Safety precautions

• Always use correct lifting techniques when lifting a tire on and off a vehicle or a tire changer.
• Never weld or flame cut a wheel to which a tire is still attached.
• The tire tread comes in contact with many unknown substances that are transferred directly to your hands. For this reason it is recommended you wear protective gloves when handling tires.
• If you do not wear gloves, wash your hands after the tire change is complete and before eating.
• Always wear protective clothing and the appropriate safety equipment.
• Make sure that you understand and observe all legislative and personal safety procedures when carrying out the following tasks. If you are unsure of what these are, ask your supervisor.

Deflating and removing tires

• An inflated tire is a pressure vessel that must be treated with care and respect.
• Raise and support the vehicle safely.
• Use the correct well-maintained tools for removing wheel nuts and levering the tires off the wheels

• Always fully deflate the tire before performing any repair tasks, by removing the valve core.
• When removing a tire from a wheel, keep your hands clear of the bead breaker when it is operating. It applies great force to the tire that will cause you a severe injury if your hand is trapped.

Re-inflating and balancing tires

• When the tire is being inflated, use an inflator that allows you to stand clear of the tire. This should have at least two meters of airline between the clip-on chuck and the inflator control.

• The inflator should have a “dead man’s hand” control so that it stops inflating when you release the pressure on the inflator lever.
• Keep hands and body away from the area of the tire.
• Inflate a new or refitted tire without replacing the valve core first. This is so the tire can be inflated slowly and safely until both beads seat against the rim
• Over inflated tires can explode. When a tire explodes, the tire, rim or components from the tire changer may cause serious injury or death to any person nearby. Do not inflate the tire to a pressure greater than 300 kilopascals or 45 pounds per square inch
• Do not come into contact with the rotating wheel during balancing. This can result in friction burns or more serious injuries.