SAFETY FIRST - Never Overlook Your Safety Gear

NEVER OVERLOOK YOUR SAFETY GEAR

By David Nehrbass

Typically, racers get to enjoy a little bit of down time in the winter season between Best In The Desert races. This is when you get to do a good tear down and inspection in your vehicle’s components in anticipation of that green fl ag in January of 2023. Often overlooked is your safety gear on your race vehicle and the items you wear in the vehicle. In this issue we will talk about some of required safety items that each and every competitor is required to wear or have on their vehicles for each and every race. Don’t get caught in the tech line scrambling for equipment only to realize it may have expired and doesn’t meet requirements.

SCR1.1 Requires helmets certifi ed under either SA2015 or SA2020 standards. No other certifi cation is allowed as a substitute. The helmet must also be in good shape. We have all heard of the superstition of throwing your new helmet to the ground to keep you from crashing, but the reality is once a helmet has had an impact with a hard

object, the structural integrity of the helmet is compromised. Cracked helmets, or cracked foam in the interior means it is time to order that new helmet regardless if the helmet still shows certifi ed.

SCR1.2 If for the Motorcycle, Quad and Crazy 3-wheel racers. Snell M2015/M2020 are the recommended helmet however, DOT FMVSS218, ECD ECE22-05, and BSI6658 Type-A with BSI sticker are accepted by BITD Tech. Open Face Helmets are not acceptable. Like helmets used in vehicles above, regardless of the year of certifi cation, if the helmet has damaged interior or exterior, it is no longer good enough for your brain. Do you have an old or damaged helmet? If it is just collecting dust, please consider donating it to our team for training. In addition to practicing for our team, several of our team members teach courses to various fi rst responders and broken helmets are a great teaching tool for hands on practical experience on things to look for. SCR2.1 Covers Fire Suits and other recommended undergarments. How old is your suit? How often do you wash it? Does it have any tears, rips or worn areas? These are the fi rst things to consider every time you put that suit on. Then look at the date. Every properly labeled SFI suit has a date. Typically, 3.2a/5 suits, like those required of all BITD vehicle racers, will expire within 5 years. If you are an active racer that washes their suit after every race, don’t wait until that time as every wash will start to loosen the threads on your suit and eventually decrease its fi re protection levels. SFI A/5 suits can’t typically be recertifi ed and are done at the end of their life date. It is very important to note that undergarments are critical of the success of your fi re suit. Nomex or other fi re-retardant garments are essential for you not to get burned. Furthermore, synthetic blend undergarments are 100% forbidden and not allowed. These garments while designed to help cool you in the heat, melt very quickly when heat is applied and have and will cause more damage than the initial fi re.

SCR5 All vehicle occupants must use a SFI rated 38.1 Head and Neck restraint. This restraint is good for 5 years from time of manufacture and can be recertifi ed by any number of manufactures at the end of their service life. It is important for you all to be familiar with your device and inspect it each and every race as well. Any rough edges or fractures in the composite or carbon fi ber can

result in the device failing and not doing what it is built to do.

SCR35 On the BITD Rulebook covers Seat Belts. Seat Belts are required to carry a SFI16.1 or 16.5 label and must be replaced or recertifi ed every two years. Seat belts are one of the items on your vehicle that are often overlooked even by seasoned racers. Making sure that your belts, buckles, locks and mounting hardware, as well as mounting locations are structurally sound, is critical for you to not only be comfortable in a race vehicle, but not get hurt in the event of a roll over. Make sure you ensure the mechanisms are functioning properly and not bent. And always make sure any new people in the vehicle understand how they operate, how to adjust and how to get out of them in a hurry.

SCR36 Another critical area of your personal safety is Window Nets. SFI 27.1 rated window nets are the only nets allowed within Best in the Desert. These nets must be removed and recertifi ed every two years by a licensed company. Window nets are critical to make sure you stay in the vehicle when you need to, and just as critical to make sure you can get out when you need to.

Fire Extinguishers – Ok everyone knows the fi re extinguisher requirements for every vehicle. But when was the last time you had every one of your extinguishers inspected? I recently saw an inspection tag on an extinguisher dated 2015. That means it’s been 7 years since it was offi cially checked. Dry Chemical extinguishers pack down to the lowest point when they are subjected to bouncing race cars. At a minimum, dry chemical extinguishers should be shaken up, tapped on the bottom with a dead blow to stir up the chemical, and gauge inspected to make sure it still is pressurized. Ever year at a minimum, even if the vehicle didn’t race, they should be replaced, or reinspected by a certifi ed company. This goes for your pit extinguishers as well on board all of your chase trucks.

Make sure you take time to familiarize yourself with all the rules in the Best in the Desert Rulebook for your class. If you aren’t in compliance, then make sure you get with Santa to make sure it arrives in time to have you ready to race the 2023 Best in the Desert Racing Association events. Hope to see everyone next year!