DistantNews
Touch Your Car Before Pumping Gas to Prevent Dangerous Sparks
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Technology

Touch Your Car Before Pumping Gas to Prevent Dangerous Sparks

From Veฤernji List · (2h ago) Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Touching your car after exiting can prevent static electricity buildup, a potential fire hazard at gas stations.
  • Static discharge can ignite fuel vapors around the nozzle, leading to sparks or fires.
  • The Petroleum Equipment Institute has documented around 200 incidents related to static electricity at gas stations since the mid-1990s.

Experts advise touching your vehicle before refueling to prevent static electricity, a phenomenon that can lead to dangerous sparks. The movement made when exiting a car can generate static charges, which, if not discharged properly, can ignite fuel vapors at the pump.

Scott Boorse, director of technical programs and affairs at the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI), explained that a spark from static discharge is sufficient to ignite any vapors around the nozzle. While minor sparks are common, actual fires caused by static electricity are rarer, though the PEI has recorded approximately 200 such incidents since the mid-1990s.

Ta iskra je dovoljna da zapali bilo koju paru koja se nalazi oko vrha mlaznice

โ€” Scott BoorseExplaining the danger of static discharge igniting fuel vapors.

This safety tip, while seemingly minor, underscores the inherent risks associated with handling flammable materials like gasoline. The advice to touch the car serves as a simple yet effective preventative measure, emphasizing the importance of basic safety protocols at gas stations. From a local perspective, this information is crucial for public safety awareness, ensuring that everyday activities like refueling are conducted with minimal risk.

Dobivate statiฤko praลพnjenje iz vaลกeg tijela u tu metalnu mlaznicu, a kada se to dogodi, postoji moguฤ‡nost da doฤ‘e do iskre.

โ€” Scott BoorseDescribing the process of static discharge at a gas pump.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.