Professional loggers know the total investment they have in their equipment and what that investment means in terms of daily production. Woods equipment fires are both dangerous and expensive. Most of these are preventable. It only takes 15 to 20 minutes daily to substantially reduce the risk of your investment going up in smoke!

Most Fire Hazards Are Created By:

1. Accumulation of debris inside mechanical compartments.
2. Buildup of oil, grease, and fuel from leaks and spills.
3. Worn or damaged electrical system wiring and components.
4. Overheating brakes.
5. Heavy buildup of flammable materials around rotating drive shafts.

Follow These Routine Fire Prevention Maintenance Steps to Protect Logging Equipment:

1. Perform daily and routine maintenance and service as recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Use only qualified operators who have been trained in fire suppression equipment use.
3. Clean unit often!
   1. Clean accumulated debris out of engine and mechanical components at least once a day. During heavy leaf fall or dry periods, clean as often as necessary.
   2. Drop belly pan and remove side shields to clean and remove accumulated leaves, debris, oil, grease, spilled fuel, etc. from engine and transmission compartments at least once a week.
   3. Steam clean or pressure wash unit at least once a month.
4. Inspect battery cables and connectionsand electrical connections at least weekly. Look for and replace cables with worn, abraded, or frayed insulation.
5. At shutdown, disconnect battery using battery disconnect switch, if installed on unit.
6. Maintain and regularly service the engine and hydraulic cooling systems to avoid overheating.
7. Remove flammable items from operator’s cab.
8. Do not transport flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, diesel, etc. on the machine.
9. Before fueling, shut off engine. Do not smoke within 50 feet of fueling areas.
10. When parking at shutdown, maintain at least 50 feet between machines in an area cleared of excess ground debris to minimize the spread of fire.
11. After shutdown, remove debris from engine compartment and observe machines for a minimum of 30 minutes.
12. Inspect and repair or replace all protective shields, screens, belly pans, and covers to reduce the accumulation of flammable debris inside machine compartments.
13. Clean upfuel, oil, and grease spills immediately.
14. Prior to using a cutting or welding device, clean the machine and, if necessary, wet the work area down with water. Disconnect both battery connections. Connect the weld ground as close as possible to weld area. Have a fire extinguisher close at hand.
15. Always have an approved, charged, and operable fire extinguisher on the machine. If the unit is fitted with a suppression system, ensure it is always fully charged and that sprinkler/sensor heads are clean and undamaged.
16. Place company name and phone number on equipment.

The potential for woods equipment fires can be reduced with daily, weekly, and monthly fire prevention measures. It only takes a few minutes to take those extra few steps to prevent your "iron" investment from going up in smoke. Remember the key to prevention—clean, inspect, and repair.

Forest Resources Association Inc. 600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350, Rockville, Maryland 20852 Phone: (301) 838-9385     Fax: (301) 838-9481