Before you start the engine

Generator safety

Most generator injuries and deaths come from two things: exhaust in the wrong place and power sent into building wiring the wrong way. Both are avoidable.

Carbon monoxide and safe placement

Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, basement, crawl space, tent, trailer or under a covered porch — even with doors and windows open. Exhaust is invisible, odourless and can be fatal within minutes.
Place the unit outdoors on level ground, well away from doors, windows, vents and air intakes, with exhaust directed away from any occupied space. Follow the distance stated in the equipment manual.
Fit a working, battery-backed carbon monoxide alarm in any building or vehicle being powered.
Never plug a generator into a wall outlet or wire it into a building panel. Backfeeding can kill you, your household and utility crews. Any connection to building wiring requires a licensed electrician and a proper transfer device.
Shut the engine down and let it cool before refuelling, and keep fuel away from hot surfaces.

This is educational guidance, not a substitute for the equipment manual, your rental specialist or a licensed professional.

Placement

Outdoors, on firm level ground, exhaust pointed away from every occupied space and air intake. Wind changes direction, so distance matters more than direction. Keep the unit clear of combustible material, protect it from rain with an approved open-sided cover only, and never enclose a running engine to quiet it down.

Connection

Powering equipment through correctly rated cords and distribution supplied or approved by the rental company is the safe default. Anything that touches building wiring — transfer switches, inlet boxes, panel connections, permanent installations — is work for a licensed electrician, arranged before delivery day.

Use cords and distribution rated for the load and the run length
Ask the provider what connection hardware is included and what is not
Have a licensed electrician handle any transfer device or panel work
Read the manual for the specific unit that arrives on site
Keep cords out of standing water and away from traffic paths

Don’t

Plug a generator into a wall outlet to feed the house
Bypass, defeat or improvise a transfer device
Run any combustion equipment indoors or in an enclosed space
Refuel a hot or running engine
Guess at sizing or wiring instead of asking a qualified person

Fuel, grounding and weather

Shut down and cool before refuelling. Store fuel in approved containers away from the unit. Grounding and bonding requirements depend on the machine and the setup — ask the rental specialist how the unit that arrives is meant to be grounded, and follow it. In flooding or storm conditions, keep the unit clear of water and never operate a machine that has been submerged until it has been inspected.