Pressure washing trucks are usually safe work environments.
Pressure Washing Truck Catches Fire. Photo provided by the Vernon Fire Department
But recently, a pressure washing truck was engulfed in flames while the driver was outside washing a front end loader. He was working at the Regional Compost Facility near Vernon, BC, in western Canada. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.
Just like around other kinds of trucks, minor accidents do happen. Someone slipping or tripping over a hose are the most common.
But there are other things in the trucks used for pressure washing that are not usually seen in other kinds of trucks. Because pressure washers have a small engine that usually runs on gas, there is always the potential for fires.
And if the pressure washing machines are the hot water kind, they have a burner that usually burns diesel, so there are more cans of fuel in the truck.
So you have to be careful when the machines are running. There are sparks, heat and plenty of fuel if something does go wrong.
So while fires are rare, you need to make sure there are no loose electrical connections, leaking fuel lines or anything else. Other wise, the truck may end up looking like the one in this picture.
