Fire protection of forestry machines

Forestry machinery working in the forest is prone to collecting combustible particles in tight corners.

They can cause fires, and when combined with fuel, oil or other lubricants, this danger increases even more.

How to reduce the risk of fire?

Here are some tips to implement:

1. when the temperature of significance rises after stopping the engine, open the control door to cool it down faster.

2. keep the machine clean – check and clean the covered compartments, including the engine compartment, main board, etc.

3. regularly clean the heater, cooler and cooling ducts to ensure that the components operate at the right temperature.

4. remove dust and particles from exhaust pipes

5. fix any defects on an ongoing basis

6. check the electrical system, fuel and hydraulic lines to avoid short circuits

7. clean up any grease or oil leaks and repair the leacking

8. use only non-flammable solutions to clean the machine and components

9) Store rags and other flammable materials in a safe place, preferably fireproof

10. before starting repairs such as welding, clean up the surroundings and have an operable, filled fire extinguisher on hand, which should also be a permanent fixture on the machine

What to do when a fire has already broken out?

First of all, turn off the engine and the main power switch. Use a fire extinguisher to suppress the fire and make sure the fire does not spread further. If you have failed to control the element, move away to a safe distance and call for help.

Some forestry machines, are equipped with fire alarm systems, which need to be maintained in good working order to perform their function.

The alarm panel located on the ceiling of the cab contains the following functional elements:

• Manual trigger button – pressing it activates the fire alarm system. To activate it, hold it down for one second.
• Fire alarm light – when a fire is detected, the red LED will flash. A steady light indicates that the system has been activated.
• Yellow LED – indicates the failure of the actuator. It will light up if there is an error in the trigger circuit, low pressure in the actuator or a damaged cable.
• Yellow LED – informs about the failure of the detector. It will light up if there is an error in the fire detection circuit, a missing terminal resistor or a damaged cable.
• Yellow LED – manual mode. Disables the triggering of the system.
• Green LED – indicates that the system is powered. Lights up in normal operation. If it is off, it indicates a power system failure.
• Test and reset button – pressing it starts the system test in normal operation mode. It is also used to reset the system after a discharge. To activate, hold for one second: Tests LEDs, alarm and siren.

If a fire occurs, an alarm will be triggered, signaled by:

• Flashing light and audible signals on the alarm panel
• A horn located in the engine compartment

NOTE: The alarm will be activated only when the main switch is in the ON position. The fire extinguishing system must be activated manually.

The fire extinguishing system can be activated in three ways:

• From the cab, using the actuation button on the alarm panel
• By stopping the main electrical supply, turning the main switch to the OFF position
• By using the manual triggering mechanism on the bumper on the right side of the machine: Pull out the handle and press the trigger button on the nitrogen cylinder

Operator actions in case of fire:

• Activate the fire extinguishing system.
• Use a hand-held fire extinguisher to prevent the fire from spreading.

Fire alarm when not using the machine:

The fire extinguishing system will be automatically activated in the event of a fire when the machine is unused and the main switch is in the OFF position.