November/December 2018 | VehicleServicePros.com 35
the fl oor. With natural gas – because it rises –
the concern is the fi rst 18” below the ceiling. In
facilities that cannot achieve a certain level of
continuous ventilation, the area within 18” of
the ceiling must have explosion-proof electrical
equipment.
“Th at becomes a huge problem for many existing
maintenance facilities,” Th omason says.
Most of those problems can be overcome when
fl eets invite the assistance of natural gas experts.
“Fleets can look at this like they would any
other facility upgrade,” says Ted Barnes, research
and development director for the Gas Technology
Institute (GTI). “You always want to get some kind
of consultant or design fi rm involved. When
you do that, this can be a fairly straightforward
process.” GTI is a research, development and training
organization addressing energy and environmental
challenges to enable a secure, abundant
and aff ordable energy future.
Start with a facility assessment
It is possible that no modifi cations will be necessary.
It depends on the types of services being
performed in the facility. Th at is why a thorough
facility assessment is the fi rst step.
“If the fl eet merely operates a minor repair
facility, nothing new needs to be done in order
to service NGVs,” says Daniel Gage, president of
NGVAmerica, which represents more than 200
companies, environmental groups and government
organizations interested in the use of natural
gas and biomethane as transportation fuels.
A minor repair facility is one that does not service
a vehicle’s fuel system, nor does it provide services
that require emptying of the fuel tank. Minor repair
facilities engage in basic maintenance services such
as lubrication, fl uid changes, tire changes, parts
replacement and engine tune-ups.
For fl eets that engage in major repairs, some
facility modifi cations will likely be necessary.
“Th e building envelope is the major thing we
like to discuss fi rst,” NGVi’s Th omason says. “Are
the trusses and ceiling cavity open and allowing
for air movement, or is it all enclosed like you see
with these old pre-stressed concrete beam ceilings?
Th at can create a major challenge.”
Fleets must also think about how their maintenance
facility is structured. Are there offi ces
that adjoin the maintenance facility? Does the
partition separating the offi ces and the service
area go all the way to the ceiling? Are there doors
and windows? Th ese are all potential avenues for
escaped gas to travel through the facility, increasing
the opportunities for ignition.
Once the facility assessment is completed,
fl eets should outline a modifi cation plan and
discuss it with the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction)
to ensure compliance. Th at plan should
include fuel types, maintenance activities to be
performed, standard operating procedures and
staff training. Th ere are several fi re safety codes,
such as the International Code Council’s (ICC’s)
International Fire Code or the National Fire
Protection Association’s NFPA 30A, but not all are
uniformly adopted by all local AHJs. Th at’s why
» As natural gas vehicles are incorporated
into a fleet, maintenance facility
modifications will need to take place.
Photo courtesy of Daimler
» A pass-through window presents a potential path of migration.
Photo courtesy of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates
» The most common form of facility
ventilation is a roof-mounted upblast
fan that vents into the atmosphere.
Photo courtesy of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates
» This gas-fired fan heater needs
to be replaced or removed.
Photo courtesy of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates
» A ceiling-mounted combustible
gas detection head.
Photo courtesy of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates
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