Iffy subject this at the moment.
We have had a number of discussions with a couple of insurance companies and a friend "up there" in the HSE - very much off the record without rocking boats etc. There are moves for a formal Certificate of Competence for operating vintage machinery in a public place and we have been told it will almost certainly happen in the near future. It is aimed more at the commercial/museum environment but there is always the possibility it will be extended to the hobby particularly when such large engines are making their way back on to the rally field, in fact it is more than likely.
There are several recorded incidents at rallies last year one of which could have proved fatal had the lump concerned (2lb) hit anybody. The concern is aimed more at the larger engines being exhibited rather than Lister/Petter sized stuff.
I have video of a large open crank engine that is regularly rallied where you can see the support for the outrigger bearing moving a large amount in relation to the bed and I'll swear you can see the crank flexing at the outside of the main bearing (probably not visible really, you just fancy it is). There is good chance that the crank will fail on this engine in the not too distant future, in addition this engine, like many other large exhibits, is run at rated speed. It would be far better to reset the governor to run slowly as both The Anson and ourselves do - safer and makes the engine more visible to the public . The owner has said this is b******s and is not intending to remedy either situation.
4 tons of flywheel is going to hurt anyone it hits were it to break free, to be fair it is more likely to snap on the pin but you never know..
The problem is that whilst 99% of people are careful and thorough there are always cowboys about. We were sold an engine in "excellent condition" that turned out to have had a building dropped on it (we assume). The flywheels had been filled and painted but were actually cracked/broken in six places on each wheel. Odds on they would have let go at some point and weighing 1/4 of a ton each could have been lethal, sooner or later it is going to happen and someone will get hurt. We now get all the larger wheels crack tested as you can't know all the history
- how many people with large engines at rallies will have done that? Perhaps that should be a requirement for spoked flywheels in the same way as a boiler certificate on a hot fog.
It might be better for clubs to get together and produce have a simple "know your engine" type basic safety course/whatever so that in the event of something happening it can be said the problem has been addressed with a voluntary code of practice - sorry if that sounds like red tape.
The way society is going at the moment legislation is inevitable. The problem is how to deal with it in such a way that it does not kill off the hobby on the private side and stop the working of engines on the museum side.
No doubt a lot of people will disagree with this lot and insist that it is not needed and will never happen, hope it doesn't, but think it will, better to be prepared.
In the words of Fraser from Dads Army "You're all dooomedd" :-)
Paul
p.s. Bonus - get rid of the lawnmower engine ticket brigade if basic safety ticket was required.
-- ____________________________________
Internal Fire, Museum of Power, Wales
formatting link
Internal Fire Museum of Power is a Not-for-Profit company registered in the UK