Trailer electrical plug maintenance leads to fire
In a recent early morning fuel delivery, being dark the driver turned on the tanker work light and connected a transfer hose to the customer diesel tank delivery point. The driver then proceeded to connect the other end of the transfer hose to the tanker. It was at this point that a spark occurred jumping between the open end of the transfer hose and tanker connection point.
The spark most likely ignited vapour from petroleum residue left in the transfer hose from a previous delivery, the vapours emanating from the open end of the transfer hose.
The tanker combination was later inspected by an auto electrician for faults, while replicating the fault the auto
electrician discovered that a newly fitted stainless steel male trailer plug and its centre retaining clip had pinched the work light power cable, exposing the inner wire, allowing power to travel through the body of the male plug into the female plug body and on to through to the tanker, thus making the tanker structure live!
Please read the attached flyer for more details and the learnings.
SLP flyer (Trailer Plug Incident)
Regards
SLP Manger
Lee Stringer
