This guide draws on an earlier Department of Labour booklet Tyre Safety, which since 1988 has been a standard reference for the tyre industry. It has been updated to take account of changes in technology and new safety issues such as anticipating zippers in the sudden failure of steel-reinforced sidewalls, and safety rules for wheel alignments on vehicles fitted with air bags. Other health and safety issues include the use of antifreeze in tyres, choice of tyres and combinations of tyres.

There is additional information on managing hazards of lifting,and hazards of noise.We have attempted to define the boundary between The Department of labour and the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA), both regulators with interests in tyre safety.

Table of Contents

1: Introduction

2: Hazards and How to Avoid Them

Compressed Air
Exploding Wheels and Tyres
Heavy Objects
Noise

3: General Safety Rules

Choice and Care of Hand Tools
Safe Use of Air Tools
Safe Lifting
Protect Your Hearing
Measuring Noise
Dressing for Safety
Other Equipment
New Zealand Standards
Disposal of Anti-freeze

4: Wheel and Tyre Identification

Passenger Car Tyres
Light Truck Tyres
Truck and Bus Tyres
Tractor Tyres
Industrial Tyres
ATV Tyres

5: Points to be Aware of When Fitting Tyres

Space Saver Tyres
Intermixing - General
Intermixing - Passenger Cars
Intermixing - Light and Heavy Commercial Vehicles
Dual Tyres
Forkhoist and Industrial Vehicles
Forklift Industrial Tyres And Rims

6: Demounting Tyres

Removal of Common Assemblies
Light Truck,Truck Tyres - Multi--Piece Rims
Demounting Off the Vehicle
Demounting On The Vehicle

7: Repairing Tyres

Zipper Hazard
Identifying the Hazard
Inspection
Deflating a Zipper
Roadside or Off-Site Servicing
Safety Rules for Road Side Servicing
Tyre Sealants

8: Tyre Mounting Safety Precautions

To Determine Compatible Rim Width for Tyre Sizes
Mounting Tyres
Mounting of Common Assemblies Tyres
Mounting off the Vehicle
Mounting on the Vehicle - Agricultural

9: Rim and Wheel Types

Drop Centre or Well Base Rim
Flat Base Rims
Wide Base One-Piece Rim
Multi-Piece Rims
Semi-Drop Centre Rim
Divided Wheels

10: Off-the-Vehicle Wheel Balancing

11: On-the-Vehicle Wheel Balancing

12: Balancing Truck Assemblies

13: Roadside Tyre Repairs

14: Tyre Inflation Pressures

Free Air Dispensers

15: Use of Jacks

16: Tyre Safety Cages

17: Identifying Vehicles Fitted with Airbags

Ways of Identifying Vehicles Fitted with Air Bags
Personal Safety
The Costs of Accidentally Deploying an Air Bag

18: The Employer 's Responsibilities

Public Access to Tyre Change Areas
Working on Sites as a Contractor

19: The Employee 's Responsibilities

20: Employee Training Schedule

21: Where to Get Advice

Land Transport Rule:Tyres and Wheels
Tyre Safety Issue Boundary Between OSH and LTSA
Web Sites (NZ)
References
Other Tyre-Related Web Sites

Appendix 1: Wheel Restraint Device

Appendix 2: Tyre Construction

Crossply (or Bias Py)Construction
Textile Radial Construction
Steel-Belted Radial Construction

Appendix 3: Glossary of Terms