By Peter Mickelburough
The Herald Sun
Copyright 2007 The Herald and Weekly Times
MELBOURNE, Australia — Only one of the first six old ambulances to be independently tested was deemed fit for service.
An engineer tested the ambulances after paramedics took their concerns about keeping old vehicles on the road to the Industrial Relations Commission.
Major faults found included loose steering tie rod ends, wheel bearings and seats; worn ball joints; flashing lights that didn’t work; and, power steering leaks.
The Ambulance Employees Association said the results cast doubt on the Metropolitan Ambulance Service’s push to keep 45 ambulances which had exceeded the previously agreed 150,000km retirement span in service until 230,000km.
“If it wasn’t for these tests we’d never have known that these vehicles were in this state,” union boss Steve McGhie said.
The union agreed to a one- year trial that would see 36 of 45 older vehicles returned to service.
“If these vehicles are repaired to a standard that makes them roadworthy we are bound by the order of the commission to use them,” Mr McGhie said.
“But if the trial highlights that it’s too dangerous to run them on or there’s a multitude of maintenance issues and cost issues then we say those cars should cease service.”
MAS general manager operations Keith Young said one of the vehicles had returned to service and the rest would “be addressed.”
He said the testing engineer erred on the side of caution by deeming any degree of wear unroadworthy “until such time as experience and manufacturer’s data truly establishes the upper wear limits.”
“We support this position and without exception where wear has been identified the component parts have been rectified before placing the vehicles back into service,” Mr Young said.
“The whole purpose of these independent engineer assessments is to establish if there is anything that we need to modify in our maintenance system.”
The MAS said the 150,000km limit on its 185 Mercedes Benz ambulances had been arbitrary, with the Monash University Accident Research Centre finding vehicles were safe to 230,000 km.
The union said the move was financial because a glut of retired ambulances had halved resale prices to about $17,000.
On Friday an ambulance that had clocked up 140,000km was towed away when it broke down after taking a patient to Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Its crew was unable to respond to calls for 2 1/2 hours in a busy period.
Last month a 56-year-old heart attack victim died after an ambulance that had done more than 160,000km broke down on its way to save him.
Also last month:
A Sunbury crew racing to a Code 1 emergency had to turn back when the vehicle would not accelerate past 80km/h on the flat and 40km/h up hill.
AN ambulance with at least 150,000km on the odometer called to a baby suffering anaphylactic shock at a Newport childcare centre was delayed 35 minutes when the vehicle wouldn’t start.
In South Australia a limit of 100,000 km applies.