LTB 271/22 – Royal Mail Vauxhall Combo Van Serious Fire – Battery Power Lead Earthing Risk (RED TSB ISSUED)

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-271-22-roya ... sb-issued/

LTB 271/22 – Royal Mail Vauxhall Combo Van Serious Fire – Battery Power Lead Earthing Risk (RED TSB ISSUED)
No. 271/2022

16 June 2022

Our Ref: V4/22

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

Royal Mail Vauxhall Combo Van Serious Fire – Battery Power Lead Earthing Risk (RED TSB ISSUED):

Following a serious vehicle fire which destroyed a Vauxhall Combo van, an investigation by RM Fleet found that an incorrect battery had been supplied and fitted which was slightly taller than the correct standard battery. Additionally, the battery terminal plastic cover was missing from the battery lead. This caused the terminal to contact and arc to the underside of the vehicle bonnet and subsequently cause a fire.

RM Fleet issued a ‘RED’ Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) No 11/22 to implement a safety remedial action plan for all Vauxhall Combo battery dimensions/height to be checked and any batteries in excess of the correct maximum height to be changed in order to avoid contact with the underside of the vehicle bonnet.

See attached copy of the ‘Red TSB’ and images of the burnt out van. https://www.cwu.org/wp-content/uploads/ ... -Check.pdf

Through the Red TSB process, RM Fleet Workshops are checking all Vauxhall Combo vans to ensure they are safe.

To support the campaign, would all ASRs ensure that drivers undertake their pre-use checks and observe whether there are any signs of contact and arcing between the battery terminals and bonnet underside. If so this should be reported to the RM Fleet workshops via a PMT1 and the van taken out of service for safety checking and repair.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[Woody Guthrie]

The elephant in the room.
How old was this combo because as far as I'm aware we haven't been buying these things for at least 10 years.