Authored by: Jeff Brown, Senior Manager – HSSE / FSO for Fenix Marine Services
Safety in the workplace often comes down to one simple principle: understanding the risks and how best to control them before the job begins. In the latest installment of the National Maritime Safety Association’s Learn and Live Safety Video series, we highlight an important but sometimes overlooked hazard—split rim wheel repair.
Split rim wheels, also known as multi-piece rims, are commonly used on heavy vehicles and equipment. While they are designed for durability and serviceability, they may pose serious safety risks if handled incorrectly. The purpose of this video is to raise awareness about those risks and reinforce the importance of proper procedures when servicing these types of wheels.
Why Split Rim Wheels Can Be Dangerous
What makes split rim wheels unique is also what creates unique hazards. Unlike single-piece wheels, these assemblies are made up of multiple components that fit together under significant air pressure. When inflated, the force contained inside the tire can be significant, and even at relatively low pressure a tire can release tremendous energy if a component fails or separates.
If a locking ring or other component is not seated properly during repair or reassembly, the stored pressure can cause parts to separate with great force. Incidents involving multi-piece rims have historically resulted in severe injuries and fatalities across several industries. That’s why proper training and procedures are critical whenever maintenance or repair work is performed.
Key Safety Considerations
The Learn and Live video emphasizes several safety principles workers should keep in mind when dealing with split rim wheels:
Understand the equipment. Before performing any repair, workers should be familiar with the type of rim they are servicing and understand how each component functions within the assembly.
Inspect all parts thoroughly. Damaged or worn components—such as cracked rims, bent rings, or corroded parts—can fail during inflation or while in service, and even small defects can create serious hazards if overlooked.
Follow correct procedures. Proper demounting, mounting, and inflation techniques are essential for maintaining safety. Deviating from established procedures significantly increases the risk of component failure.
Use appropriate safety equipment. Devices such as inflation cages, clip-on air chucks, and remote inflation systems help guard employees, or create distance between workers and the tire assembly during inflation, thereby reducing the risk of injury if something goes wrong.
Learning from Real-World Experience
The goal of the Learn and Live series is simple: help workers learn from real incidents and experiences so they can avoid future incidents. Split rim repair is one of those tasks where mistakes can quickly lead to dangerous consequences. By slowing down, following proper procedures, and respecting the hazards involved, workers can dramatically reduce the risk associated with this type of maintenance and repair.
Safety culture is built through conversations, training, and continuous learning, and videos like this serve as reminders that even routine maintenance tasks can carry potential dangers if not recognized and controlled.
We encourage you to watch the full video and share it with your team as part of your ongoing safety discussions and training. Whether you work directly with heavy equipment or supervise teams that do, awareness, recognition and training are the first steps toward preventing injuries and incidents.
At the National Maritime Safety Association, our mission is to support safer workplaces across the maritime and port industries. The Learn and Live Safety Video series is one way we continue that effort, and share lessons that help keep our workers safe every day.