Warning from shell oil company

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BorgBiker

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Slow day at work, so I've been reading my emails a bit. Here's something that was sent to me, interesting read. I can't verify it's accuracy, but it does merit some discussion:

WARNING FROM SHELL OIL COMPANY

Safety Alert!
Here are some reasons why we don't allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas.

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.

In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car!

And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.

You should know that: Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes
Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boat, etc.

Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (I.e., solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc...)

TO sum it up, here are the Four Rules for Safe Refueling:
1) Turn off engine
2) Don't smoke
3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off
4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling.

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try andmake people aware of fires as a result of 'static electricity' at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires.

His results were very surprising:

1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women.
2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static.
3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes.
4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires.
5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas
6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges.
7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer.
8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began. Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with
gas.

If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, makesure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.
As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of this danger.
"


As a motorcyclist, This gives me some concern. My cell phone is always in a pocket in either my jeans or jacket, but luckily I am not popular enough to get many calls. I don't really need my groin burnt, and I bet most of you don't either :biglaugh:

Also, not being a woman automatically makes one less likely to encounter the static electricity needed to blow yourself up. So I've got that working for me
:eusa_dance:
 
I still just don't buy the "cell phone starts fire thing". A typical cellphone battery is a 3.7v cell. All antennas are internal now. There's nothing to make a spark.

While I doubt many, if any phones are built to be intrinsically safe, Mythbusters did stick a few phones in a box filled with the ideal air/fuel ratio of gasoline vapors and tried to get it to blow up....calling the phone, putting it near/on a metal surface, ect, and couldn't get anything to happen.

Though getting in and out of your car again I can definitely see causing a static spark. In dry weather my truck almost always zaps me when I touch the door to shut it, I guess just from sliding my butt across the seat to get out.
 
I do contract work at chevron, holly , silver eagle and tesoro refineries every day and they are very anal about having your cell phone out in " operating " areas or while driving a motor vehicle. Not I think its more of a distraction thing but in sure this also has something to do with it.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
 
What about a vmax with bad connextion to the battery and making sparks? Lol

Just remembered one of our buddy here who got battery **** recently... :)

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
 
static from getting out of car or a rogue spark on the bike seems 10000x times more likely to cause a fire than a cell phone. i agree with ryan.
 
Agree with Ryan and Garrett. The ignition from a running gas engine I might buy, but my cell phone is on my bike or always in my pocket. And, I buy gas often with that 4 gal. tank
biglaugh.gif
 
I have a friend who loves to send these alarmist emails & I finally got him to ck Snopes 1st. Now he sends me the Snopes mention along w/the bogus email.

I put out fires from people smoking while fueling but never from a cell call.

Another cause of car fires is the cat. converter setting dry grass on fire because the person parks or stops on top of dry thatch which ignites. Of course this is an 'offroad' occurrence when someone is either looking for a place for sex or maybe offroading.
 
static from getting out of car or a rogue spark on the bike seems 10000x times more likely to cause a fire than a cell phone. i agree with ryan.
__________________

Static, yes. cell phone, not very likely.
 
funny all over Europe and Australia there are signs in all filling stations forbidding the use of mobiles..

And here down under, it's apparently also illegal to fuel a bike while sat on it!
 
funny all over Europe and Australia there are signs in all filling stations forbidding the use of mobiles..

And here down under, it's apparently also illegal to fuel a bike while sat on it!

Apparently some HD idiots set fire to their bikes while filling them up.
Maybe putting the petrol in the tank instead of all over it is the real solution! :rofl_200:
 

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