Vehicles Airbags
The Rescuers Approach to Airbags
- Airbags are designed to protect the occupants in the event of a collision however they present potential life threatening hazards to rescuers
- Always assume that all vehicles are fitted with airbags
- Protective clothing e.g gloves and safety goggles, must always be worn, especially when working inside a vehicle
- Rescuers in vehicles should work at the side or behind occupants avoiding the airbag deployment zone
- Rescuers should also highlight the location of airbags to other emergency personnel and maintain a safe approach to casualties at all times
Airbag Injuries
- Injuries sustained from airbag deployment include:-
- Eye & skin irritation from airbag powder / residue e.g sodium hydroxide
- Burns from the hot metal components of the airbag casing
- Abrasions to head, face, neck, shoulder and upper limbs
- Fractures to the face, upper limbs, ribs (one reported case of # C2)
- Lung contusions and lacerations to the chest or heart
Location of Airbags
- Vehicles with airbags can be identified by the initials SRS (Supplementary Restraint System) or the word "AIRBAG"
- Always look for these whenever entering a vehicle at an incident. Take a torch with you if it is dark
- These can be located in a number of different places on modern vehicles:-
1) Driver airbag - located in the steering wheel
Driver Airbag deploys ~ 25cm
2) Front passenger airbag - located in the glove compartment
Passenger Airbag deploys ~ 50cm
2) Seat mounted side airbags
3) Side-door, pillar & inflatable curtain airbags
Side-door airbags deploys ~ 12cm
4) Roof airbags - deployed on roll-over collisions
Mechanism of Air Bag Deployment
- Airbags are designed to deploy when a vehicle is involved in a head-on collision or a collision within 30 degrees of head-on
- Sensors within the car detect the impact and activate a gas generator using sodium azide and other chemicals as a propellant inflating the airbag with nitrogen in less than 150 milliseconds (1)
- This process usually produces a light smoke within the vehicle which may contain sodium hydroxide a mild alkali responsible for eye and skin irritation
- Affected areas should be washed with a mild soap and water which neutralises the alkali
- Talcum powder or cornstarch is used to prevent the airbag from sticking together on deployment
- Some modern cars inflate the airbag to a level appropriate to the force of impact and then deflate partially to cushion the rebounding occupant (2)
Dangers of vehicle airbags
By Dr. N. Sparrow - 7th June 2009
References
(1) Somerset Fire Brigade OPP / ACO OPS Vehicle Hazards OPS1/50 Feb 2002
(2) Volvo XC70 Car Promotion Information - www.volvocars.co.uk
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