Volvo EC35, Operator'S Manual

Page: 80 / 140

Safety when servicing
78 Read before servicing
Fluorinated rubber
Exercise extreme care when handling suspected fluorinated
rubber.
Certain seals, which have to withstand high operating temperatu-
res (e.g. in engines, transmissions, axles, hydraulic pumps), may
be made from fluorinated rubber, which, when exposed to strong
heat (fire), forms hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid. This acid
is highly caustic and cannot be rinsed or washed off from the skin.
It causes severe caustic burns which take a long time to heal.
It usually means that damaged tissue must be surgically removed.
After contact with the acid several hours may pass before any
symptoms appear and a direct skin contact is not immediately ap-
parent. The acid may remain on machine parts for several years
after a fire.
If swelling, redness or a stinging feeling is experienced and one
suspects that the cause may be the contact with heated fluorinated
rubber, seek medical advice immediately. If a machine, or part of a
machine, has been exposed to fire or severe heat, it should be
handled by specially trained personnel. When handling a machine
after a fire, thick rubber gloves and protective goggles must be
used.
The area around a part which has been heated up to high tempe-
ratures and which may be made of fluorinated rubber should be
decontaminated by thorough and ample washing with lime water
(a solution or suspension of calcium hydroxide, i.e. slaked lime in
water). After the work has been completed, the gloves should be
washed in lime water and then disposed of.
Rubber and plastics
Polymer materials when heated can generate chemical combina-
tions, which are harmful for health and environment. These must
therefore never be burnt for the purpose of waste disposal. Care
should also be taken when handling machines which have been
subjected to fire or other extreme heat.
If torch cutting or welding work is to be carried out near such ma-
terials, the following safety instructions must be strictly observed:
– Protect the material from heat.
– Use protective gloves, protective goggles and an approved re-
spiratory equipment.