Stricter observance of safety rules ordered at petrol and gas stations

[webfact]

Stricter observance of safety rules ordered at petrol and gas stations



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Energy Business yesterday issued an announcement warning all petrol and gas stations to strictly enforce safety protocols for their clients to prevent the risk of fires.

The announcement was ordered by Mr Witoon Kulcharoenwirat, the director-general of the Department of Energy Business, in wake of insufficent observance of fire safety instructions.

He stated that he has handed out a new set of safety guidelines to all petrol and gas station operators in the country to prevent the risk of fires.

The guidelines stipulate that petrol stations must look after the safety of all its customers by requiring them to switch off their engines, banning smoking and shutting off all mobile phones and other possible spark generating equipment while filling up.

The new effort came about as it has been discovered that safety measures at many petrol stations are lax and sometimes operators ignore these safety protocols resulting in a number of potentially dangerous accidents.

A recent clip went viral on the social media showed a petrol station attendant using a mobile phone while refilling a motorcycle’s fuel tank.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/164053


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-20

[Ceruhe]

shutting off all mobile phones and other possible spark generating equipment while filling up.

Safe to say this guy doesn't have any sparking ideas, so he'll is good to go....unless a sparking imagination counts too, then he's way <deleted> out.

[rkidlad]

Ban scousers from petrol stations, too. Shell suit tracksuits can actually cause a spark.

But in all seriousness, I won't believe they're serious about this until I see a fancy safety backboard with some people pointing at things. That's what seals the deal for me.

[jaltsc]

"The guidelines stipulate that petrol stations must look after the safety of all its customers by requiring them to switch off their engines, banning smoking and shutting off all mobile phones and other possible spark generating equipment while filling up."

TIT. If some lowly petrol station employee tells some pompous ass, with an auto valued at more than that worker will earn in a lifetime, to stop smoking or turn off his cellphone, resulting in loss of face, a fire will be the least of that employee's problems.

Edited May 20, 2016 by jaltsc

[worgeordie]

It's becoming more like the West everyday,a law for everything,

I suppose you have to have laws,when people don't use common sense.

regards worgeordie

[Brer Fox]

Apart from the safety aspect it is to be hoped the Department of Energy Business will be on the alert for the meter rigging electronic chips which seem to be easily available to petrol and diesel stations to defraud vehicle and bike operators by reducing the measured fuel delivered into the tank. It would surprise me if they are not already widely in use in Thailand. If the Vietnamese know about these chips then one can be certain the Thai scamsters would also be up with this technology

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/16-implicated-in-vnd5-billion-meter-fraud-at-hanoi-gas-station-62304.html

[Pib]

The guidelines stipulate that petrol stations must look after the safety of all its customers by requiring them to switch off their engines, banning smoking and shutting off all mobile phones and other possible spark generating equipment while filling up.

Good luck with that "shutting off all mobile phones" guideline.

[phoenixdoglover]

Spark producing mobile phones!!!

Best to have all vehicle owners push their vehicles at least 20 meters away from the fuel dispensers, so as to avoid horrendous explosions from the spark producing starter circuitry.

Safety first!

Edited May 20, 2016 by phoenixdoglover

[Emster23]

Jeez so easy to find vids that the cause of fires is folks not grounding selves when exiting cars, not the bloody cel phones. No worries, this "rule of law" likely to be enforced like other ones....

[Ceruhe]

It's becoming more like the West everyday,a law for everything,

Yes indeed, but there is a catch to it. In the West laws are usually enforced most of the time unlike here

[bubba]

So once again, they are on to the "mobile phones cause sparks that ignite petrol while fuelling your car" myth?

Remember Mythbusters?

https://youtu.be/HRcnGm97wEQ?t=3m40s

Edited May 20, 2016 by bubba

[BuaBS]

When do we finaly get selfserve gas stations here ? I don't like those nimrods touching anything of or near my car !

[swerver]

It's becoming more like the West everyday,a law for everything,

I suppose you have to have laws,when people don't use common sense.

regards worgeordie

Worgeordie, people that don't use common sense are also the ones that do not follow RULES, REGULATIONS and LAWS.. So now were are we going?

[Winniedapu]

Gimme a break. More stable doors shut after the horses already bolted.

It's becoming routine, this.

Winnie

[gandalf12]

In theory it is possible for a phone to cause an explosion but it has never been proven in practice. Gs would have to get into the battery which in a petrol station is very very unlikely as it is an open space.

[JimG]

One station I go to in Pattaya routinely has a pickup truck come in with maybe 25-10 (I think) liter gas containers onboard. They take off the containers to refuel them at about 3-5 at a time. The station keeps a couple fire extinguishers reasonably far but close enough I think. Problem is, after one goes up, I believe all 25 would become engulfed. And, worse, if the un-refilled containers are near they will not burn, but will explode because of the gasoline fumes remaining inside the "empty" container! When I see this truck in the station, I don't go near the station. Some day, some day...... (cigarette, phone, car starter, something some day...)

[bubba]

And apart from Mythbusters busting the myth, perhaps someone could direct Khun Witoon to the US Federal Communications Commission advice on the risk of mobile phones at service stations:

The Federal Communications Commission has been alerted to reports and rumors that suggest it is dangerous to use a wireless phone while filling your vehicle with gas or in the presence of flammable materials. The rumors and reports may be fueled by warnings posted at gas stations or included in wireless phone owners’ manuals suggesting that wireless phones should not be used around fuel vapors.

There Is No Evidence That These Reports Are True

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/wireless-devices-gas-stations

Or the Canada Safety Council

Articles and an urban legend that wireless mobile phones can cause explosions at gas stations have appeared in the media all over the world, including an article in the Economist (March 23rd, 2005). Because of this, many international technical experts and social scientists have evaluated risks associated with cell phone use.

Dr. A. Burgess studied all formal reports on gas station fires in great detail. He established the fact that there has not been a single confirmed incident where a cell phone has ignited gasoline vapors. There is now official acknowledgement of a lack of any evidence that a spark caused by a cell phone would ignite gasoline vapours.

Use of cellular phones at gas stations will not ignite a fire or cause an explosion.

https://canadasafetycouncil.org/safety-canada-online/article/cell-phones-risks-and-rumour

[BB24]

The issue of the potential for moble phones causing a fire in a petrol station, came about in the early 1980s. At that time the few networks running were based on the AMPS system (1G) and in the early days the handsets were not as strictly regulated/controlled as the handsets that were developed for the later GSM networks (2G+) that are now the only system available and are completely safe.

The result of that 'unregulation' of the AMPS handsets was that a few handsets were found to have the potential, in the right atmospheric condition, to release a spark when the aerial (remember them) was placed next to a metal object - when at full charge and if other 'stars aligned' etc etc. It was very much a theoretical analysis, but the 'techos' claimed it was possible. Before you know it there are rules and regs flying everywhere that people should not use a mobile phone when filling up in a petrol station (self-service) - it was all very much an over-reaction. When the AMPS systems were all replaced by the GSM, this matter was not addressed and the rules/regs were not changed - bureaucrats are great at imposing new rules/regs, but they cant seem to be able to remove them

Edited May 20, 2016 by BB24

[ozyjon]

The guys from ''Mythbusters'' did a show on the subject

they never got anything to burn, they tried the lot. BUT

Mobile phones can cause a spark to ignite the vapor.

http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp

[BlindMagician]

One station I go to in Pattaya routinely has a pickup truck come in with maybe 25-10 (I think) liter gas containers onboard. They take off the containers to refuel them at about 3-5 at a time. The station keeps a couple fire extinguishers reasonably far but close enough I think. Problem is, after one goes up, I believe all 25 would become engulfed. And, worse, if the un-refilled containers are near they will not burn, but will explode because of the gasoline fumes remaining inside the "empty" container! When I see this truck in the station, I don't go near the station. Some day, some day...... (cigarette, phone, car starter, something some day...)

There's nowt quite so bad as waiting for the inevitable. So help it along, get it over and done with.

[marko kok prong]

Regarding the turning of the engine,sure with petrol or gas,but surely no need with diesel.

[Tomtomtom69]

The guidelines stipulate that petrol stations must look after the safety of all its customers by requiring them to switch off their engines, banning smoking and shutting off all mobile phones and other possible spark generating equipment while filling up.

Good luck with that "shutting off all mobile phones" guideline.

I don't think that shutting off is necessary. Just don't make any phone calls or pick up any incoming calls when in the vicinity of a bowser.

[MorristheRunt]

No mobiles but ok for the drivers to have a ciggie while the gas boy tops up his LPG tank.

[richard_smith237]

On my last fill up, I pulled up to the pump and the attendant asked me to turn off my engine... I did...

But the instruction was hardly audible...

I doubt that many in their 1MB + cars are going to be paying much attention to a minimum-wage petrol station attendant.

The Safety Culture and awareness of the general public needs to also be addressed...

[stoneyboy]

It's becoming more like the West everyday,a law for everything,

I suppose you have to have laws,when people don't use common sense.

regards worgeordie

Yes in the West the laws are so ridiculous that your allowed to pump your own petrol in a petrol station.

[stoneyboy]

It's becoming more like the West everyday,a law for everything,

I suppose you have to have laws,when people don't use common sense.

regards worgeordie

Yes in the West the laws are so ridiculous that your allowed to pump your own petrol in a petrol station.

[johng]

No mobiles but ok for the drivers to have a ciggie while the gas boy tops up his LPG tank.

The "Mythbusters" also tried very hard but failed to get a cigarette to ignite petrol...it needs to be a naked flame to cause ignition.

[Don Mega]

I dont mind putting out me ciggie and turning the engine off but I refuse to turn off my phone.

[MediaWatcher]

The guidelines stipulate that petrol stations must look after the safety of all its customers by requiring them to switch off their engines, banning smoking and shutting off all mobile phones and other possible spark generating equipment while filling up.

Good luck with that "shutting off all mobile phones" guideline.

It has been "proven" time and time again, that mobile phones and cigarettes DO NOT ignite petrol fumes. this dude like so many ion thailand, is far behind the times.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271921785_The_Propensity_of_Lit_Cigarettes_to_Ignite_Gasoline_Vapors

As for turning the vehicle off, just think about it, while refueling, just how many other vehicle pull in or leave the browser area... NO explosions.

Edited May 21, 2016 by MediaWatcher

[Tomtomtom69]

When do we finaly get selfserve gas stations here ? I don't like those nimrods touching anything of or near my car !

There are already a few, but they are so few in number the last time I enjoyed the "privilege" of pumping my own gas/petrol was about 3 years ago in the Petchkasem area of Bangkok. I have so far only identified about 2 or 3 self-service stations in the whole country (all of them Bang Chak, although PTT alone operates at least 5). I too wish they would replace the attendents, sometimes you have 10 of these "nimrods" standing around doing nothing to fill up one car! Half of them are from Cambodia or Myanmar anyway, I don't understand the need to import all these workers to do something the owner of a vehicle can do themselves, not to mention it will save the oil companies costs in the long run. So from an employment perspective, the oil companies aren't even doing anything positive for the Thai economy because it's mainly foreigners who pump your gas and half the time they don't even understand Thai properly, which is even more frustrating.

Attendants pumping gas/petrol in Australia and Europe went the way of the dodo at least 20-30 years ago. About the only exception are tiny little petrol stations in parts of outback Australia with 1 or 2 customers a day that aren't computerized yet.

Edited July 23, 2016 by Tomtomtom69