Fire-Suppression Systems for Construction Equipment: Your Compliance & Uptime Playbook

May 22, 2025
3 Minute Read

When an excavator’s hydraulic line fails beside a welding torch, or a dozer idles on a slope packed with diesel-soaked debris, fire can erupt in seconds. In 2023 alone, U.S. job sites recorded “350 fires and explosions involving construction activities,” says Joyce Law Firm.

The OSHA citations, schedule delays, and replacement costs that follow often dwarf the price of installing an automatic fire-suppression system up-front.

Why the regulations really say

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.24

Scope: site-wide fire-protection program
Impact: document whether each hazard requires a fixed or portable system

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.151 & 1926.352

Scope: portable extinguishers within 100 ft of work
Impact: portables may not reach deep engine-bay fires—consider fixed systems

NFPA 17 & 17A

Scope: dry-chemical & foam systems for industrial vehicles
Impact: defines nozzle spacing, agent weight, and semi-annual inspections

Standard

Scope

Fire-Suppression Impact

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.24

Employer must maintain an effective fire-protection program on every site.

Written plan should specify fixed or portable systems for each hazard class.

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.151 & 1926.352

Portable extinguishers within 100 ft; equipment kept “ready for instant use.”

Portable cans alone often can’t reach hotspots deep in an engine bay.

NFPA 17 & 17A

Dry-chemical & foam systems for industrial vehicles.

Sets nozzle spacing, agent weight & semi-annual inspection cadence.

Why portable extinguishers aren't enough on modern fleets

Higher engine temps. Tier-4 Final diesels run ~150 °F hotter than Tier-3.
Tighter engine bays. Turbochargers, DEF lines, and DPFs leave zero room for a hand-held extinguisher.
24/7 shifts. Night work demands automatic detection when fewer eyes are on the machine.

AFEX & Amerex: purpose built for heavy construction

System

Best for

Key Advantage

GreasePoint Region

AFEX Dual-Agent

Excavators, dozers, loaders

Dry-chem knocks down flame; liquid agent cools hot metal

PA, DE, MD, VA, NJ

Amerex

Telehandlers, skid steers, tracked mulchers

Polymer surfactant clings to dust-coated surfaces

Mid-Atlantic Region and North & South Carolina

AFEX Dual-Agent

Best for: excavators, dozers, loaders
Advantage: dry-chem stops flames fast; liquid agent cools residual heat
Region: PA, MD, DE, VA, NJ

Amerex Liquid-Agent

Best for: telehandlers, skid steers, mulchers
Advantage: liquid agent with polymer stays on dust-covered parts
Region: Mid-Atlantic Region and North & South Carolina

See a live burn test video on our AFEX product page.

Cost & ROI snapshot

Typical Excavator

System cost: $13.6k installed
Replacement cost if total loss: $450k-$500k
Avg. fire claim: $68k
Payback: under one 10-hour shift of avoided downtime

Typical Wheel Loader

System cost: $14.4k installed
Replacement cost if total loss: $350k–$400k
Avg. fire claim: $52k
Payback: under one 10-hour shift of avoided downtime

Item

Typical Excavator

Typical Wheel Loader

System cost (installed)

$13,600 installed

$14,400 installed

Total equipment replacement cost if fully destroyed

≈ $450,000 – $500,000

≈ $350,000 – $400,000

Avg. fire-damage claim (repairs + initial downtime)*

$68,000

$52,000

Payback expressed in shifts †

< 1 shift (≈ ½ shift)

*Based on 2023 insurance loss data for off-road machinery.

†Assumes an average $28,000 in production & standby costs per 10-hour shift for mid-size earth-moving equipment; adjust to your job-site rates for a precise ROI.

Ready to protect your fleet?

Email us at hello@greasepoint.com or call us at 888-631-7638. We’ll review your equipment list, outline code requirements, and deliver a compliance plan.

GreasePoint is an authorized AFEX distributor for the Mid-Atlantic and the exclusive Amerex heavy-equipment fire-suppression partner for North Carolina.

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