"Health and Safety" issue at fuel station

"Health and Safety" issue at fuel station

Author
Discussion

tezzer

Original Poster:

983 posts

193 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
I had cause to stop for fuel in Leeds last week, and pulled up ontoa busy forecourt, half the pumps were out, workmen digging great holes in the concrete.I had to go to the "wrong side " of the pump, or I would have been there ages.

Walked around to the other side, with the hose, and waited. And waited. The pump wasn't activated. I looked at the glass and behind the window was a young lad who wouldn't activate the pump until Ihad closed my driver's door. (Bear in mind I am standing on the passenger side of the car, so I had to walk around, close the door, and only the would he ley me spend £75 in his shop.

When I went to pay, I asked him why ? Assuninmg it was to stop drive off's etc. but was told it was company policy not to allow it as a potential build up of fumes in the car could cause an explosion. On the far side of the car ? What a load of old cock, and I told him so !

Anyone else come across this ?

Acheron

643 posts

171 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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I also expected this to be about mobile phone use in a petrol station laugh

soad

33,444 posts

183 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
First time I heard of this scratchchin

martinmac

536 posts

204 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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So if I had the roof down would I have to put it up before filling up?

tezzer

Original Poster:

983 posts

193 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
No, that would have been too easy !


JVaughan

6,025 posts

290 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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I had something similar in birmingham. I wasnt alowed to fill up and speak to my passenger (by having the door open).. on a second note I also had a similar issue when I tried to fill up a hire van (sprinter) as I had the passenger door open (even though you have to open the door to get at the fuel flap!).

ewan221

1,218 posts

193 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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Have heard of a few places refusing to allow Chimaeras to fill up with similar H&S claims

Dift

1,624 posts

234 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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Imagine the pain my friend has to go through with his series 3 landrover... The filler for the petrol tank is under the passenger seat!

Oh the chuckles it causes!

Dangerous2

11,327 posts

199 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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are you allowed the windows down?

maybe we shouldn't be refuelling on days that aren't windy.

could be a build up of petrol fumes.

can't be too careful.


pinchmeimdreamin

10,197 posts

225 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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ewan221 said:
Have heard of a few places refusing to allow Chimaeras to fill up with similar H&S claims
laugh On many occasion I have had to explain that to a confused cashier

Baz Tench

5,648 posts

197 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
Keeps some health and safety manager in his/her job, coming up with a bks ruling every now and again. Is there a more secure job these days? It seems to me to be socially unacceptable to question H&S issues, no matter how ridiculous they may be.....

geeteeaye

2,369 posts

166 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I heard of this first when I was 20ish and the woman in front of me used her phone the entire duration of her visit, filling up, in the shop paying, driving off. The lad on the till tried to tell her to get off the phone but she was a real snooty type, was probably beneath her to talk to him.

However - the reasoning I heard was that potentially a mobile phone could cause a spark and ignite petrol fumes, load of old crap obviously as you'd also need to ban people from carrying keys and electrical systems from cars! Never heard this about the wireless signal stuff, presumably just a more convenient excuse rather than him getting into an argument about the hugely explosive nature of mobile phones laugh

IndyAndy777

2,944 posts

178 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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I used to work in a petrol station, easily the worst job I have ever had. Also, as a PH'er, it made me realise why there are so many bad drivers out there. Anyway, fairly often, about twice a week on my shift, passengers would be sitting the car smoking. FFS!

If they want to burn to death in a fireball it's up to them, just don't take me with them.

Spitfire2

1,933 posts

193 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
martinmac said:
So if I had the roof down would I have to put it up before filling up?
Well given all that sky above there would be little chance of a build up of fumes smile

What would be funny would be if the attendant insisted on the door being closed on your car if it had its roof down. Might have to test that at some point.

LeeThr

3,122 posts

178 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
Dift said:
Imagine the pain my friend has to go through with his series 3 landrover... The filler for the petrol tank is under the passenger seat!

Oh the chuckles it causes!
I have a friend with a modified Pug 106 GTI, full Ecosse bodykit so the fuel filler cap is now inside the drivers door. How the hell would that work at these stations? rofl

GKP

15,099 posts

248 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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geeteeaye said:
However - the reasoning I heard was that potentially a mobile phone could cause a spark and ignite petrol fumes,
At least she would have been the first in world ever to have caused a petrol station fire purely by using her phone.
As for wireless signals to switch on the pumps...really? Are they really so badly made that a common household item can cause them to malfunction?

Hysteria. Elffinsayeftee gone mad.

Rubin215

2,084 posts

203 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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geeteeaye said:
However - the reasoning I heard was that potentially a mobile phone could cause a spark and ignite petrol fumes, load of old crap obviously as you'd also need to ban people from carrying keys and electrical systems from cars! Never heard this about the wireless signal stuff, presumably just a more convenient excuse rather than him getting into an argument about the hugely explosive nature of mobile phones laugh
Er, no; it's a very real risk.

That is why you can't use your mobile or other transmitting equipment in a refinery either and flammable atmospheres require the use of intrinsically safe electrical equipment.

I'm sure the petro-chemical industry know a bit more about it than you.

rolleyes

Baz Tench

5,648 posts

197 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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Rubin215 said:
Er, no; it's a very real risk.

That is why you can't use your mobile or other transmitting equipment in a refinery either and flammable atmospheres require the use of intrinsically safe electrical equipment.

I'm sure the petro-chemical industry know a bit more about it than you.

rolleyes
Wasn't this covered in an episode of myth busters? They found it to be just that, a myth. All beit in highly unscientific cirmumstances (a caravan full of fuel and mobiles all set to ring at the same time) wink

pinchmeimdreamin

10,197 posts

225 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
quotequote all
Rubin215 said:
Er, no; it's a very real risk.

That is why you can't use your mobile or other transmitting equipment in a refinery either and flammable atmospheres require the use of intrinsically safe electrical equipment.

I'm sure the petro-chemical industry know a bit more about it than you.

rolleyes
Just out of interest how many petrol station fires have been caused by people using Mobile phones ?
Or for that matter by passengers smoking in cars ?

Deva Link

26,934 posts

252 months

Saturday 29th January 2011
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The biggest risk is thought to be from dropping the phone and the battery coming out and causing a spark as it disconnects.