Mayor Clinton I. Young, Jr. wants you
to know that the Office of Consumer Protection has started
its 2009 gas station inspections. Although we are no longer
plagued by the high pump prices of 2008, the field
inspections are witnessing consumer practices that are just
as alarming and it has nothing to do with gas prices. In
the first week of gas station inspections this office has
witnessed people smoking while pumping gas, entering and
exiting the car while pumping, and talking on cell phones
while refueling.
“All of these things may seem like
common sense, but we all need to be reminded sometimes about
ways to protect ourselves and our families,” said Mayor
Young. “Not paying attention to what you do at the pump has
the potential to turn into a major catastrophe. However,
this is not to scare anyone; we just want everyone to think
about their safety.”
No explanation needs to be given why
one should smoke while pumping gas, but not many are aware
of the danger involved when one starts to fill their
vehicle, enters and exits their vehicle, and then touches
the gas nozzle. When you get into your vehicle, your
clothes pick up static electricity from the carpet and
seats. When you get out of the car, you are susceptible to
a static shock. This static shock could and has ignited
vapors. To date the Petroleum Equipment Institute has
documented 150 cases of this type of fire which isn’t bad
considering how many people fill up in a day.
“If you must enter your car while
fueling, make sure you touch metal before you reach for the
nozzle,” said Michael Paulercio, Director of the Office of
Consumer Protection. “Touching metal will cause the static
electricity that has built up in your body to discharge.
You can touch your car door or even the pump itself.”
The Shell Oil Company has issued
warnings regarding the use of cell phones while refueling
and many other oil companies are following their lead.
Shell has cited three instances of fires attributed to cell
phones. One instance was when a cell phone rang in their
pocket during a refuel; another when a person answered a
phone, and lastly a phone on the trunk of a car ignited gas
vapors when it rang destroying the car and the pump.
Here are a few rules for safety at
the pump:
-
Always turn off your engine.
-
Never smoke while refueling.
-
Leave your cell phone in the car and
do not use it until you have finished refueling your
vehicle.
-
Do not enter you car in the midst of
fueling it. If you must, touch a piece of metal to
discharge yourself before touching the nozzle.
-
Do not fill plastic storage
containers, such as those for lawnmowers while they are in
the trunk of your vehicle. Take them out of the trunk and
place them on the floor grounding them.
-
Do not use your vehicles’ gas cap
wedged in the nozzle handle so you don’t have to squeeze
it.
-
If a fire should occur during your
refill, back away from the vehicle and leave the nozzle in
the fill pipe of the car.
