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Safety is Paramount at Putzmeister America, Inc.
Safety is Paramount at Putzmeister America, Inc.
Celebrating Five Years of Outrigger Fuel Tank Safety CertificationSTURTEVANT, WI (August 10, 2009) – Putzmeister America, Inc. is keeping safety at the forefront by commemorating its outrigger fuel tank’s five-year safety certification anniversary. Putzmeister engineers and designs all aspects of the company’s full line of material placing equipment with safety in mind.
On all Putzmeister truck-mounted concrete boom pumps starting with the 31Z-Meter and larger, the fuel tank in the rear passenger-side outrigger has passed both fireproof and drop tests. The fuel tank is auxiliary in truck-mounted concrete pumps 31Z through 47Z, while 52Z and larger use this as a primary fuel tank.
“We’re the only company in the material placing industry that has this certification,” says Bill Dwyer, vice president – sales & marketing for Putzmeister America. “This certification demonstrates yet again how dedicated Putzmeister America is to customer safety. We want to go beyond just talking safety and ensure our outrigger fuel tanks are held to the highest standards possible to avoid potential problems in the field.”
The fireproof outrigger is just one of many in Putzmeister’s long line of safety-related technologies, including, the steady end hose, caisson arm, one-sided support outrigger systems and much more.
“Our technology not only puts our customers first in equipment operation, but safety as well,” adds Dwyer.
Putzmeister America’s outrigger fuel tank was certified as safe in 2003 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation Part 393 – parts and accessories necessary for safe operation via a series of tests conducted by the Southwest Research Institute™ at its Department of Fire Technology in San Antonio, Texas. The outriggers were subjected to leakage, drop, pressure resistance and safety venting system tests.
Four Tests
To test for leakage, the fuel tank was filled with diesel and closed with a cast aluminum cap. The fuel tank was then rotated and any leakage was collected and weighed to determine leakage in a one-minute period. To pass this test, total leakage could not exceed one ounce (30ml) by weight of fuel per minute.
The first drop test for the outrigger fuel tank comprised filling the tank with water having a weight equal to diesel and dropping it 30 feet (9m) landing squarely on one corner. The second drop test involved filling the tank with water having a weight equal to the maximum fuel load and dropping it 10 feet (3m) landing squarely on its fill pipe. To pass both tests, neither the fuel tank nor any fitting could leak more than a total of one ounce (30ml) per minute.
For the safety venting system test, the fuel tank was filled with diesel to 75 percent capacity and one fuel fill pipe cap was installed, which acts as a safety venting system. The fuel tank was set above a line of flames causing the tank to be completely engulfed. To pass this test, the safety venting system must activate before the internal pressure in the tank exceeds tolerable limits.
For the pressure resistance test, the outrigger fuel tank was filled with water and was pressurized. To pass this test, the body and fittings of the fuel tank must be capable of withstanding an internal pressure equal to 150 percent of the maximum internal pressure reached in the tank during the safety venting system test.
For more information on Putzmeister America’s fireproof outrigger certification and other safety-driven technologies, call toll-free at 1-800-884-7210.