Are your tools 'thermal runaways'?

Ever heard the term 'thermal runaway'?

If you have an overly active sense of humor (as I do), you might be picturing a cartoon character (like Reddy Kilowatt) hitchhiking on the side of the road.

But no-- a thermal runaway is not nearly as innocuous as a cute little corporate icon meant to teach electrical safety. Thermal runaway is actually a rather dangerous failure that results from some sort of damage to an item with an internal power source, like a lithium battery.

So, like your impact wrench? If you drop it and damage it, let it overheat or charge too long, if you're using inferior-quality batteries or chargers, or if there's some sort of internal flaw, you could see thermal runaway in action. You might get a flash of ignition with intense heat of up to 1000° C, and/or a catastrophic explosion.

What's worse, even if you do manage to put out the blaze, the fire could result in the release of toxic gasses, or run the risk of re-ignition later, after the shop is closed or you've shut the garage door for the night.

Of course, prevention is the best cure. So even though you're obsessed with installing that modded exhaust stack on your project car, or you're racing to finish a construction job before the next contactor's scheduled to start, there's no excuse for taking shortcuts-- or cutting corners. Make sure you're not leaving your tools on their chargers too long. Make sure you're using high-quality chargers and batteries (NOT after-market ones!). And if you do drop that tool from a rooftop onto the concrete below? Ehhh, it's toast. Figuratively AND literally. Don't try to fix it.

At Redline Fire and Safety, prevention is always our first goal. So whether you need to install some extinguishers in your shop or garage, or (if you already have them) get them inspected-- or if you need to know how to respond in an emergency, we've got you covered. From sales, service, installation and training, check out our services here. And be prepared to do your best work ever.

Image: Freepik

Inside the Red Line

What is the thin red line?

Behind the single red stripe that runs through the middle of American flags associated with firefighters lies a culture of brotherhood and respect. The 'Brotherhood' refers to solidarity among the men and women who risk their lives to save and protect ours. The Brotherhood means each firefighter has one another's backs, prioritizing protecting each one, often over one's own safety. What's more, the thin red line also represents that last ounce of courage, sweat and blood a firefighter has to give. It's the ultimate sacrifice. Greater love has no one than that they lay down their life for another.

A firefighter undergoes rigorous training before they even set foot into a practice fire, let alone a real one. And key to being well-trained is being prepared. Firefighters often underscore the importance of preparedness with mottoes that become daily mantras on the job. In essence, these mantras reinforce that the very worst fire plan is no plan.

As a civilian, fire safety is likely not top-of-mind for you-- at least not every day. Maybe you've had CPR or fire extinguisher operational training in the past. Perhaps you have a passing familiarity with AEDs. Maybe you look at the tags on your fire extinguishers frequently, or maybe, like most things, it's "set and forget". That's okay until it isn't.

Like firefighters who carefully plan their attack on a burning building after assessing the situation, armed with the preparedness their training provides, the best response for everyday emergencies comes down to being ready for them.

For businesses, medical professionals, educators, clergy or anyone who comes into contact with others regularly, being prepared for the unexpected is vitally important-- but often overlooked. That's where Redline Fire and Safety comes in.

Yes, we can check, recharge and replace your fire extinguishers. Yes, we can provide you with life-saving AED devices. And we can also train you. From fire extinguisher training to bringing you up to speed on the newest CPR techniques to increasing your confidence in using your AED, we've got your back-- just like the Brotherhood. And that's what's standing behind the Redline.

Want to know more? Contact Redline Fire and Safety today.

Are you sleeping with the enemy?

We've all done it. Doom scrolling in bed. Online shopping at 3 am. And what about when you've gone down a social media rabbit hole, and accidentally clicked "like" on a photo of someone you don't even know as you're dozing off?

As cringey as that is, what's worse is what could happen if you sleep with electronics on the regular.

So hold up-- it happens. No shame, no judgement here.

Circa 2016 or so, the infamous Galaxy Note 7 phone was notorious for exploding at inconvenient (and often dangerous) times-- like when you might be scrolling in bed, for example, In fact, these phones were even banned from aircraft due to their propensity for blowing up in storage compartments. What caused all this mess? A faulty design that allowed no clearance between the lithium battery and the phone body, causing the battery to rupture when it heated with use.

Since then, phone designs have improved, but the danger, though lessened, is still present.

Any device, actually, poses some danger when it's charging-- smart watches, vapes, Bluetooth speakers, gaming devices, laptops. The problem comes in when you keep devices plugged in for extended charging, or over-charge then. Or maybe you've felt that slight burn when you've accidentally rolled over on top of the phone that's slipped through your grasp.

What's the danger, exactly? A device can rapidly overheat, especially when charging, leading to a rapid and unpredictable explosion and a fire that goes from zero to sixty-thousand in one blink. And if you're right there next to the device, you might not have time to execute that escape plan that we hope you have already.

So how can Redline Fire and Safety help you recognize dangers like this? While you may not be sleeping on the job, fire safety is still a concern at work-- maybe even more so. Mix dangerous chemicals and a stray spark, and boom! So rather than simply burning your own house down, you've now got a fire on your hands that can result in the loss of life, property and revenue for many people.

For businesses of any size, Redline provides training on fire safety and awareness, as well as conducting fire inspections on your property that can help you get your house in order before your annual inspection required by your jurisdiction, or simply guarantee your peace of mind. We also offer fire extinguisher, AED and CPR training, along with a wide array of safety products so your business can react quickly in an emergency. Want to know more? Contact us today.

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