Vehicular fires present many risks – risks to equipment, drivers and transported goods, materials and people.
A vehicle fire suppression system is essential for heavy-duty vehicles and others that operate under high temperatures and in harsh or off-road conditions.
In an enclosed environment, a small fire can quickly grow to engulf the entire vehicle without an adequate, functioning fire suppression system in place.
Learn more about what a vehicle fire suppression system is, the different types, and why your system needs to be serviced regularly.
Abrasion or corrosion to a hydraulic line so that hydraulic fluid leaks into a hot area
Flammable solids such as cardboard, paper or other combustible materials getting trapped behind a heated vehicle component such as an exhaust manifold
Natural gas or hydrogen being ignited due to external factors such as a discarded, smouldering cigarette
An electrical short in vehicular circuitry igniting flammable materials
In each of these cases, a well-maintained suppression system means the difference between a quickly extinguished fire and potential disaster.
A vehicular fire suppression system is designed to trigger alarms and discharge fire extinguishing agents either automatically or manually, depending on the system.
This type of system is your first line of defence against vehicular fires that could otherwise lead to complete equipment loss, higher insurance rates, and other impacts of uncontrolled fires.
Vehicles used in each industry have their individual fire risks. In the mining industry, for example, the increased use of hydraulics, batteries and flammable fluids that could come into contact with hot surfaces is hazardous.
In oil and gas operations, vehicles that have hotter engines and long operating cycles with infrequent machine downtime create elevated fire risks.
Suppression systems for vehicles should be inspected on a semi-annual basis. Service intervals depend on the type of suppression system used (wet, dry or dual) as well as vehicle operating hours and downtime (industrial vehicles that run with less downtime may require more regular inspection).
Fire suppression systems for vehicles need to be serviced regularly to ensure that all parts are intact and the system is reliable.
East Rand Fire has over 50 years’ experience in the fire safety and prevention industry.
With East Rand Fire, you can rest assured that your vehicle suppression system will function optimally and provide the best protection against vehicular fires. Contact East Rand Fire today for a no-obligation quote.
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We provide installation and servicing of firefighting equipment as well as monthly inspections according to safety codes and regulations.
A typical vehicle fire suppression system consists of:
A control panel and alarm system that alerts the operator about the outbreak of a fire
Actuators that discharge either automatically or manually, depending on the system
Tanks containing the fire fighting agent
A network of tubes, hoses and nozzles that distribute the fire suppressant to high-risk areas of the vehicle’s internal components
What types of vehicle fire suppression systems are available?
Vehicle fire suppression systems are designed to combat different classes of fire. The three main types of fire suppression system are wet, dry, and dual systems.
These systems use a liquid fire suppressant to put out the fire and cool down the engine and the area surrounding the fire. These systems are effective in vehicles with turbocharged engines that run at higher temperatures.
Dry vehicle suppression systems use dry suppression agents instead of liquids, such as dry chemical powder. This smothers the fire and starves it of oxygen.
It’s a common choice for off-road construction and mining vehicles that contain electrical components and thus are not suitable for water-based extinguishers that may damage equipment or conduct electricity.
These suppression systems use both wet and dry ingredients to suppress vehicular fires. The dry agent deprives the fire of oxygen while the wet agent cools the area to prevent fires from reigniting.
This type is most common in waste management vehicles and similar vehicles in which there may be both Class A -type flammable materials and chemical materials present.
Some vehicle suppression systems also use clean agents which provide the advantage of not leaving behind residue (so that they require less cleaning up after fires are extinguished).
East Rand Fire has over 50 years’ experience in the fire safety and prevention industry.
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Why are vehicle suppression systems important?
Vehicle suppression systems are important because many vehicles (such as heavy-duty construction vehicles) contain flammable liquids such as fuel, oil and hydraulic fluid necessary to their function. This puts heavy-duty vehicles across industries at higher risk of catching fire.
Heavy-duty vehicles are a significant investment to private companies and public transport departments and are also expensive to repair and replace, thus a fire not suppressed fast could result in hefty repair or replacement costs, not to mention ballooning insurance premiums.
A well-maintained, complete vehicle fire suppression system provides protection while avoiding expensive repairs and may also prevent injury to the vehicle’s operator in the event of a fire.