Overlooked Safety - Your Shop

This one is a no-brainer. After pouring out the used oil, Edgar wiped up a small spill with a rag then threw the rag out into a covered metal garbage can. Shop rags really aren't that expensive and leaving them lying around creates a fire hazard, just ask Gary.

Speaking of fire hazards, you should have at least one and probably two fire extinguishers on hand at all times, and no, the racecar's on-board system doesn't count. The size, number and type of fire extinguisher required depends on the size of your shop. Check with your local fire station for more details.

It may be one of the most overused clichs around, but lift with your knees not with your back is excellent advice. Here, team members Ken Milner (left) and Matt Carrell show the proper way to lift and move their Winters rearend.

A clean work area is a safe work area, another clich, we know, but it's sound advice. Notice how free of clutter Bill Mcnely's work space is, allowing him more room to focus on the task at hand.

When you're done working, it's always a good idea to clean your tools. They are not cheap and it never ceases to amaze us here at Circle Track how some racers treat their tools. Think about it this way, your tools are your link to a winning car, if they're not in tip top shape, your work suffers and that will eventually translate onto the track.

Mop up any spills as soon as they happen. Leaving chemicals or even soda on the fl oor is an invitation for trouble.

Emptying the garbage can that contains rags that have been contaminated with fuel, oil or grease is an easy way to reduce the fire hazard around your shop.

OSHA regs require Raskovic to keep a fully-stocked first aid kit and first aid manual on hand and easily accessible at all times.

Any Boy Scout would be proud of this first aid kit. It contains a wide variety of bandages, tape, scissors/forecepts, eye wash, antibacterial ointment and more.

Raskovic is a self-described "pain in the ass" to his students when it comes to hand washing. "No matter how clean you keep your shop, there's a lot of nasty stuff around and one of the easiest ways to avoid infection is to wash your hands frequently," he says.

Hand lotion is not something you normally find in a race shop, but Raskovic keeps it handy in his. All that hand washing coupled with the frosty Wisconsin temperatures can lead to cracked skin on your hands, something that makes turning wrenches a less than pleasant experience, especially if those cracks get infected.

Finally, it's a good idea to require people in the shop to wear eye protection. It doesn't make you a tough guy to cut metal tubing without protective glasses, it just makes you stupid.