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API: Handling Fuel Safety is Everyone's Business

15 January 2001

API: Handling Fuel Safety is Everyone's Business

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 The American Petroleum Institute is
offering consumers a list of safe vehicle refueling guidelines, including ways
to avoid potential problems with static electricity discharges in fall, winter
and early spring.
    Static electricity-related incidents at retail gasoline outlets are
extremely unusual, API said, but the potential for them to happen appears to
be the highest during cool or cold and dry climate conditions. In rare
circumstances, these static related incidents have resulted in a brief flash
fire occurring at the fill point. Consumers can take steps to minimize these
and other potential fueling hazards by following safe refueling procedures all
year long.
    Most important, they should not get back into their vehicles during
refueling -- even when using the nozzle's hold-open latch.  This will greatly
reduce and minimize the likelihood of any build-up of static electricity.
    A build-up of static electricity can be caused by re-entering a vehicle
during fueling, particularly in cool or cold and dry climate conditions.  If
the motorist then returns to the vehicle fill pipe when refueling is complete,
the static may discharge at the fill point, causing a brief flash fire with
gasoline refueling vapors.
    Motorists who cannot avoid getting back into the vehicle should always
first touch a metal part of the vehicle, such as the door, or some other metal
surface, away from the fill point upon exiting the vehicle.

    Here are additional consumer refueling safety guidelines:

    *  Turn off your vehicle engine while refueling.  Put your vehicle in park
       and/or set the emergency brake.

    *  Do not smoke, light matches or lighters while refueling.

    *  Use only the refueling latch provided on the gasoline dispenser nozzle,
       -- never jam the refueling latch on the nozzle open.

    *  Do not over fill or top-off your vehicle tank, which can cause gasoline
       spillage.

    *  In the unlikely event a static-caused fire occurs when  refueling,
       leave the nozzle in the fill pipe and back away from the vehicle.
       Notify the station attendant immediately so that all dispensing devices
       and pumps can be shut off with emergency controls.  If the facility is
       unattended, use the emergency shutdown button to shut off the pump and
       use the emergency intercom to summon help.

    *  When dispensing gasoline into a container, use only an approved
       portable container and place it on the ground when refueling to avoid a
       possible static electricity ignition of fuel vapors.  Containers should
       never be filled while inside a vehicle or its trunk, the bed of a
       pickup truck or the floor of a trailer.