Gas Station Safety Knowledge

Gas Station Safety Knowledge

The gas station is the place where car owners go most frequently. Do you know safety knowledge about gas stations? Here are reminders from workers of gas stations: failing to switch off the engine during refueling, smoking while refueling, and answering mobile while waiting for refueling may all present many potential hazards.

Smoking at the gas station, just like burying bombs

Analysis of 115 gas station accidents shows that 14 explosion accidents have been caused by smoking, accounting for 12.2%.

Study shows that the minimum energy required for detonating gasoline explosion is only 0.2mJ, equivalent to the energy generated by a pin falling to the concrete ground from a height of 1 meter. It is so tidy that any slightest spark or static electricity invisible to the naked eyes can make it. Therefore, to ensure safety at the gas station, any source of ignition should be avoided at the gas station. No open flame or smoking is allowed. Explosion accidents caused by smoking may occur in any process of work at the gas station. We must be careful, even when sitting in the car. Any negligence may lead to disasters. 

Do not answer the phone when refueling

In many foreign cities in Australia,Malaysia, and theUnited States, the fuel pumps are plastered with warnings reading “please turn off the phone when refueling” at the gas station. A state in theUnited Stateseven passed a legislation to prohibit the use of mobiles at gas stations.

At the gas station, constant refueling will certainly present a certain concentration of oil vapors in the air. At rainy days or days with thick fog, in particular, poor air circulation will accelerate the accumulation of oil vapors. As electronic devices such as mobiles are not explosion-proof communications equipment, the sparks triggered by answering the phone will be intensive enough to trigger a “deflagration” in particular cases. Therefore, never use the mobile at the gas station, nor put your mobile on the cover of the fuel tank of the car. Avoid fire caused by phone ringing.

Turn off the engine when refueling

When the car is refueled at the gas station, the engine is running at a high speed if not turned off, though the car is not moving. When running, the engine will generate current. In case of any short circuit or leakage, it will be very dangerous. In addition, when the engine is working, the exhaust gas will be constantly discharged, often together with sparks, which also put the gas station at risk. Therefore, be sure to avoid collision between the refueling gun and the exhaust port when refueling.

The following ten rules must be strictly followed at the gas station:

1. never smoke at the gas station;

2. never engage in any operation that may generate sparks, such as vehicle maintenance;

3. Never refuel the motor vehicle without shutting off the engine;

4. never wear any clothes that may generate sparks;

5. never refuel with plastic or rubber containers that can not eliminate static electricity;

6. Never use mobile telephones, pagers or non-explosion-proof electrical appliances at the station; refueling operators may not operate with mobiles;

7. Never discharge flammable, explosive materials and hazardous chemicals at the station;

8. Never wipe or clean equipment, clothing, tools or the ground with gasoline or volatile solvents;

9. No pedestrians may walk through the station; and

10. Prohibit refueling operations by persons not engaged in refueling