fact, the day after seeing the recall notice on the shop front. I was walking with my family through my local streets. I saw a fellow had one of the same jacks and was using it on his KIA light truck. He had it on stands and blocks etc. (Done a good job of it in fact). I told him about the recall. Told him, about it weakening over time and the welds breaking. He politely said "Thanks. But, i'll be okay I don't work without stands." I said "It might fail whilst your lifting it or putting them under there." Nah, i'll be okay.

My final words were, just check the recall mate. I didn't have time to argue with stupidity. Horse meet water. Please drink it...

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by FalconForce

Take a stand when you use a jack.
a mate of mine lost a finger a few months ago to a jack collapsing.

i could never state it enough don't just think aww she'll be right because one day it won't be and jacks don't give a warning before they go, they just do

To the OP. Take a stand when you use a jack. as proposed by FalconForce is WAY better than anything on that list. Did I say way better?!

PS I did vote for Think before you lift.

[2011G6E]

I really like "Take a stand when you use a jack"...that's clever, and sums it up nicely and succinctly in one catchy phrase.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by ACCC

Nearly 50 Aussie men have died over the past decade after getting under their car which had been raised for DIY repair or maintenance work using a jack, ramp or stands.

That’s nearly five deaths a year, not counting the many other serious and often irreversible injuries people have suffered.

Australian governments are developing a joint campaign to raise awareness of the very real risks of death and serious injury when working under your car, and would like your feedback on some possible campaign slogans.

Suggested slogans are:

1. Don’t be a jackass with jacks
2. Don’t be a tool with jacks!
3. Don’t be a jerk with jacks!
4. Look before you lift!
5. Think before you lift!

Which one do YOU like better? Which message would make you think twice before using a jack to get under your car? Do you have other ideas?

Let us know what you think: either vote in the poll, reply to this post or email us psa@accc.gov.au

Thanks & stay safe!

ACCC, can FalconForce be paid some money if you use his slogan?! He deserves it.

[gtxb67]

i had a jack break on me last year. i had the coupe jacked up to take photos of the extension housing on the gearbox and had just finished when i heard it start to creak and groan. i tried winding it down, but if fell backwards and the tow bar tried to punch a hole in the garage door
i am one of those pussies that never gets under the car without stands and even when taking photos, pretty much the only part of my body that was under the car was my arm which in my mind would have been safe if it fell, because the car was not that low. however there is a possibility that the left front might have ran over my arm when the car rolled back. the silly thing was that my head would have been under the car for a few seconds just to position the camera (my first 3-4 photos did not turn out because i did not know where i was shooting). obviously if it came down then, i would have been a recipient for a darwin award, but in reality it was possibly the only time i have had my head or any part of my body in a position that could be dangerous and yet it still almost got me

[Day-mow]

i think this is a great idea!
slogans are used in heaps of work environments. and i think a bit of education might help the guys that are new to the world of car mechanics.

enervation- dial before you dig
cranes- "look up and live"

Onesteel "take two"
Talk about the Job
review the Actions
have the right Knowledge
have the right Equiptpment

and even Sex- if your gonna bang her use a franger

[deesun]

Well how about that a Govco asking the plebs what they think, pat on the back for you guys and a pat on the back for FalconForce, I too think his slogan would be my top choice. I wonder If you have asked on LS1 or any other car forums too. Good upon you ACCC, more of it please. If you are set in only having those ones then "Think before you lift" is my choice.

[FalconForce]

I have officially submitted my slogan via the email address provided above because so many of you liked it, hopefully we will see it around soon

[mik]

good to see someone pointing out the danger of jacking/working under cars.

[ACCC]

Dear poll & thread respondents,

A big thanks to all who provided feedback – many of your comments and suggestions were very insightful in helping us to engage with those who do DIY vehicle maintenance. Also, it was interesting to note the kinds of conversations this has generated.

In the end, after extensive slogan testing (incl. beyond this forum), the chosen slogan was: “Don’t be a jackass with jacks”.

FalconForce’s suggestion “Take a stand when you use a jack” came a very close second. Thank you FalconForce for your very highly rated suggestion!

Thanks again everyone for your contributions! If you’d like to join the campaign and help ensure DIY vehicle maintenance safety, please email psa@accc.gov.au and we will keep you in the loop as the campaign progresses.

Stay safe…