糖心视频

鈥� Tony Tijerina

Reprinted with permission, Timber Harvesting, July/August 2011.

Removing debris near the engine manifold and turbocharger is a must.

Article after article has been written about the聽importance of equipment maintenance but often loggers pay little attention to them. With the聽production pace now slower in much of the country,聽most loggers have the time to get serious about聽preventive machine care. To use the old clich茅,聽there is no time like the present.

Skidders, fellers, loaders and other equipment聽represent the largest expense you have as a logger.聽Without these important assets you are out of聽business. Therefore it is imperative that you stress聽upon your supervisors and employees the importance聽of keeping equipment in top condition.

Hoses can be weakened by rubbing, chafing and pinching. Hoses leaking hydraulic fluid near high sources invite trouble.

A daily equipment pre-start inspection should be conducted on each machine. This is your business and聽you decide who will be responsible for conducting the inspection. I recommend that the operator inspect, document and ready the machine for the day鈥檚 work.

The inspection should include:

Fluid levels. All fluid levels should be checked to聽ensure that they are at the proper mark so that the聽machine can operate in top condition. Low fluid聽levels cause early wear on parts and can create聽friction hazards.

Wiring. All wiring should be inspected for wear,聽abrasion and bare spots. It goes without saying that聽bare wires coming into contact with each other or聽metal will cause an electrical short and potentially聽a fire.

Hydraulic hoses. These are often overlooked during聽an inspection. These hoses are designed to operate聽under heat and pressure but they still require聽regular monitoring. Rubbing, chafing, pinching and聽mechanical injury can occur while the machine is聽in operation. The result is weakening of the hose,聽compromising the integrity of the line and reducing聽the pressure that the hose can handle. Hoses should聽also be checked for evidence of leaking. Hoses聽found with any of the described problems should聽undergo a more thorough inspection and be replaced聽immediately. Hydraulic fluid normally has a flash聽point of 2 270潞C (4,400潞F). While heated and under聽pressure the fluid鈥檚 flash point is dramatically reduced.

Hoses can be weakened by rubbing, chafing and pinching. Hoses leaking hydraulic fluid near high sources invite trouble.

If sprayed directly on the manifold or turbo charger,聽fire is very possible. All too often, a leak or problem is聽identified and repairs put off, only to have a burst hose聽cause a machine to catch fire. In addition to running聽the risk of higher insurance costs down the line,聽preventable fires like this cost the owner downtime,聽an insurance deductible and lots of frustration.

Manifold and turbo charger. This area of a machine聽poses the highest heat danger. Temperatures exceeding聽4 260潞C (8,000潞F) can easily be found along the run聽of the manifold and at the turbo. These areas should聽be inspected every morning and any debris noted聽should be removed while the machine is cool and聽the debris can be safely removed.

The area should be聽inspected after shutdown. If debris has accumulated it聽can be removed with compressed air or the operator聽can wait until the machine has cooled down and聽it is safe to reach into these areas. Unfortunately,聽manufacturers have not been able to completely聽engineer out debris accumulations; however, they聽have come a long way.

Debris. Logging equipment is operated under dirty聽conditions. Forest debris is a constant menace. It聽presents a considerable fire hazard when in contact聽with areas that reach a potential ignition temperature聽of approximately 2 320潞C (4,500潞F). Debris聽accumulations should be monitored daily and removed聽often. Best practice is to remove the debris by hand聽daily and to remove it completely at least weekly.聽Don鈥檛 forget to remove debris accumulations from the
belly pan. Debris accumulations can and will provide聽additional fuel in a fire situation.

Articulation joint. Debris accumulates in the聽area under the cab. If left it poses a potential fire hazard and should be included on the daily聽inspection routine.聽Fire is a real danger in the logging industry. In my聽twelve years inspecting equipment, and investigating聽fires in equipment, it is evident that not every fire can聽be prevented. However, with diligence and effort,聽fire incidents can be reduced.

It is imperative that聽every logger has a plan of action to deal with fire.聽Employees should be trained in the proper use of聽fire extinguishers and water tanks. All too often I聽have asked an operator to pretend there is a fire on聽the machine and watched as he tried to locate the聽extinguisher and/or attempt to get into the water hose聽compartment, only to find it cannot be opened.

Fire聽extinguishers and water tanks need to be inspected聽daily to ensure they are ready for duty. When a fire聽occurs and the extinguisher is discharged, or there is聽no pressure in the water tank, you have no defense.

Removing debris near the engine manifold and turbo charger is a must.

In case of fire

All operators and employees must be trained and聽ready in the event of a fire emergency. At the first聽sign of fire:

1) Shut the machine down! This stops the flow聽of fluids under pressure.

2) Sound the alarm! Get help on the way.

3) Exit the cab and dismount the machine with聽fire extinguisher in hand.

4) Assess the situation from a safe location on聽the ground. Locate the fire. Personal safety is always first.

5) If it is safe to do so, spray extinguishing聽material at the fire through screen openings聽or other access points.

6) Only if safe to do so, remove screens or聽open doors and continue applying with a side-to-side motion.

7) Apply water to debris in belly pan to cool聽the debris and stop the fire from re-igniting.

8) Report the fire immediately to local authorities聽and your insurance company.

A good daily inspection program can and will assist聽in the reduction of fire losses as well as reduce聽operating costs by locating and eliminating costly聽leaks and problems. Every logger should develop and聽implement a policy requiring that all equipment be聽inspected and maintained. Records of the inspections聽should be kept to document that this work has been completed properly.