OM2033 Safety - Section 20 General Safety Page 20-11 TIRES STORING TIRES AFTER REMOVAL HANDLING TIRES As a basic rule, store the tires in a warehouse which unauthorized persons cannot enter. If the tires are stored outside, always erect a fence around the tires and put up No Entry and other warning signs that even young children can understand. If tires are not used under the specified conditions, they may overheat and burst or be cut and burst by sharp stones on rough road surfaces. This may lead to serious injury or damage. To maintain safety, always keep to the following con- ditions: Inflate the tires to the specified pressure.
Abnormal heat is generated particularly when the inflation pressure is too low. Use the specified tires. Stand the tire on level ground, and block it securely so that it cannot roll or fall over. The values given in this manual for the tire inflation pressure and permissible speed are general values. The actual values may differ depending on the type of tire and the condition under which they are used. For details, please contact your Komatsu distributor or tire maker. If the tire should fall over, get out of the way quickly. The tires for construction equipment are extremely heavy, so trying to hold the tire may lead to serious injury.
If the tires become hot, a flammable gas is produced, and this may ignite. It is par- ticularly dangerous if the tires become overheated when the tires are under pressure. If the gas generated inside the tire ignites, the internal pressure will suddenly rise, and the tire will explode, and this may lead to serious personal injury. Explosions differ from punctures or tire bursts, because the destructive force is extremely large. Therefore, the following operations are strictly prohibited when the tire is under high internal pressure: Welding the rim Building fires or carrying out welding near the wheel or tire.
If you do not understand the proper procedure for carrying out maintenance or replacement of the wheel or tire, and you use the wrong method, the wheel or tire may burst and cause serious injury or damage. When carrying out such maintenance, please consult your Komatsu distributor or tire maker.