A guide to the handling and storage of airbags and seat belt pretensioners at garages and motor vehicle repair workshops

This leaflet gives general information on how to handle and store airbags and seat belt pretensioners. It is aimed at garages and workshops which only handle and store limited numbers, ie up to three or four, at any one time.

More and more vehicles are being fitted with a range of airbags and seat belt pretensioners. There is therefore an increasing likelihood that you will come across these devices at work.

Even though these devices are designed to save lives, there is the possibility of:

physical injury; and
poisoning;

If they are not handled correctly. While the likelihood of an accident involving an airbag or seat belt pretensioner is low, a few simple precautions can be taken to reduce the risks further.

What to do

Find out from your supplier the UN hazard classification of the airbags and seatbelt pretensioners that you may handle.

If any are classed as UN Hazard Class 1 (the explosives class) and you want to keep them on the premises, you will need to register for a Mode B Registered Premises with your local authority under the Explosives Act 1875. The department dealing with registration varies from region to region, but it is usually the:

fire brigade;
trading standards; or
environmental health

We recommend that you register even if you don't plan to keep these devices, as delays in fitting them to the vehicle may mean they need to be kept on the premises, eg overnight.

For airbags or seat belt pretensioners which are classed as UN Hazard Class 2 or UN Hazard Class 9, we recommend that you keep them under similar conditions to those required for Mode B registration.

Storing airbags and seat belt pretensioners

You can buy cabinets which meet the requirements for Mode B registration. In general terms, these requirements are for a substantial container which:

has no exposed steel;
is easy to keep clean; and
can be closed and locked.

You should keep the container away from:

oils, paints and other flammable material;
areas where hot work, such as welding or brazing, is taking place; and
electricity cables, sockets, distribution boards etc.

Also make sure the container is:

secured to the wall or floor if possible; and
kept dry at all times.

Handling airbags and seat belt pretensioners

It is essential that the manufacturer's or supplier's information is checked before starting work on vehicles containing airbags, as procedural differences will occur from make to make.
Never place your head or body close to the front of an undeployed airbag, especially when fitting it, or removing it from a vehicle.
Always carry the airbag module with the trim cover facing away from you.
Never place an airbag module, or steering wheel assembly fitted with an airbag, face (trim side) down or with the trim against a hard surface
Never attempt to repair or modify airbag modules.
If work is required on an airbag module, eg testing, it must be mounted securely on a bench or jig which allows sufficient space for the bag to inflate freely should it be triggered accidentally.
Never expose airbag modules to excessive heat (over 90 ⁰c), impact, electrical current (including static electricity) or radio transmitters.
Always use new components. Return any modules which are damaged or appear suspect to your supplier, except where the damage has resulted in the contents of the inflator cartridge being exposed or spilt, in which case obtain specialist advice from your supplier.
Return undeployed airbags to your supplier using the packaging the replacement device is supplied in. If for any reason this packaging is not available, contact your supplier and ask them to provide you with it.

Airbags should only be deployed by appropriately trained personnel working to the manufacturer's procedures.
Seek the advice of your supplier before disposing of any deployed airbags and seat belt pretensioners. Some manufacturers advise that their deployed airbags or seat belt pretensioners can be disposed of, or recycled, as normal waste; others recommend that they are treated as hazardous waste.
It is illegal to dispose of explosives as normal waste and domestic/commercial waste bins must not be used for disposing of undeployed airbags or seat belt pretensioners in Class 1.

Comprehensive guidance for those handling, storing or transporting larger numbers of these devices is provided in HSE publications

The handling, storage and transport of airbags and seat belt pretensioners HSG184 HSE Books 1998 ISBN 0 7176 1598 7

HSE priced and free publications are available by mail order from:

HSE Books, TSO Customer Services, PO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 1GN

Tel: +44 (0)333 202 5070 .

HSE priced publications are also available from good booksellers.

Further advice can be obtained from HSE offices (see under Health and Safety Executive in the telephone directory). For other enquiries write to HSE's Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ.

This leaflet contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory but which you may find helpful in considering what you need to do.

This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. The information is current at 8/98. Please acknowledge the source as HSE.

INDG280 10/98 C400

Printed and published by the Health and Safety Executive

HSE priced products are also available through good booksellers.

This leaflet is aimed at people working in garages and motor vehicle repair. It provides general information on the handling and storage of airbags and seat belt pretensioners in garages and workshops.

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