“The teams are taking this very responsibly for their own safety, of course. They're also looking at how the marshalls will respond to broken-down cars. There will be things like the KERS status warning light that will be on all cars. Marshals are going to be educated by the documentation we'll provide,” said Whiting in an interview for the Formula 1 official site.
“Also, the systems themselves should be safe. If there's a risk, it should be clear to a marshal who walks up to the car. He should approach the vehicle, look at the KERS status light and, if it is in the wrong state, he shouldn't touch the car,” added the FIA race director.
Another way in which FIA is planning to ensure safety for KERS is by instructing all race officials to “pick up parts” throughout a race depending on their color. Also, they will have to wear a proper equipment in order to make sure they won't be the victims of potential battery discharges when touching a car.
“Also, people working on the track are being briefed about how to pick up parts, which will be clearly identified by color coding. If they potentially contain high voltage, they have to know how to move them. They will also wear gloves, which are good for a thousand volts,” added Whiting.
He argued that, no matter the risks of using the new technology from as early as this year, it would be a step forward for the show and would make for a more interesting season this year. The fact that the boost of power provided by the KERS unit will be “under the complete control of the driver” will also bring the driver's skills into play.
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