Don’t “Blow” Tire Safety

1. Don’t “Blow” Tire Safety Servicing And Handling Of Tires

2. Introduction • Servicing and handling of single piece and multi-piece tires and rims are hazardous. Special precautions should be taken in order to avoid accidents and injuries to personnel. To decrease the likelihood of an accident, safe mounting and demounting procedures should be followed by each employee.

3. Definitions • A “rim wheel” is the complete assembly of wheel, tire and tube. • A “single” piece wheel is the one component used to hold the tire, form part of the air chamber, and provide attachment of the assembly to the vehicle axle.

4. Definitions Cont… • A “multi- piece” wheel is a vehicle wheel consisting of two or more parts. One is a side or locking ring that holds the tire and other components on the wheel by interlocking the components when the tire is inflated.

5. Accident Comparisons • “Single rim” wheel accidents occur when the pressurized air contained in the tire is suddenly released, either by the bead breaking or by the bead slipping over the rim flange. • “Multi-piece” rim wheel accidents occur when the wheel components separate and are released from the rim with violent force.

6. Forces At Work • The principal hazards involved in the release of pressurized air can be shown by the following examples and statistics: • “According to statistics”, the force from a 10.00 x 20 tire, inflated to 105 pounds per square inch, is great enough to hurl a locking ring through the air at 130 mph and raise a 215-pound man 10 ft. in the air.

7. Forces At Work Cont… • An eleven-hundred twenty 14-ply truck tire, inflated to 90 psi, can unleash more than 63,000 foot pounds of energy, enough to raise a 3,000 pound car 21ft. off the ground, and hurl a bowling ball almost 3/4 of a mile. • Special equipment for handling tires and rims is necessary to reduce the risk of accidents

8. Forces At Work Cont… • exposure of employees engaged in assembling and mounting of tires and rims.

9. Accident Causes • During a three year study, 54 injury accidents occurred in the coal and metal/non-metal mining industry due to tire explosions. These included four (4) fatalities. Sixty-one percent (61%) of the injuries occurred in the metal/non-metal industry, of which two (2) of these resulted in fatalities.

10. Inflating tire Replacing/Removing Working by explosion Driving truck Deflating tire Rolling tire to storage Totals: 1st yr. 2nd yr. 3rd yr. 5 (2) 4 1 1 5 4 2 4 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 9 15 9 Accident Causes Cont… (Chart)

11. Accident Causes Cont… • “Unsafe Practices” continues to be a contributing factor in the number and severity of accidents. In most cases it has been proven that manufacturer recommended mounting and demounting precautions were not being followed; or personnel were not properly trained in handling procedures of a particular product being used. Task Training still appears to be the best approach to reduce the occurrence of “rim wheel” accidents.

12. Accident Causes Cont… • Each manufacturer fabricates many different types of rim wheels, and considers it important to note that all components are not interchangeable, even though they are the same size.

13. Safety Precautions • Always make sure single and dual tire assemblies are completely deflated before removing rim components or clamps. Run wire through stem to check for obstacles. • Never hammer on an inflated assembly. • Never weld, heat, or braze a rim component that is cracked, broken, or otherwise damaged without manufacturers approval.

14. Safety Precautions Cont… • Never inflate a tire without safety cage or some other retaining device; never sit or stand in front of a tire/rim assembly while it is being inflated. • Never re-inflate a tire that has been run flat without checking the tire/rim assembly for damage.

15. Safety Precautions Cont… • Never take chances concerning application. If unsure, consult a rim/wheel expert. • Clean and repaint rim components periodically to stop corrosion. • Make sure correct parts are being assembled; check with manufacturers for approval before mixing parts from one manufacturer with those from another.

16. Safety Precautions Cont… • Double check components for proper seating before inflation. • Check with rim supplier to see if special operating conditions are required. • REMEMBER! An employee training program should be in effect for all exposed.

17. Instructor’s Guide • Review any accidents or incidents relating to tire safety at your operation • Review the safety procedures that exist at your location concerning tire safety • Review the quiz emphasizing areas of concern that need further attention at your location

18. Quiz 1. A ___________ is the complete assembly of wheel (single/multi), tire and tube and other components. A. locking ring B. axle C. rim wheel 2. Accidents occur when the ___________ contained in the tire suddenly releases. A. bead B. stem C. pressurized air

19. Quiz cont. 3. ____________ for handling tires and rims is necessary to reduce the risk of accidents to employees engaged in assembling and mounting of tires. A. ballast B. special equipment C. ratings 4. In a three year study there were _____ fatalities in metal/non- metal mining. A. 0 B. 4 C. 2

20. Quiz cont. 5. __________ of personnel handling single and multi- piece rims still appears to be the best approach to reducing these types of accidents. A. size B. observations C. task training 6. Most rims and components made by different manufacturers ________be interchangeable. A. can’t B. may or may not

21. Quiz cont. 7. Never hammer on an inflated assembly. T or F 8. Never inflate a tire without safety cage or some other restraining device. T or F 9. Rim components should never be repainted T or F

22. 1. C rim wheel 2. C pressurized air 3. B special equipment 4. C 2 5. C task training 6. B may or may not 7. T 8. T 9. F Quiz cont. Answer Sheet