Battery Safety Guide: Working Safely at Home, in the Workshop and on the Road

The battery is everyday life's most ordinary-looking piece of hazardous equipment: sulphuric acid inside, hundreds of amps of short-circuit potential at the terminals, and explosive hydrogen gas during charging. Follow the rules and it is entirely safe.

Hydrogen Gas: The Invisible Risk

Every charging lead-acid battery produces some hydrogen; it ignites at 4% concentration. The rules are simple: always charge in a ventilated area, keep cigarettes, sparks and open flames away, and switch the charger off before removing leads (spark prevention).

Short Circuit: The Most Sudden Danger

A spanner or bracelet touching both terminals at once creates an arc of hundreds of amps — metal can melt, the battery can explode. Precautions:

• Remove watches, rings and metal jewellery when working on a battery
• Never rest tools on top of the battery
• Disconnect negative (-) first, reconnect negative (-) last — prevents chassis shorts
• Use insulated tools on the terminals

Safe Jump-Start Order

1. Connect the red lead to the good battery's (+) terminal
2. Connect the other end to the flat battery's (+) terminal
3. Connect the black lead to the good battery's (-) terminal
4. Connect the last end to the engine block of the flat vehicle (a metal point away from the battery)
5. Disconnect in exactly the reverse order

With modern vehicles' sensitive electronics, professional help is the safest route: our 24/7 roadside line is always open.

Handling and Storage

Always carry a battery upright, gripping the case (never the terminals). Store cool and ventilated, out of children's reach, on a wooden pallet rather than bare floor. Never stockpile waste batteries at home — hand them in for recycling.