SLEEVE-WEAR 1525183 - Caterpillar

Explosions of air-inflated earthmoving tires have resulted from heat-induced gas combustion inside the tires. The heat, generated by welding or heating rim components, external fire, or excessive use of brakes can cause gaseous combustion.A tire explosion is much more violent than a blowout. The explosion can propel the tire, rim, and final drive components as far as 460 m (1500 feet) or more from the machine. Both the force of the explosion and the flying debris can cause personal injury or death, and property damage.Although the risk of an explosion is very low, the hazard is very great, particularly with large tires used on wheel tractor-scrapers, large wheel loaders and off-highway trucks.All personnel should be made aware of this danger and the actions to take to minimize the risk.
Heat from any source can be transferred to the tire, causing deterioration of the bead. Normally, the burned bead causes loss of air, and the tire goes flat without hazard to anyone in the vicinity.Bead burning can result in the release of an explosive gaseous mixture inside the tire. In some cases the gaseous mixture inside the tire ignites. The internal burning causes a rapid increase in pressure, resulting in a violent tire explosion. The explosion produces a blowout at the tire bead which reacts against the machine to propel the tire, rim assembly and final drive components a considerable distance from the machine.The danger of a tire explosion is greatest after the machine stops, because of the loss of the cooling effect of the circulating air due to wheel rotation.If smoke, excessive heat, the smell of burning rubber or hot brakes, or other indications of bead burning are noticed, take action to prevent personal injury.Move the machine to a remote area, but only if it can be done without endangering the operator or other personnel in the area.Remove all personnel from the area where the machine is located.
Do not approach a tire closer than the outside of the area represented by the shaded area in the above drawing.
If it is absolutely necessary to approach a machine with a suspected tire, do not get closer to the tires than 15 m (50 feet) at the front or rear of the machine, nor closer to the side of the tire than 460 m (1500 feet).Do not approach any tire on the machine if there is a brake fire, burning rubber or other indications that excessive heat was generated by the brakes. Brake-generated heat probably affects all other tires on the machine, even though the visual evidence is only at one tire.If there is evidence of a brake fire or the smell of burning rubber, don't go near the machine. FIGHT THESE FIRES FROM A REMOTE LOCATION. (Too often, the immediate response to a fire involving tires or brakes, is for people to grab a handheld fire extinguisher and rush up close to the machine to help put out the fire.) Stay away from the machine until the tires cool. Allow at