Wormald calls for farm vehicles to upgrade fire suppression systems

Fire protection company Wormald is encouraging the installation of fire suppression equipment on agricultural harvesters to help prevent machinery and crop fires. Due to the size, fuel-carrying capacity and cost of today’s farm machinery, particularly harvesters, appropriate vehicle fire suppression systems compliant to Australian Standards should be installed. Fire extinguishers suitable for smaller fires and fires that may occur outside the risk area should also be installed, said Wormald National Product Manager Steve Oxley.

According to the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), each year more than 1000 harvesters catch fire, of which about 1% (approximately 12) of harvesters, worth at least $500,000 each, are burnt to the ground. Commissioned in 2009 by the GRDC to investigate the causes of harvester fires, Dr Graeme Quick, an internationally recognised agricultural engineer, reported that the most common cause of harvester fires was in the engine bay, where material can collect on hot components such as the exhaust manifold and turbocharger. “The mining and forestry industries have been installing vehicle fire suppression systems for some time. Based on the incidence of fires reported by the GRDC, the time is right for the agriculture sector to upgrade fire safety equipment in farm machinery,” Oxley said.

“We are seeing growing interest from farmers to install vehicle fire suppression systems. Anecdotally, they’re telling us that insurance companies are imposing higher excess payments on these expensive machines, up to 10% on the cost of a $600,000 vehicle, unless they install vehicle suppression systems,” he said. Wormald offers a comprehensive vehicle fire suppression (VFS) system, which is suited to different types of farm vehicles, from tractors to harvesters. In the event of a fire, the principal aim of Wormald’s system is to provide early detection and warning to allow extra time for the driver to safely evacuate, while at the same time quickly suppressing the fire to help minimise damage to the vehicle.

The Wormald Foam Water Spray VFS system consists of high-pressure, small droplet nozzles which discharge a continuous stream of foam water spray at high-risk areas, such as engine and transmission compartments, and hydraulic areas. The system utilises the fire-suppressing and containment features of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). The VFS system offers both manual and automatic actuation options to suit individual preferences. It can also be recharged on the spot, which is particularly beneficial for vehicles travelling into remote areas where specialised support might not be immediately available.

Wormald’s VFS system is ActivFire listed to be compliant to Australian Standard AS 5062-2006: Fire Protection for Mobile and Transportable Equipment. In accordance with AS 5062, Wormald provides a fire risk assessment process which assists in determining the most appropriate system to use for each vehicle application. Another major component of AS 5062 is the regular inspection, testing and preventative maintenance and survey activities for the VFS systems, to help ensure a system is fully functional and will perform as designed if a fire occurs.