- -.- ~ - (One in a series of safety information bulletins from your Joint Insurance Fund) 52006-2 (Page 1 of 3) EMERGENCY RESPONDERS... DD-YOU KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THE NEW HYBRID VEHICLES? Hybrid vehicles are becomingincreasinglypopular as gasolineprices go up and environmentalconcerns increase. More manufacturersare coming on line with these vehicles. A hybrid vehicle is one that combines a smaller-than-normalinternal combustion gasoline engine with the electric motor of an electric~poweredvehicle. The gasoline engine and the electric motor work separatelyor together to provide power to the drive wheels of the vehicle. This bulletin is to inform you of someof the general considerationsin dealingwith hybrid car incidentsand is not a completeoutline of the issues. We SU2:2est that if SOPs/SOGshave not been developedand trained for. that this be done. Police, EMTS and Fire Respondersneed to be aware of new hazards. . When the vehicle is stoppedthere may not be any soundcoming from the enginecompartment, just silence.A silent car doesnot indicate that the vehicle is turned off or that it won't suddenly engagewhile you are working on it. . An additional hazard is that rescuerswill encounterhigh voltage conditions. Rescuersmay be exposedto up to 600 volts under somecircumstances.The hybrid high voltage systemis isolated from the body chassisand unlikely to affect rescueoperations,but rescuersneedto be awareof its presence. Recognizing a hybrid isn't always easy. The Ford Escape,for example, looks identica! to its gaspoweredcounterpart.The sameis true for the Toyota Highlander,so labeling is critical. . Most say "Hybrid" on the nameplate at the rear of the vehicle. Look for warning labels inside variouspartsof the car. . One must look inside the car. There is an indicator "Ready" green light that can give the alert emergencyrespondersome indication of the status of the vehicle and its' potential to "drive away." Rescuersshould look for thick bright orangepower cablesrunning through the undercarriageor the engine. While theseare not running through parts usually involved in extrications,rescuers still needto know the potential dangerin touchingthem. Each manufacturer has slightly different response recommendations, but a general protocol can be developed. These procedures represent hybrid vehicle 'Lock Out-Tag Out' protocols for emergency incidents that serve to maximize safety and minimize risks to personnel and patients. Generic Task Common to All Vehicles It Is suggestedthat Safety DIrector'sBulletins are posted on your safety announcementboatds. This bu/letin Is Intendedfor genera/Informationpurposesonly. It should not be construedas legal advice or /ega1opinionregardingany specific or factual situation. Always follow your organization'spolicies and proceduresas presented to you by your manageror supervisor. For furtherInformationregardingthe contentof this bulletin.pleasecontactCommerceRIsk ControlSelVlcesat 877-396-3800. CommerceRisk Control Services OSHA'S RECORDKEEPING RULE Safety Director's Bulletin S2006-2 Page 2 of 3 There are three basic tasksassociatedwith all motor vehiclesand departmentsshould considerincluding themwhen updatingor developingSOPs/SaGsfor vehicle rescue: 1. Immobilize the Vehicle: Prevent the vehicle from moving under power or by gravity. Chock/block the wheels,shift into PARK if not alreadydone,shut the vehicle OFF and remove the key/keylessFOB to a point greaterthan (15) feet from the vehicle's dash. (A FOB is the keylessentry and ignition systemthe driver carrieswith him). 2. StlJbilite the Vehicle: If extrication is required, stabilizing the vehicle is NOT an option. The vehicle's weight must be transferred from suspensionsystem to the frame that is resting on cribbing or other suitableequipmentdesignedfor stabilization. 3 Disable the Vehicle: Oncethe vehicle'shasbeenusedto the responder'sadvantage(power down windows, openlocks, move seats,etc), the responderthen disconnectsthe battery tenninal cables (negative first then positive) or cut a 3-4 inch section out of the low voltage cables.00 NOT attempt to disconn~t the high voltage battery cables.Hybrid vehicles can run silent and in this statemay provide power to the low voltage system.If the IGNmON SYSTEM can not be SHUT OFF, the responderwill needto accessthe specific recommendationof that MAKE and MODEL hybrid vehicle. DO NOT touch, cut, push, or breachany ORANGE high voltage cable or other high voltagecomponent.Doing so may result in seriousbums or death. ResponderSafety: Shut Down/OFF the Ignition System A primary objective for the emergencyresponderat a hybrid incident will be to shutthe vehicle OFF, this providesthe following: . Shutsdown the hybrid system Shutsdown the fuel pump Stopselectrical flow to the SRSECU Isolatesthe high voltage current from the HV battery pack It shouldbe notedthat the hybrid systemwill havehigh voltage capacitorsthat can storea high voltage currentfor up to 10 minutes,evenafter the vehicle is shut down/off. Always considera high voltage cableto be liv~ot. Fire Suppression Where a fully involved hybrid vehicle fire is encountered,copious (large and sufficient) amountsof water will generallybe the extinguishingagentof choice. This will eliminate the radiant heat and begin cooling the metal batteIy box and the plastic battery cell modules inside the high-voltagebattery pack itself. According to reliable sources,fire suppressioncrews will not be shockedor electrocutedduring direct attackon a hybrid vehicle fire, evenif flamesare impinging on the battery pack itself. Most authorities agreethat virtually all fifes involving the Ni-MH batteriesor the hybrid vehicle itself can be controlled with water. When water is used,however,somehydrogengasmay be released.In this situation,ventilate by leaving the tnmk or hatchbacklid openis advised.If there is concernthat hydrogen gasis present,fire smotheringagentssuchas thoseusedby hazmatteamsare recommended. Class D extinguishersare not generally recormnendedfor use since some of them may be chemically incompatiblewith the batterypacks. There are potential fire situations involving a hybrid that can presentunique concerns.Any fire where there is direct flame impingementon the high-voltagebattery pack would be one example.A fire that has OSHA'S RECORD KEEPING RULE Safety Director's Bulletin S2006-2 Page 3 of 3 originated within the battery pack itself or an electrical fire that begins somewherewithin the highvoltageelectrical systemwould alsorequire specialprecautions. The high-voltagebattery is in a somewhatprotectedposition in both the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight. It will survive most crasheswithout physical damagedue to its location abovethe rear axle. A violent crash,especiallya side collision at the rear wheel, however,can crush or break openthe internal cells of the high voltagebattery. Be cautiousif the high-voltagebattery has beenphysically damagedor exposedto extremeheatimpingement. Additional Resources An ExcellentDetailed article on this subjectcanbe found at hit ://www.fIrehouse.com/extrication/archives/200IfulOI.htrnI. Hondaand Toyota havecreatedguidesfor emergencyworkersto familiarize them with eachmodel.The guidesshow the locationsof the batteriesand the kill switches.Toyota has offeredto bring a hybrid to fire stationsor ambulancestationsupon requestto provide a tutorial of how the car works. Other manufacturersmay be contactedthroughyour local dealer. httD://techinfo.tovota.convDub Iic/main/Hi2hlandHVERG2.