Fw: EXTRICATION SAFETY - New Gas-Electric Vehicles and new Airbags

[Guest guest]

FWD, from another list.

Ron

Extrication Safety

>

> The following is information from a few safety bulletins I posted at work,

> and feel we could all benefit from having.

>

> Hybrid vehicles: Ford, Honda and Toyota all have a hybrid vehicle for

sale

> this year, and we have spotted them on McKnight Road, prompting us to do

> some research on the vehicles. Dodge is possibly going to be releasing a

> Durango next year or 2002. A hybrid vehicle has a gasoline motor and an

> electric motor powered by a battery. As the vehicle travels, it operates

> off of the battery powered motor at speeds less than 30 mph. At speeds

over

> 30 mph the gasoline engine operates the vehicle and charges the battery

> system.

>

> High voltage components of the vehicles: The HV (hybrid vehicle) battery,

> transaxle, inverter, and service plug are all high voltage components.

All

> of the high-voltage wires and harness are indicated by orange colored

> insulation or wrapping. The HV battery consists of 38 modules, each

module

> consists of six 1.2 volt cells with a total voltage of 273.6 volts (about

> 300 volts) This system is separate from the 12 volt wiring system and is

> located in the trunk area of the vehicle - normally NiMH (Nickel-Metal

> Hydride)

>

> Battery: The cells contain potassium hydroxide (Emergency Response

> Guidebook - guide #154) which is a highly alkalinic substance that reacts

> intensely with zinc, aluminum, tin, other active metals, and various type

of

> organic compounds creating flammable hydrogen gas. Furthermore

Potassium

> hydroxide is hazardous to all human body tissues. Toyota required its

> technicians to use safety items such as alkali-resistant safety goggles, a

> facemask, synthetic rubber gloves, boots, an apron and a rain coat for

> handling the battery. Items must not be made of leather or wool. Toyota

> and Honda both recommend rescuers be in the same chemical resistive

> equipment while working around a wrecked vehicle.

> Careless handling of the damaged vehicle may result in electrocution or

> severe injury.

>

> (The following is taken from the Toyota Prius Emergency Response Guide

> and information from a discussion with a Honda engineer)

>

> Handling the damaged vehicle:

>

> 1. Necessary items

>

> a. Protective clothing (insulated gloves, rubber gloves, goggles)

wear

> nothing made of leather or wool

>

> b. Saturated boric acid solution 20L

>

> c. Red litmus paper

>

> d. Class D extinguisher

>

> e. Towels

>

> f. Vinyl tape for insulating cables

>

> 2. Actions to be taken

>

> a. Wear protective gear

>

> b. Do not touch a bare cable that could be a high voltage cable.

> If you need to touch it, wear insulated gloves and use vinyl tape to

> insulate ends of cable.

>

> c. If the vehicle is on fire in the engine compartment or trunk

> (battery) area use a Type D dry powder extinguisher to extinguish the

fire.

> Using water can be more dangerous than effective unless using a very large

> flow of water (250gpm +)

>

> d. If the vehicle is partially submerged in water, do not touch any

> of the high voltage components or cables because of the danger of

> electrocution.

>

> e. Do not touch any leaking fluids because it could be the highly

> alkaline electrolyte. If the fluid needs to be removed wear rubber gloves

> and goggles, neutralize the electrolyte with saturated boric acid or a

> charcoal solution, and check with red litmus paper to make sure it does

not

> turn blue.

>

> f. If damage to any of the high voltage components and cables are

> suspected, disconnect the high voltage circuit by putting the vehicle in

> park and engaging the emergency brake, shut off and remove the ignition

key.

> Disconnect the 12 volt battery cables and isolate.

>

> Standard battery locations: the normal locations of the 12 volt battery

are

> under the hood (visible or hidden under engine components), in the front

> wheel well, under the rear seat, or in the trunk. These locations are

being

> utilized in all makes of vehicle. Most vehicles with the battery under

the

> rear seat, in wheel well, or hidden in the engine compartment may have

> remote jumper cable terminals in the engine compartment, which may be used

> to disconnect the battery system. Disconnecting the battery is preferred

> to cutting the battery cables. Both cables need to be removed to ensure

> rescuer safety during car fire and rescue operations. Watch in the future

> for multiple battery systems (48 volt) due to the increased power needed

for

> multiple electrical components and accessories. The Automotive

> Engineers Association is pushing for the 46/48 volt battery systems.

>

>

> Airbag Warnings:

>

> This notice is for all first responders, Dual Action type airbag have two

> inflators! It is now important to treat all un-deployed airbags with the

> same respect as an active airbag. 2000 Honda Accords, Acura RL and TL

> models, Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, and all Volvo models. There is very

> little information being discussed about the dual action airbag system, or

> released at this point from the industry. ate legal " red tape " is

the

> major cause for delay or unanswered concerns.

>

> Airbag Inflators

>

> There three different type of inflators used in today's SRS. Solid fuel

> (sodium azide), Hybrid, and liquid fueled. Hot gas and cold gas:

> 1. The solid fuelled inflator uses sodium azide pellets to generate a mass

> quantity of nitrogen gas need to fill the airbag. Temp of around 1200

> degrees.

>

> 2. Hybrid, usually in passenger side air bags and roof mounted systems.

> Argon gas (plus a small percentage of Helium) is in a 3000psi canister. A

> small igniter assembly ruptures a burst disc to release the gas. Boyle's

> Law states that Temperature/Pressure/Volume are directly proportional, so

> the inflator assembly warms the gas as it is released into the bag. I

have

> heard of the hybrid style being used on the current Chrysler minivan, Ram

> pickups, and LH cars on both the drivers and passenger's side airbags.

> Sodium Azide is still used in the inflator module.

>

> 3. Liquid fueled inflators replace the Sodium Azide with jelled Ethyl

> Alcohol.

>

> Side Impact Curtains

>

> It should be noted that side impact curtains deploy down from the

headliner

> approximately 12 inches. Do not place body parts through open side windows

> to access the patient. Should an accidental deployment occur, having body

> parts positioned through an open window could result in serious injury.

>

> This type airbag uses a hybrid inflator.

>

> Before cutting any post in a vehicle it is imperative to remove the

interior

> plastic covering and visualize what the cutter is going to shear through.

> Cutting a hybrid inflator can cause it to fragment like a grenade. 2000

> Saturn and GM are offering the inflatable curtain as an option this year

and

> standard next year on most of their vehicles. 2000 Ford SUVs also have it

> as an option and standard next year with the addition of a yaw sensor for

> use in SUV rollovers. Also as of December, Freightliner Trucks will be

> putting the Inflatable Tubular Structure side air bag system in their

> trucks; this is the same inflatable tubular structure in BMWs. The hybrid

> inflator is low in the firewall; hoses extend to bottom of the 'A' post.

>

> The ITS is attached to an anchor at the bottom of the 'A' post and top of

> the 'B' post. The system deploys out of the 'A' post and roof area along

> the top of the drivers and passengers window. Side Impact Curtains are

also

> available on 2000 Mercedes Benz S-class, CL, and all E-class, Audi A4, A6,

> A8, Toyota, VW, 2001 Ford SUVs. Inflatable tubular structures are

available

> on BMW 7 series and as options on the 3 and 5 series models.

>

> Side Impact Curtain Cut Tests

>

> The airbag company (Autoliv) conducting the cutting tests wanted to

emulate

> extrication technicians accidentally cutting through an inflator, which

> could be possible during roof displacement. The spring " 99 " tests were

> conducted in the company's Sweden facilities in Europe. During the first

> testing there were multiple failures of the inflator vessels, resulting in

> parts of the test inflators becoming projectiles.

>

> While this was not good news, it was a major break through for first

> responders! A leading manufacturer of supplemental restraint airbags was

> conducting safety tests with the first responder in mind. Perhaps this

will

> some day lead the industry to develop a fire service disconnect for all

> systems within a vehicle including the SRS! If the industry wants to add

SRS

> to protect the occupant, why doesn't the industry want to protect the

> rescuer aiding the occupant as well?

>

> Saab requested a second test that was conducted at the US facilities in

> Utah. The second test was conducted on November 9, 1999. While the test

> results improved from the spring testing, there were still a failures to

the

> pressure vessel when cut with hydraulic cutters. When the hybrid inflator

> was cut at the solid propellant chamber where the initiator and extruded

> propellant were located, there was no reaction.

>

> However, when the cutters breached the pressure vessel, both ends (one

loose

> and one secured) became projectiles.

>

> This time the testing was video taped, perhaps at some point the video

tape

> will be released to assist training personnel by re-enforcing safety

> precautions.

>

> Fall 1999 Testing

> The second tests used hybrid inflators similar to that which are used on

the

> side impact curtain (IC). This type inflator uses an igniter (detonator)

to

> ignite an extruded propellant (oxidizer) creating a hot oxygen enriched

> mixed gas to inflate the IC. The gas may be a pressurized mixture of argon

> and nitrous oxide. Effluent gases may cause skin and eye or mucous

membrane

> irritations. PPE is recommended; safety goggles, latex or equivalent

gloves

> and approved respirator or SCBA is recommended.

>

> If activated, carbon dioxide, water vapor, argon, nitrous oxide, and trace

> amounts of carbon monoxide and nitric oxide will be present.

>

> Besides the data available on the possible fragmentation of breached

> inflators, the responder should also be cautious of exposure to any raw

> materials of inflators in general. Some inflators contain sodium azide,

> which is moisture reactive. Although the industry states that the chemical

> residue is harmless, they do precaution you from touching deployed airbags

> with your bare hands or skin!

>

> Renault

>

> Renault will now be using a rear passenger seatbelt airbag called a

> " bag-in-the belt system " . The airbag is located in the lap belt not the

> diagonal belt. It will offer rear occupants the same protection that is

> offered to front passengers. Renault will also be introducing the double

> action airbag, two-bag system. It will debut at the Paris Motor Show in

the

> Laguan/P5. The company claims to protect the driver in a crash of 55 km/h

> (40 mph) The based on computer technology, the new system uses two airbags

> in one package, and varies the level of restraint it offers according to

the

> impact level received by the sensors.

>

> The system operates in three levels: In mild crashes below 35 km/h the

> seatbelt pretension will only activate. Above 35 km/h and up to 45 km/h,

the

> system activates the seatbelt pretensioner and the deployment of a

35-liter

> airbag. A crash above 45 km/h will activate a further seatbelt

pretensioning

> and the deployment of a second airbag with the capacity of 50-60 liters.

>

> This second action of the seat belt pretensioner will pull the body back

> more creating 5 cm of knee room during the crash which the company feels

is

> a critical factor in avoidance of injuries during a crash.

>

> This system was designed by Autoliv for Renault's top of the line

vehicles.

> It can be expected that other companies will soon be using a similar

system.

>

> SAFETY

>

> Maintain a safe working distance from all airbags by using the following

> guide:

>

> * Side Impact Airbags - 5 inches distance

>

> * Driver Frontal Airbags - 10 inches distance

>

> * Passenger Frontal Airbags - 20 inches distance

>

> While these distances will not be appropriate for all newly developed

> airbags, it does give the responder a general guideline to work from.

>

> The airbag manufacturers, the automobile industry and NHTSA-DOT state that

> you should not restrain any airbag system. Most airbag systems use hot

gases

> to fill the airbags. Passenger frontal inflators containing sodium azide

> will reach temperatures in excess of 1,200 degrees F. Cutting the

cushion

> to the airbag system will only allow hot gases to be released

un-restrained

> into the ambient atmosphere of the occupant cabin. Cutting the inflator

> could result in the two ends becoming projectiles.

>

> This data only re-enforces our recommended safety procedures to reduce the

> risk of injury when displacing metal and coping with airbags, especially

the

> side impact curtain.

>

> It is recommend that any undeployed airbag component should not be cut.

> Should an undeployed airbag be accidentally deployed, hot gases under

> pressure could cause injury to patients or responders as the release

occurs.

> Normally, these hot gases are released into the ambient atmosphere at a

> controlled rate. Should the airbag/IC be cut during an accidental

> deployment, there would be no control of the force and hot gases released.

> Anyone in the path of the release could be seriously injured.

>

> Vehicle Fires With Undeployed Airbags

>

> Car fires in modern vehicles can be more dangerous due to the supplemental

> restraint systems and hydraulic hood and trunk openers. We are seeing

more

> hydraulic openers being used in vehicles today due to lighter body

> components. Supplemental restraint systems are now standard in the sides

> of the vehicle and in the roof structure. These systems utilize a hybrid

> type inflator which is a compressed gas cylinder from 1400 psi to 3000 psi

> found in the firewall, 'B' post, and 'C' post of vehicles. These

> compressed gas cylinders may become heated, fail, and fragment. Care

should

> be taken when approaching a vehicle fire, full protective gear and SCBA

> should be worn and the fire attacked from a distance.

>

> During a fire, Auto Ignition will occur at 480 degrees Fahrenheit, the

first

> burst disk will rupture venting argon. At 750 degrees Fahrenheit the

> initiator auto-ignites. Extended exposure to temperatures above 250

degrees

> will also activate the device. Use proper firefighting procedures for

> fighting vehicle fires.

>

> It has been documented, that there are incidents where catastrophic

failures

> of the driver's airbag occurred, resulting in the fragmentation of the

> inflator units. Videotapes of actual incidents show how the airbag

assembly,

> in part or in whole became projectiles. Some units were propelled through

> the roofs of the vehicles.

>

> At one incident, inflator fragments tore a gapping 3-5 inch whole through

> the metal roof of one vehicle during an actual vehicle fire.

Investigators

> discovered the remains of the driver's inflator approximately 100 feet

away

> form the vehicle. Other parts have been found such as rivets, whole and

> partial remains of the airbag assembly, and the airbag.

>

> Movable Pedals

>

> Ford offers power-adjustable accelerator and brake pedals in Taurus,

Sable,

> Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Mercury & Ford Winstar minivan. Chevy

> will be adding this system to their SUVs in the 2001 model year.

>

> Chevrolet plans to offer four wheel steering on their SUVs in the 2003

model

> year

>

> I hope some of this information was useful, if anyone has anything

different

> please forward to me, Thanks ED

>

>

>

> ___________________________________________

>

> Ed Davies, BS, EMT-P, FSI-I

>

> Rescue & Training Coordinator

>

> Ross/West View E.M.S.A.

>

> 5325 Highway

>

> Pittsburgh, PA 15229

>

> ext. 108

>

> Fax

>

> Web Site www.rwvems.org

>

> E-mail edavies@...

>

>

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