Learning bulletin Thames Water Thames Valley What Happened On the 22nd August and 18 October, two near miss incidents where reported. The vehicle Toughbook battery chargers malfunctioned which resulted into a small fire , which in turn exposed the internal wiring. Why did it really happen? The life span of a charger is 1 year. These particular chargers have been in use for over 3 years. No daily visual checks were done to ensure the Toughbook chargers are in good condition. What can I do differently? Daily visual checks to be completed to ensure condition of charger is suitable for use, with no visual signs of damage and defects. An alert has been sent out to all the network service technicians informing them about the fire hazard. Toughbook chargers are to be re-issued every year. Order a replacement if the charger looks of a poor condition or damaged.