STATIC FIRES

Bob Penkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of "static" 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 and they went back to pull the nozzle out 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 reentered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulting in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer.

8) Seventeen fires that 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, make sure 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. You can find out more information by going to............ www.pei.org Once here, click in the center of the screen where it says "Stop Static".

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Anti-static treatment (e.g., Static Guard, Staticide) of carpeting and seats in automobiles would help prevent static buildup, and the risk of static sparks igniting fuel vapors (not to mention annoying shocks).
http://www.techco.com.sg/dis_esd2.html
http://www.genesis16.net/esd.htm
http://www.bestpakcompany.com/staticcontrol.htm

Hopefully most of you have noticed that you don't get shocks when rewinding most prints anymore, since the introduction of KODAK VISION Color Print Film, which has a conductive layer to help prevent static buildup and reduce dirt attraction:
http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/products/lab/2383.shtml

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In the olden days of the military aviation, the fuel trucks were grounded with bonding straps to the ramp pad-eyes, and so where the aircraft. I think they required 3-point grounding with three different pad-eyes. In addition to that, there was separate grounding from the fuel truck to the aircraft. They took no chances.

It has been about 40 years since I was involved with that, so I am only going on what I *think* I saw.

I never recall seeing a person re-fueling an aircraft with AVGAS without using some kind of non-static gloves, and never saw someone refueling said aircraft while that person was wearing something other than rubber-souled shoes.

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Last I heard was that bill was again moot. But I understand that they allow "assisted" fueling by motorcycle drivers. Now who actually holds the nozzle, I don't know....

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This isn't full-serve either. It's mini-serve. They pump the gas and take the money and that's about it. Maybe once a year an attendant will offer to wash my windshield for me -- usually I have to do it myself.

The static thing is an interesting issue. If I'm wearing Levi's (which is most of the time), I almost always get shocked when I get out of the car and touch the door to close it...

SHOCKING!!!

Use an anti-static agent in your clothes dryer (e.g., "Bounce" sheets), and spray your car upholstery and carpeting with a topical anti-stat like Static Guard or Staticide or Kiwi Endust for Electronics:
http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~jsmith/MSDS/STATIC%20GUARD%20ALBERTO-CULVER.htm
http://www.balloonhq.com/faq/howpop.html

Most gas stations around here are self-serve, yet there still are the ones that have something resembling full-serve, and of course, none of those are open 24/7. So, I generally go the self-serve route (generally with slightly better prices), and I never walk away and leave the fueling-up process unattended!

*ponders something for a moment*

In the Northeastern USA, it usually occurs in the winter, when the humidity is low.