With the recent rise in fires starting at scrap metal merchants, we’re reminding people what you can and can’t scrap at Singleton’s and how to do it safely.
Earlier this month, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service firefighters attended a large fire that started at a scrap car dealership. Eight fire engines from Bury, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Heywood, Broughton, Agecroft, Oldham and Bolton attended the blaze at the site on Pimhole Road, Bury.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) have said: “At just after 1.30am on Tuesday (September 3) eight fire engines were called to a fire involving a large amount of scrap metal at a commercial premises in Bury.”
Fires at scrap metal dealerships and recycling plants are unfortunately not rare, and while there are no official records of just how many there are each year, any is one too many. But how and why do these fires start?
Discarded batteries and combustible materials
The most common and possibly most dangerous reason is scrap metal containing ignition sources like batteries. Just last month over 80 firefighters attended a blaze at a scrap metal and waste recycling centre where an investigation found the source to be a discarded battery. The British Metals Recycling Association released a statement last year highlighting the dangers of lithium-ion batteries after disposable vapes, which contain batteries, caused several fires across the UK. When pierced by a sharp object or crushed, batteries can spark and combust, causing large-scale damage.
Some scrap metal from cars, building sites and industrial waste can contain oily metal shavings that spontaneously combust. While rare, this can happen when the metal is left in the wrong conditions for too long and then begins to oxidise rapidly in the presence of air, oxygen, or moisture. Scrap metal can also contain combustible materials like cardboard, rags, plastics, oils, and flammable gases. These materials should be separated from scrap metal brought to Singleton’s to prevent fires and protect staff and customers. Even using the wrong equipment, like forklifts and cranes, can cause sparks that can quickly consume a scrap metal yard.
A scrap metal yard is a hazardous environment, and Singleton’s is no different. However, we have worked with Citation to identify our safety risks and ensure we have all the correct policies and procedures in place to protect our staff and customers. A qualified health and safety consultant has visited Singleton’s Scrap Metal and conducted a thorough analysis of all health and safety issues. This includes accident reporting, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), risk assessments and fire safety precautions – we’d rather be safe than sorry!
At Singleton’s we take safety very seriously, and we’d like to remind people to check their scrap for any batteries or non-recyclable materials and metals. If you’re unsure on what’s suitable, get in touch, we’d be happy to help.
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