Putting out the fire
Devastating equipment fires can usually be avoided by proper maintenance. Credit: Long Beach Fire Department
The TT Club says it continues to see equipment fires all too regularly and often it comes down to hydraulic or fuel hoses – either they are improperly routed around the engine block, or they are leaking on to the engine block.
“In the past three or four years, we have seen $10m of fire damage to equipment that didn’t need to happen, says the company's Peregrine Storrs-Fox. TT advises ports to install a small fire alert system that sounds the alarm when the temperature in a piece of kit gets above a certain level.
“It costs half a million to replace a reachstacker or a million to replace a straddle carrier – this is expensive kit. A fire suppressant can cost as little as $500, so it’s well worth putting in,” he says.
Another regular warning that needs endless repeating is about the dangers of entering enclosed spaces. Every year there are incidents of crew or stevedores being overcome by fumes in such situations.
“Last year we worked with ICHCA to put out two pocket card advices relating to entry into enclosed spaces,” he says. “This includes containers and ship’s holds. The use of humidants can give rise to a sudden hazard; often the humidant remains at high enough levels in a container to cause real problems. We continue to highlight the issue – to take care that anyone entering a container or hold is aware of what the cargo is or might be, and the condition of the area in terms of air quality.”
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