What are the legal and safety issues? If they require a cover for the timing belt because of safety issues why wouldn't they do the same for the alternator belt?
A person that I know got his finger cut off by the alternator belt. He was setting the timing. He had someone hit the key to get the timing mark on the harmonic balancer so that he could see the mark. He had his finger on the belt and the pulley and belt cut his finger off.
It doesn't bother him too much. He still repairs cars.
