{"id":6537,"date":"2019-09-06T19:39:30","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T19:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/?page_id=6537"},"modified":"2026-01-27T14:59:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T19:59:39","slug":"utility-vehicle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/utility-vehicle\/","title":{"rendered":"Vehicle Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Utility Vehicle<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div>
\n

Utility vehicles are common at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College and utilized by multiple departments.  They come in many different styles, are generally motorized, and designed to carry out a specific task with more efficacy than a passenger vehicle.  The following are guidelines to be adhered to when using a utility vehicle on the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. On a daily basis, check the horn, brakes, and lights if applicable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. On a daily basis, check the back-up alarm, tire pressure, and potential battery acid leaks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Before backing up, ensure the area behind you is clear of all obstacles, including vehicles and pedestrians.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Drive only in designated areas, stay off city streets as much as possible. and cross streets only in designated crosswalks at 90 degrees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Observe all rules of the road, such as coming to a complete stop at Stop signs, signaling before turning if able, and keeping to the right, except to pass.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Yield to passenger vehicles and pedestrians.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Do not drive faster than a quick-paced walk.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Drive slower in wet conditions, on steep slopes, when approaching corners, intersections or blind spots, and in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Slow down for speed bumps and uneven pavement.\u00a0 Do not drive off or over curbs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Maintain adequate distance between vehicles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. To avoid tipping, drive the utility vehicle straight up and down slopes – not on a diagonal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Do not drive vehicle while distracted.\u00a0 If something other than driving the cart has your attention, stop the vehicle. This includes eating, using a mobile device, jotting down notes, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. Do not exceed passenger limits.\u00a0\u00a0At no time should passengers be riding in the back bed of any utility vehicle.\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. If the vehicle is manufactured with seat belts, each person is required to wear them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  15. All occupants should keep hands, feet, arms and legs within the confines of the passenger cab when the utility vehicle is in motion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  16. Do not overload the utility vehicle when transporting items and make sure all items are securely fastened.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  17. Loads should not extend for more than a foot to each side or the front of the golf cart.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  18. Use brightly covered material to flag any loads that extend more than three feet from the rear of the utility vehicle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  19. Never park in front of building exits, fire hydrants, fire lanes sidewalks, ramps, or doors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  20. When parking, set the brake, place the cart in neutral if able, and remove the key.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  21. Transport members of the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Community only in unusual circumstances i.e. physically handicapped, assisting students or staff with transporting loads, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Electric Vehicles<\/h3>
    <\/div><\/div>
    \n

    There are over 1 million electric and plug-in cars on U.S. roads, and the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College campus has multiple charging stations for these types of vehicles. The batteries used in these vehicles have special safety concerns for passengers and first responders if there is a car fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These cars can experience multiple classes of fires: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Class A: combustible materials (tires, fabrics, and plastics)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Class B: flammable liquids (fuel)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Class C: energized electrical equipment (lithium-ion batteries in hybrid and electric cars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Class D: metal fires (magnesium, titanium, aluminum, and lithium)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Electric vehicle fires can exceed 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Applying water or foam may cause a violent flare-up as the water molecules separate into explosive hydrogen and oxygen gases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      There are several common risks for drivers, passengers, and first responders associated with electric vehicle fires: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Electrical shock (up to 400 volts)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Extremely high temperatures and thermal runaway<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Toxic fumes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Lithium burns (respiratory and skin reactions)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Toxic runoff<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Reignition up to 24 hours after initial extinguishment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        In the event of an electric vehicle fire, adhere to the following guidelines: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Stay upwind<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Notify first responders of vehicle type (standard, EV, hybrid electric vehicle, high fuel economy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Establish priorities (rescue, fire, extrication, victim care)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Consider the vehicle fire could be a combined fire, extrication, and hazmat incident<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Treat all conductive surfaces as if they are energized until proven to be safe<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Observe the vehicle for an extended period to monitor the battery’s heat and possible reignition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • When turning over vehicle to wrecker or towing company, brief their personnel on the hazards<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

          Vehicle Impact Protection<\/h3>
          <\/div><\/div>
          \n

          Vehicle impact protection is required at locations where a moving vehicle could strike a piece of equipment that contains fuel, is fuel fired, or is energized electrical equipment. Guard posts and other physical barriers must be installed to prevent impact to the equipment. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

          Updated 1\/27\/26<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Updated 1\/27\/26<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1262,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"bates_author_byline_override":"","_hide_page_title":false,"_header_override":"","_template_width_override":"","_dimp_site_id":"","_dimp_override_contact":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"_sidebarChoice":"","footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":0,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"class_list":["post-6537","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6537"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7530,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6537\/revisions\/7530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/environmental-health-safety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}