Summary: A haul truck was taking waste to the dump when the driver of the following truck saw fluid coming from truck. He advised the driver via two-way radio and then saw what appeared to be a small flame. The flame grew in size to about 40 cm. After more discussions with the truck driver, the onboard fire suppression system was activated to extinguish the flame.
Recommendations to industry: Good maintenance practices are essential in preventing the ignition of combustible fluids from hose or pipe failures. Consider guidance in Australian Standard 5062:2016 – Fire protection for mobile and transportable equipment.
Truck operators should be trained to respond to a fire event (refer to MDG 15 Guideline for Mobile and Transportable Equipment for Use in Mines):
- stop the machine safely
- shut down all power and the apply park brake
- activate the fire suppression system
- initiate the mine’s emergency response.
Add Comment