Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Smoking at the pump

In the late 60's a driver that i worked with(Shell) would actually unload a truck/trailer load of gasoline with a cigarette in his mouth.His theory was that an ash would not be a problem.If nothing else it was the appearance of it--not too smart!

Cigarettes can ignite gas fumes. In todays paper, a local 17 yr old was siphoning gas while holding a lit cigarette. He is now in intensive care with burns over 30% of his upper body. It was a flash fire thankfully, but he is going to be hurting for a long, long time.

http://mythbustersresults.com/special7


When I worked on pumps we would smoke around the stuff all the time ...inside the building where we took them apart and would occasionaly drop lit ones into the gas on the table.
The only fire we ever had was caused by wires comming loose on a pump on the check stand....120 v

Since they just came out with the fire safe cigarette ...(That don't stay lit) I would say his smoke went out and he tried to relite it or it was static electricity.

When I was about 10 - 60 years ago - a mechanic working for my dad would get out of his car every morning, light a cigarette on his way through the door and throw the lit match into the parts wash bucket sitting on the floor. We used gasoline to wash parts but his idea was that there were no fumes to ignite as the gas was undisturbed overnight. One morning some wise kid - guess who - dumped out the old gas, put about 5 gal. of water in the tub with 1 gal. of gas on top. Kicked the pail as the mechanic drove in and ran like hell. Big boom - he never did it again. (neither did I)

Joe, I guess my local Fire Department doesn't agree with you.

A direct quote from the Fire Lt. in charge of the investigation
"The fumes from the gas and the cigarette decided to catch fire," Sanders said. "Any time you're working around fuel or gasoline, do not light a match or smoke."

"In todays paper, a local 17 yr old was siphoning gas "
& his attorney will sue the manufacture for not installing Anti-siphoning device on fuel tank !

Did this occur in California Dick ??? Ed Shaver

It happens everywhere. The criminal gets hurt while performing a crime & sues the person who the crime is being committed against if they get hurt.

I think the learning point of all this is if something has the potential to caue injury or start a fire....don't do it or take the appropriate precautions. Most accidents and injuries are preventable by taking the extra time to do a job safe and not take short cuts.

I even worry about the three pumps I just brought home and have not gutted and have stored inthe garage. While unloading them off the truck some old gas spilled. I put kitty litter on gthe ground to absorb it and cleaned it up, but you could still smell the fumes for days. Each time I opened the elctric doors I wondered if a spark would set off any escaping fumes. I am probably just a little jumpy since we had a grease fire in the house this summer.

Guess I better get off the computer and go clean out some pumps...LOL.

gasoline fumes are heavy and tend to stay to low.
If there is a gas water heater in a garage area here it has to be 18" off the ground and there has to be a wall between it and the car area.

I have been a firefighter for 25 years and have been to many a flash fire where a person was using gas to clean something in the house. Usually the fumes travel to the water heater and once the air fuel mixture is right you get a flash fire usually resulting in burns to the person using the gasoline. You have to have the right mixture and it will happen

I wonder what insurance companies would have to say about us collectors keeping gas pumps and full oil cans in our insured garages?

I drain every oil can that I have whether in the house or not

Hi Guys,

I'll tell you a real short story.Years ago a friend of mine was washing parts in his closed up shop with gasoline.The next thing I heard,he was dead.I know he smoked,but I never heard how he set off the explosion.Smoking?Lighting his lighter?Who knows.All I know is it killed him.

I too will use gasoline to clean parts and/or greasy oil cans.But I will guarantee I do it OUTSIDE and I don't smoke while I'm doing it!!

I hope some of the newbies read this when they consider using gasoline to clean oil can and such.No can is worth risking your life over.

I was alway told " never spin a bearing while washing it in gas" The bearing could spark and light you up. Any one else heard this.