Car Bash Safety and Protocol

Departments to notify and must give approval before event is advertised or held:

• Risk Management – approval to minimize liability and possible waiver forms for participants 
• Campus Operations – If you are looking at placing a vehicle on any university grounds space 
• Parking Services – If you plan to place a vehicle in a University parking lot 
• Office of Campus Activities – Approval as a student sponsored event 
• Conference and Event Services – May need to reserve a location if using an outdoor space 

Prior to the vehicle being brought on campus and towed to the site, the vehicle must be prepared as follows:

• All fluids must be removed before vehicle is brought on campus. This includes but is not limited to: coolant, gasoline/fuel, washer fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, automatic/manual transmission fluid, etc. 
• All batteries must be removed 
• All glass and mirrors must be removed 
• All air bags must be removed, if so equipped 
• Gasoline/fuel tanks must be removed 
• Mercury switches, if any, must be removed 
• Refrigerant from air conditioner (if so equipped), must be removed 

Event Site Preparation

The vehicle to be smashed must be located in an appropriate area as follows:

• Minimum perimeter of 20 feet around the vehicle 
• Barrier tape around the perimeter with only one entrance/exit for participants 
• Vehicle should not be placed near storm drain • Vehicle placed on a heavy duty tarp 
• Vehicle wheels must be locked to prevent any unintended movement 

Participants

All participants must follow the below guidelines and wear the following personal protective equipment (PPE). Failure to do so will prevent them from participating.

• Must sign a university waiver 
• Must wear gloves (leather) • Must wear eye protection (safety goggles) 
• Must wear closed toe shoes (not bare feet, flip flops, etc.) 
• Must keep feet on the ground – can’t stand on any part of the vehicle 

Sledgehammer

Sledgehammer(s) to be used for the event must be intact and safe meeting the following requirements:

• The head of the sledge hammer must be flat on both ends. No edged or axed ends are permitted. 
• It is recommended that the handle of the sledge hammer be made of fiberglass or composite material, as wooden handles are more likely to break. 
• Sledge hammer must be in good physical shape and head must be tight. Sledge hammer must be checked and inspected periodically during the event (e.g. every 5 participants) to check for integrity. Damaged sledge hammers must be removed from the event. 
• It is recommended that sledge hammers not weigh more than 10 pounds. 

Conclusion of Event

After the car smashing activity:

• Arrangements must be made to remove / tow the vehicle off campus immediately following the event for legal and proper disposal. 
• The ground area around and underneath the vehicle must be surveyed for pieces that may have broken off during the event. Any pieces will be placed back into the vehicle prior to it being removed from campus. Area must be swept clean as it was before the event. 
• If there has been any type of chemical (automotive fluids) spill, steps for proper disposal should be made.