How to create an Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Exclusion Zone
Adopting a proactive approach to the technology associated with Electric & Hybrid vehicles (EHVs) is imperative when it comes to providing a safe working environment for technicians and warning others who may enter a garage or MOT centre.
Every EHV should be classed as a high voltage system. An EHV can deliver voltages of up to 600v DC. Exposure to such an electric shock would have fatal consequences. In order to prevent fatality or injury, there are a number of safety solutions that must be implemented when working with EHVs. Clear warnings and protection are the name of the game and creating an Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Exclusion Zone is a must. This Zone should be set at a minimum of 1.5m around the vehicle.
How do I create an EHV Vehicle Exclusion Zone?
Safe working with EHVs is an area we have researched extensively here at Prosol UK. We also meet up regularly with industry experts to discuss EHV workshop safety and enable us to further enhance our product packages and specific solutions to offer unrivalled levels of health & safety.
Creating a Vehicle Exclusion Zone or multiple Vehicle Exclusion Zones within a workshop is very straightforward. There are several items of equipment that we highly recommend, all of which are available to purchase online.
Let’s start with Traffic Hazard Cones, an item we’re all very familiar with thanks to the inevitable roadworks we encounter every day here in the UK!
Our Traffic Hazard Cone stands at 500mm high and is manufactured from 100% recycled thermoplastic. Easy to stack-and-store and highly durable, these cones are designed to be used as part of our Hazard Area Cone & Chain System (Prosol part number PCS3266) and are ideal for implementing a barrier around EHV.
We also offer Traffic Hazard Cone Extenders to add height if required. Used with our 500mm Traffic Hazard Cones, these Extenders can carry a Plastic Barrier Chain at a height of 95cm.
2) Plastic Barrier Chain System
Our Plastic Barrier Chain System can be used to prevent members of the public from entering the hazardous EHV working area. We are seeing more and more DVSA inspectors and Health & Safety Executive demanding that a barrier chain is deployed in garages, workshops and MOT centres, so we have created a tried & tested system suitable for a variety of facilities.
The system comprises a 6mm plastic chain that is supplied in 5 or 25 metre lengths with connector links available separately to produce whatever length is required. The chain comes in a choice of colours, red & white or yellow & black, and we have matching posts with fillable bases to support the chain.
The posts are 90cm tall and we advise that the base of each post is filled with kiln dried sand to eliminate the risk of water spilling into the work area. For a more durable solution, the plastic chain support system can be paired with our Traffic Hazard Cones and Extenders.
To complete the solution, we have Plastic Barrier Chain “S” Hooks (pack of 5) to facilitate the temporary joining of plastic barrier chain and Plastic Barrier Chain Connectors (pack of 5) to allow permanent joining of plastic barrier chain.
3) Hazard Area Cone & Chain Trolley System
To take away the headache of storing and deploying all of the equipment associated with our Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Exclusion Zone, we have devised our Hazard Area Cone & Chain Trolley System.
This system makes denoting workshop hazards simple and it can be used to highlight a wide variety of danger zones such as open inspection pits and spills, not just EHVs.
Comprising 1 x Store & Deploy Trolley, 6 x 500mm Traffic Hazard Cones, 6 x Traffic Hazard Cone Extenders, 25 metres of Red and White Plastic Barrier Chain, 5 x Barrier Chain Connectors and 5 x “S” Hooks, the Hazard Area Cone & Chain Trolley System is a must-have for any workshop, garage or MOT centre.
