Working on EV/HVs | Health & Safety

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has warned that workshops and garages do not currently have the skills and the pipeline talent needed to service and repair electrified vehicles. The original report of May 2021 stated that the UK had just 6% of garages equipped for electric vehicles.

With such a major shortfall, serious investment will be required! Each technician will need to be equipped with the correct clothing, protection and tooling to be always kept safe – in fact, having your own 'EV kit' is no different to apprentice mechanics investing in their tool kits when starting out.

Fortunately, Morelli Group provide a range of high-quality, compliant PPE and other tools for use in an electric vehicle workshop's tool kit! You can find our 'EV Tools' collection by clicking here.

Vehicle Dangers

Voltages present in electric and hybrids are significantly higher (up to 650 Volts direct current - DC) than those used in other vehicles (12/24 Volts DC). In dry conditions, accidental contact with live parts at voltages above 110 Volts DC can be fatal. Always approach the vehicle with care – just because the technician has carried out the 'shutdown' process, it does not mean that the vehicle is completely unelectrified.

Not only is it important to check the vehicle is safe to use, but it is also important to regularly inspect your PPE equipment for damages and general wear & tear – even a 'pin prick' sized hole in an insulating glove will cause serious injury, with the electricity making its way through as it earths. This is why it is important to test your gloves before each use. 

Working on the Vehicle

Before commencing any work on the vehicle, please ensure the vehicle is safe to do so. This means ensuring the vehicle has been appropriately cordoned off with the correct safety-coloured chains and posts, to identify the vehicle to others in the workshop and prevent any unauthorised access if you are outside of the workshop. 

There are special procedures for working on electric vehicles and the technician needs to be suitably qualified, as high voltage is dangerous – it can cause burns, shocks, sparks, explosions and even fires. Ensure you have the correct PPE protection on prior to approaching the vehicle, let alone working on it.

So... what's the correct equipment?

Safety does not just stop at the technician – it continues for the rest of the workshop or repair location. So while your technician should be in their appropriate PPE for the task ahead, your surroundings should also be made secure in order for the rest of the location and those in it, to be just as safe.

Safety of the Surroundings

In a workshop, signage is vital for technicians to do their job safely and efficiently – whether it is safety posters or floor signs, they are all useful in their individual ways. Multiple forms of signage are encouraged if they are conveying the same message, though too many different signs may lead to confusion – this is when accidents are more likely to occur.

Using the Heavy Base, Chain Support and Safety Chain, in addition to the attachable High Voltage signs, the vehicle is easily identified and cordoned off appropriately from personnel and unauthorised access – with a heavy base, the setup is more difficult to accidentally bump or knock over.

In a workshop setting, this cordon gives other technicians a visual warning that the car is being worked on and as such they will not unintentionally come into contact with the vehicle, whether it is an accidental brush as they walk past or using the vehicle as leverage when picking something up nearby. In a more public setting, for example a roadside recovery, the cordon is necessary for public safety and gives the technician an area which they can sign off – this means the driver and passenger(s) of the vehicle will be appropriately distanced, as well as making oncoming traffic aware of what is happening.

As well as cordons, signage should be visible to warn others of the danger – whether it is a floor sign or a roof sign, it is important for the job. The High Voltage floor sign, resembling the everyday 'Wet Floor' sign, is highly visible and allows for quick setup – this is to be used in addition to other signage and is not sufficient on its own. The Roof Top Warning sign does the same job with the advantage of being eye level to technicians, with foam on its base to protect the bodywork.

Another form of signage is safety posters, as these will instruct technicians and other personnel on safe procedure and what to do in case of an EV-related accident. The EV Safety Poster is effective as an essential checklist for the everyday technician, as it lays the foundation for a safe working environment – this includes an equipment checklist and a visual step-by-step instruction on how to prepare the vehicle for work. The Electric Shock & CPR Poster is a detailed advisory panel, displaying procedure for whether the casualty is breathing or not, as well as CPR instructions.

While these are recommended as just guidance and not a replacement for professional training, it is a good addition to have in sight within the workshop: it means procedure is laid out in an easy-to-read manner.

Safety of the Technician

The safety of the technician lies in the protective equipment that they are provided with: gloves, insulating material and other safety equipment. It is important for these pieces of equipment to be in full working order, which is why things such as a Pneumatic Tester are a good investment to make: this tester is designed to check insulating gloves for any damages that are not visible when visually checking them, by inflating the glove before the operator submerges it into water to check for signs of air.

Gloves are the basis of safety for the technician, which is why a pair of Insulated Gloves and a pair of Leather Gauntlet Overgloves are vital for the task. The insulated gloves are made of latex which offers an electrical resistance of up to 1000V, compliant with the EN60903 and PPE CAT III 0333 standards. Overgloves are designed to be worn over these gloves to extend their lifespan, providing additional mechanical protection in oily or dirty environments for a higher level of grip.

Insulating material is necessary for safety, as their non-conductivity prevents electricity from flowing in a typically complete path/circuit and as such prevents current from entering and exiting the body – this flow is what makes electricity so dangerous, so by preventing it from flowing through the source to the floor, it only gives it just one point of contact instead of two. An Insulating Shroud is used to isolate high voltage parts with a physical barrier and prevents accidental contact, though we do recommend that Shroud Clips are used to keep the shroud secure in position while working on surrounding areas. The Insulated Rubber Mat is designed to protect against voltages of up to 1000 Volts, preventing the flow of current through the body but instead stopping before it can exit – this is the one point of contact, as it goes in but does not come out.

In the event of the technician coming into contact with live parts, it is essential that contact is broken safely and effectively – DO NOT reach for the casualty while they are in contact with the part in an attempt to break them free, as the current will continue to flow and you will also be electrocuted: instead, use the insulated Rescue Safety Pole (also known as a Shepherd's hook) to pull the casualty away far enough from the site without the risk of electric shock for the rescuer. This pole has a ‘hook’ end suited to grab the casualty by the waist, in the event where they may not be able to grab onto the pole to pull themself away – rated to 45,000 Volts and conforming to the NF EN50508 and CEI61235-S standards, this is likely the safest method of casualty rescue with the conformities to prove it.