An incident in Melbourne this week where a man was pinned underneath a car after a jack collapsed is a timely warning about the proper use of the products, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Deputy Chair, Peter Kell, warned today.
"This sad incident, which reportedly has left the man with serious head injuries, reiterates the need to pay close attention to the safe use of jacks.
"A South Australian man was recently killed in a similar incident.
"All vehicle and trolley jacks sold in Australia must meet a mandatory product safety standard and the ACCC regularly runs surveys to check compliance.
"Where non-compliant jacks are found, recalls are instituted and, in some cases, prosecutions launched," Mr Kell said.
"Consumers must plan to stay safe if they want to work under a vehicle.
"No-one should ever get under a vehicle that is supported by only a jack," Mr Kell said.
"It is crucial to use the right jack for the job. A vehicle jack is normally supplied with a vehicle for changing tyres.
"Always check the jack's label to ensure that its maximum load capacity is enough to support the vehicle being lifted– too much weight can cause the jack to fail and endanger the user."
The ACCC's brochure, Safety alert: working under a vehicle explains the correct use of wheel chocks, vehicle support stands, vehicle ramps and trolley jacks. It is available at Working under a vehicle: safety alert