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Causes of Equipment Fires and How to Mitigate Them

Surface Sales • Feb 18, 2021

How to Mitigate the Causes of Equipment Fires

Fire eruptions related to heavy-duty mobile mining equipment can cause severe destruction for industrial companies, costing them millions of dollars each year. 


Even a light spark in mining fields can be enough to provoke an explosion that not only puts the expensive equipment but also your workers at risk. That’s why it is important to realize the primary causes of equipment fires so you can take the necessary preventive measures to mitigate them beforehand.


In this article, we’ve put together a list of issues that typically contribute to mining equipment fires. We’ve also discussed the ultimate solution to keep these causes at bay. So, you can have peace of mind and a secure working place for your employees while saving money on equipment repairs and downtime.


Common Causes of Equipment Fires 


1. Flammable Fluids 
Equipment fires caused due to flammable and hot liquids can result in severe and fast spreading fires. The mining equipment already works at a significantly high temperature, which means you can’t afford to let any flammable fluid get in touch with any of your working equipment.


2. Hot Components 
The components on heavy duty mining equipment are often extremely hot because of the continuous work of moving loads over numerous hours. These hot components coupled with the hot or flammable fluids are often the primary cause of fire explosions. 


3. Faulty Equipment 
Faulty machinery or weak lines is another one of the likely causes of equipment fires. Any mechanical device can become a fire hazard when there’s friction between moving parts that are already damaged.


4. Leaking Lines
Leaking pipes or hydraulic lines and hot surface equipment can be another cause of fire break outs.


5. Electrical Hazards
Lastly, electrical fires caused due to exposed wiring, overloaded outlets, or static discharge can be enough to put the working crew and your heavy-duty mining equipment at risk. It can be especially damaging when an electric spark comes in contact with a flammable liquid.


Thermal Exhaust Blankets For Preventing Fires


We suggest installing Mammoth thermal exhaust blankets for mitigating equipment fires. It’s a very practical and cost-effective solution for the top five fire causes mentioned in the previous section. These thermal blankets are capable of withstanding high temperatures over 1200˚c 


Moreover, the absorption-proof material used during its manufacturing and the additional overlap provided with the blankets ensures there is no gaps on the blanket seams and that your hot components are full covered and diminishes the chances of your equipment catching fire if there’s a leaking line. 


Do you require more information regarding Mammoth thermal exhaust blankets and their installation process? If so, please feel free to contact us through our website or call us at 800.854.8291!




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