Site Generator Hire: Your Complete Safety Guide
Date: 15/04/26
All Think Hire solar hybrid generators and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are fully inspected for safety before they are dispatched to the site. Once at your site, your Think Hire delivery team will set up your site generator hire in the safest, most secure location and ensure that all necessary precautions have been taken so that your generator is safe to use. They will also instruct your team on safe operating procedures and daily safety checks before they leave.
However, there are still a number of important safety steps that you need to take in order to prevent damage to your generator and to protect both operators and others in the area. In this article, we’ll take a look at ten key safety precautions when operating your site generator hire.
10 Key safety precautions for site generator hire
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Locate your generator correctly – your site generator hire should be positioned either outdoors or in a well-ventilated space, to avoid problems with fumes and CO2. Ensure it is positioned on a solid, level, dry surface
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Protect your generator from weather – where possible, the generator and its electrical connections should be protected from direct rainfall to reduce short circuits and shock risks. Keep cables out of standing water
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Ensure it is separate and secure – make sure your generator is kept in a secure place that is not accessible by unqualified workers or the general public
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Never overload your generator – make sure you understand the power rating of your site generator hire and avoid running it at more than 80% capacity for prolonged periods
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Ensure correct grounding – generators should be correctly grounded or earthed by the installation team. They will need to be re-grounded similarly if they are moved around your site
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Keep cables safe – avoid trailing cables that could pose a trip risk or risk accidental disconnection. Cover cables on roadways with protective ramps
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Refuel safely – always shut down the generator before you start to refuel and allow it to cool down to reduce fire risks. Always use a funnel to avoid spillages and clean up any spills straight away. Never smoke when refuelling a generator
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Inspect daily – cables and connections, fuel and oil levels, should be checked daily before the generator is switched on
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Appoint a responsible person – only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to operate, check or refuel the generator
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Learn the emergency shut-off – it is essential to know how to stop your generator fast in an emergency, before you start it
Are solar powered generators safer than diesel generators?
Yes. Not only does Think Hire work hard to ensure your safety when hiring a generator, but our solar generators themselves are also intrinsically safer to start with. If you choose solar powered site generator hire, you will enhance site safety in a number of ways:
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Less refuelling – because solar powered site generator hire only uses the back-up diesel generator when the battery level drops, they use less fuel and need less refuelling, with its associated risks.
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Less fumes – less runtime for diesel back-up generators means less fumes and less carbon emissions, making the air safer for your team and reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
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Less noise – the silent operation of solar site generator hire improves communication on site and reduces the risk to hearing that noisy diesel generators pose.
Of course, the unrivalled environmental performance of Think Hire’s solar powered site generator hire also makes the world safer for all of us. Cutting emissions of CO2 and NOx means fewer greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, helping to combat climate change.
Book a safer site generator hire from Think Hire today
To find out more about the many site generator hire and BESS solutions available from Think Hire, get in touch with our team today. As renewable energy experts, we can show you how solar power can both increase safety and significantly cut costs for your site.
Frequently asked questions about site generator safety
Yes. While our purpose-built site generators are designed for the great British weather, you should still ensure that all electrical connections, distribution boards and heavy-duty cables are properly waterproofed and clear of sitting water.
Overloading a generator forces it to work beyond its capacity, leaving no margin for surges or peak demands. This can lead to overheating, causing electrical fires, blown fuses and permanent damage to the generator.
Yes. Because they use less fuel and produce less noise and fewer emissions, solar powered generators are intrinsically safer than their diesel counterparts.
Yes and no. While your hire company has a responsibility to ensure that their equipment is safe and installed correctly, you are responsible for the day-to-day safety of your generator during the hire period.
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