OT: People Doing Dangerous Things at Gas Stations.

A recent thread about Hazardous Areas reminded me of a pet peeve: People that engage in dangerous actions at gasoline pumps. I have seen at least 7 or 8 different people in the last 5 years that were smoking a cigarette or cigar while pumping gas. I have seen carloads of smokers parked at the gas pumps with the windows down. I have asked the guy (and at least one woman) at the next pump to please put out the smoke, only to be given a quizzical look. The lady asked me "Why? I have been doing this all my life, and it hasn't blown up yet...!"

So how many have experienced the same unsafe behavior?

Too many times to think about. I usually just move to a different pump to get as far away from them as possible. AND, you dare not say anything to them, you might meet with some choice, four letter expletives.

I haven't seen it personally, but it made me think: Have you ever heard of a gas station blowing up from something a customer did? I mean, they must be pretty darn safe, considering that millions of completely unskilled people drive up every day and dispense highly explosive fules into their gas tanks with no supervision at all. I could probably stand there with ten bic lighters and still wouldn't blow up the place. The fuel/air ratio just isn't conducive to exploding.

I've been (when on holiday) to a couple of small 'petrol' stations in Cyprus,where someone dispenses the fuel for you.

The guy at one of them was smoking whilst doing so...

It seems dangerous but I don't think is much chance of an explosion, unless, of course, the fueling take place in a indoor location.

I saw this video on the net the other day. Some kid filled a ball with gasoline and light it up with a match... didn't look too bad, just a flame a few inches long... then the dude kicked it.. yup, the thing just exploded all over him. Fun stuff

edit: it's a melon, here's the link, http://www.giantketchup.com/video/special_people/fire_melon.html

Friend of mine worked at a service station (as we call them in Oz). Some guy in an old 4WD comes flying into the station with flames coming out of his car grille, stops next to a pump and jumps out to get help! Naturally, my mate comes rushing out and douses the flames with a foam-type fire extinguisher, and gives this idiot a serve. Seriously, you have a burning car and you stop on top of 10,000L of fuel? That's the sort of thinking that will thin out your genes.

I have seen people puffing at the gas station, though I personally think it is pretty alright if you douse out the lighted bit properly. But I'm a little puzzled in this: No chatting on your mobile while fueling up. It's stated that it can cause fuel to combust, or something of that sort. I do not know why, and neither do I know how true it is. Can anyone enlighten me?

regards
Sherine T.

Here in the UK, I am qualified to test and inspect electrical installations in Hazardous areas. And (as you would imagine) there are some pretty strict rules.

I do a lot of petrol stations and yes I have seen people drive in and fill up while smoking.
Part of the regulations stipulate that the cashier must have an unristricted view of the forecourt and a loudspeaker system (in perfect working order) to warn the drivers.
Do they use it - do they hell.

But worse than drivers smoking - there is (in the UK only I suspect) a worse danger lurking.

Some stations have a mains supply that is called PME (protective multiple earthing.) Which means in short, that they dont get a neutral.
The earth on the main incomer is connected to the neutral (usually the metal armour of the cable) this is then grounded outside by earth rods.

It happened once that the earth rods failed and so the entire current the station was using went into the ground via the pipes feeding the petrol to the pumps. The petrol tanks were in effect the earth rods.

The current flowing into the petrol tanks heated up the petrol until BOOM - the lot went up.

The rules were changed so that stations cannot be supplied by this method - but many still exist this way.
I have to test the current flowing down the main earth cable to prove that the earth rods are intact and working.

I find a lot are carrying far more than the regulations allow - when I report this to the authorities (the main fire department) They shrug and ask me my opinion. But nothing ever gets done.

They supply me with a big red official padlock to lock off the main supply if I think its not right

Goody said:

It happened once that the earth rods failed and so the entire current the station was using went into the ground via the pipes feeding the petrol to the pumps. The petrol tanks were in effect the earth rods. The current flowing into the petrol tanks heated up the petrol until BOOM - the lot went up.

Click to expand...

Do you have a cite for this event?

The lit cigarette isn't the problem - the temperature is generally below the LEL (Lower Explosion Limit). The match (or that Bic lighter) are another matter - definitely able to ignite spilled gasoline or even fumes. There was another thread on this topic a while ago.

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=11712&page=11&pp=15&highlight=magneto

Start at page 11

Propane

Growing up on a farm we used propane for our stove and heat in our shop and other outbuildings, this came from the local gas station and the man that ran the gas station also delivered the propane, and he would constantly smoke cigars, didn't matter if he was working in the office, pumping gas (used to be full service) or filling propane tanks, how he is still alive no one knows. Needless to say we never went near the truck when he was filling the tanks.

I know that the Mythbusters "cell phone" episode was discussed on this and other threads, but didn't they also do an episode with a cigar or cigarette igniting a puddle of gasoline? If I remember correctly, it did not ignite. I think they did several gasoline myths, and all were busted.

They were testing "movie" myths. You know, the bad guy rides off on a motorcycle with a leaking gas tank, leaving a stream of gas on the road. The good guy flicks his cigarette onto the line of gas, and the flames follow the road up to the bike and BOOM! ...not gonna happen that way.

Regardless...I still don't want to see people smoking at a gas station. Probably the same people that ran with scissors when they were kids.

Tom, we deal with LEL/UEL issues here at our plant. Note that LEL refers to a concentration, not a temperature. LEL is the minimum concentration of a substance in air that can catch on fire. UEL (upper explosive limit) is the maximum concentration of a substance in air that will catch on fire.

Under LEL = too lean
Over UEL = too rich
Between LEL and UEL = *woof

Maybe you are referring to the flash point? I'm not sure what it is for gasoline.

40 years ago I pumped gas as all teenagers did. The owner that I worked for constantly had a cigaret going. Not only did he pump gas but he cleaned the floor with gasoline. He he did that for his entire life and lived to old age.

We should be so lucky.

I have heard of more issues with electrostatic discharge causing fires at gas stations than cigarettes. To me this is more of an issue, since it can happen right at the fuel door of your car, where the concentration stands a chance of being between LEL and UEL at that very localized area.