Members are advised that during a 5^th alarm response in Auckland a serious near miss occurred while deploying lengths of 90mm Fireflex stainless banded hose from the hose layer.  Lengths of the hose failed with the coupling coming off under pressure leaving the hose flailing about.

Please see photos below including the serial numbers and descriptions of the failed hose which are listed here:

• FENZ 585059 PSL SN 2022/143
• FENZ 555783 PSL SN 2022/110
• FENZ 585082 PSL SN 2022/206

The cause is yet to be determined and work is underway for appropriate FENZ personnel and NZPFU representatives to meet with the supplier,  as well as various testing being conducted to try and ascertain the reason why the failures occurred and to try and determine the possible extent of the issue.

This failure raises two safety issues –the reliability of the hose for those on the incident ground relying on the water, and the potential for harm for those working around the hose if the hose was to separate from the coupling.

NZPFU representatives met this morning and determined that the following should be advised to all members for precautionary measures to be undertaken until more is understood about the failures.

1. Where possible remove the 90mm Fireflex stainless banded hose from appliances and use alternative hose.
2. Where it is not possible to remove all 90mm Fireflex stainless banded hose then remove the hose with the above batch numbers and take precautionary measures with all other 90mm Fireflex hose.

When deploying 90mm Fireflex hose steps need to be taken to manage the risk to the health and safety of personnel.  Some suggested precautionary measures are:

• Connect or run 90mm hose from the Offside of the appliance or the side that reduces the pump operator and other personnel’s exposure to harm
• As it may have been a pressure issue, reduce the pressure or twin the supply where possible.
• Register use of 90mm Fireflex stainless banded those in safe@work until the cause and extent is known.

It is important that all hose operating failures are recorded in safe@work and notified appropriately on the incident ground.  If you know of other incidents where the 90mm Fireflex hose has failed or separated from the coupling or please notify the FENZ Equipment and Logistics team so that a full picture of issues has been received.

The NZPFU is seeking a level 2 investigation into the failure of the hose  in addition to any Operational Review of the 5^th alarm incident.

For more information or clarification of the above please contact NZPFU representatives Greg Lee (027 471 9757) or Craig Lampp (027 406 5304) or Terry Bird (022 628 0828).