History has shown that flammable vapor ignitions in a number of cases have been proven to reside in mobile equipment working in or around a facility. “Industrial Loader and Forklift Fires,” an NFPA report published in January 2009, states that between 2003 and 2006, an average of 1,340 fires were ignited by heat or ignition sources found on powered industrial loaders and forklifts.
Codes and regulations relating to the use of powered industrial equipment in potentially explosion hazardous areas can be complicated and difficult to understand. It is our experience that, even though local codes and regulations might show minor deviations from each other, they all serve the same common goals of preventing catastrophic incidents and loss of human life. When approving and protecting powered industrial equipment for use in explosion hazardous areas, it is critical that ALL potential ignition sources have been addressed. The level of protection required is determined by the classification of explosion hazardous areas in which the equipment will operate and the probability that an ignitable atmosphere will develop. Protecting the ignition sources found on mobile powered industrial equipment is a complicated process. Because mobile equipment can often travel between areas with different hazardous area classifications, the chances that the equipment will encounter an explosive atmosphere are significantly increased. Great care should be given to ensure that the appropriate level of equipment protection is applied to ensure safe operation of the equipment. Modifying, testing, and certifying equipment for use in explosion hazardous areas has, by some users, been considered cost prohibitive. Economic justification and an incident-free history entice owners/operators to use equipment which may not be intended, protected, or certified for use in explosive atmospheres. If these liabilities are combined with such items as human error, equipment wear and tear, component failure, and under-classifying explosion hazardous areas, then the risk of an incident taking place is increased significantly. Determining the appropriate level of ignition protection for powered industrial equipment should be based on a risk assessment. It should take into account the type of flammable material encountered, the frequency in which an explosive atmosphere develops, and the ability of equipment to operate in this explosive atmosphere. The only way to ensure the safety of people, their investments, and our environment is to demand that appropriate levels of ignition source protection are applied and that hazardous area compliance has been guaranteed.
CLICK HERE to download “Protecting Powered Industrial Equipment Operating in & Around Explosion Hazardous Areas And Explosive Atmospheres” (PDF )
CLICK HERE to download the NFPA Report Executive Summary “INDUSTRIAL LOADER AND FORKLIFT FIRES” (PDF)