SAFETY MEASURES DURING MAINTENANCE 11.4 TIRES Handling of Tires (also refer to chapter "20.2 Tire Service Life"). Tires may burst and the resulting blast wave or parts whirling around may cause severe injury or damage. Make sure that the applicable procedures for servicing and replacing of wheels or tires are fully understood and that only correct procedures are used. To ensure safety and reduce wear and tear, always adhere to the following instructions: Inflate tires up to the defined pressure. If the tire pressure is too low, the tires may heat up and burst. If the tire pressure is too high, there is also danger that the tire may burst.
If a tire heats up considerably, inflammable gases are pro- duced. A burning tire may burst very easily, thus spreading fire over a large area. Check the tire pressure when the tires are still cold. Do not let off pressure, when the pressure in a warm tire has increased. Do not light a fire and do not perform welding near the tire. Keep the working area free of pointed or sharp objects that may damage the tire. Avoid any overload. The values for the tire pressure and for the permitted speed cor- respond to the manufacturer specifications and refer to standard operations. If you want to perform special operations, contact the local Komatsu dealer or the tire manufacturer.
11.4.1 STORING TIRES Basically, tires must be stored in a protected room that cannot be accessed by unauthorised persons. Place the tires on an even surface and incline them 60° to 70° (2) against a solid stopper. Secure the tires with wheel chocks (1) so that they cannot roll away, tip over, or slip. If, however, a tire tips over despite this safety measure, do not try to stop it, but get out of the way as quickly as possible, since tires for construction machines are very heavy and may cause serious injuries. 42