PDA

View Full Version : *Warning From Shell?*



MGCM
04-27-2013, 12:23 PM
So Ive been on the net for many years and tend to take everything i hear with a few grains of salt. This was emailed to me and fits the bill of mass email spam.........i feel this is probably spam but wanted to see what beyond CSI knows of these "stories" is it bullshit? So 150 cases out of how many billion refills worldwide?


-----------------------------------------------------

Warning from Shell Oil Co. Do not Delete, Important Info.

"Treasure today--Tomorrow might be too late"
WARNING FROM SHELL OIL COMPANY_

Shell Oil Comments_

Safety Alert!
Here are some reasons why we don't allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas.

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations

In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.

In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car!

And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.

You should know that: Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes

Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition

Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boat, etc.

Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (I.e., solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc...)

TO sum it up, here are the Four Rules for Safe Refueling:

1) Turn off engine
2) Don't smoke
3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off
4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling.

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

8) Seventeen fires 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.

I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time.
Thanks for passing this along.

Don Steveson
Wyoming Refining Co.
Process Safety Manager
Success Is No Accident

A790
04-27-2013, 12:24 PM
LOL

spikerS
04-27-2013, 12:49 PM
it is all a good LOL. Despite urban myths, a cell phone has never sparked a fire at a gas station or anywhere else, unless modified to specifically do so, like exposing wires and putting leads right on the battery.

does this even sound like a remotely professional email? or one like Shell would put out?

revelations
04-27-2013, 12:49 PM
Originally posted by MGCM


Warning from Shell Oil Co. Do not Delete, ......


Thats where I stopped reading.

sxtasy
04-27-2013, 12:55 PM
Yeah absolute bs. You can't even ignite gasoline with a lit cigarette.

FraserB
04-27-2013, 12:59 PM
Key word is "potential". They ARE a potential source of ignition.

spikerS
04-27-2013, 01:04 PM
Originally posted by FraserB


Cell phones CAN be a source of ignition.

They don't ban non-approved radios and all cell phones in process areas of plants for fun.


All right. cite me one instance where a cell phone has been proven to spark a flame and burn down a gas station.

nice ninja edit Fraser! :rofl:

FraserB
04-27-2013, 01:05 PM
Edited for clarity.

Redlyne_mr2
04-27-2013, 01:06 PM
Does anyone here ever keep their car running while filling up? It's amazing how quickly people scatter. It's a totaly prick thing to do and it's not a habit of mine but the misconceptions out there are huge.

spikerS
04-27-2013, 01:13 PM
Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Does anyone here ever keep their car running while filling up? It's amazing how quickly people scatter. It's a totaly prick thing to do and it's not a habit of mine but the misconceptions out there are huge.

I would be more worried about a car running.

having said that, we used to have 45 gallon drums on the farm, full of diesel. Someone from town would come out, and we would laugh at the expression on their faces as we would toss lit cigarettes in.

AndyL
04-27-2013, 01:19 PM
http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp

If you're asking yourself if it might be true... check snopes first :)

Then hitup youtube for the mythbusters 'blow shit up' version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABfIcmIjD0U

:rofl:

Alak
04-27-2013, 01:30 PM
Anything is possible. We had a fire where propane came out of a bleed hose thats parallel to a painted surface under slightly more than atmospheric pressure and the friction of the propane vapor against the paint caused an ignition. The federal investigators said that you could probably try that a million times and it would never happen again.

sxtasy
04-27-2013, 01:31 PM
Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Does anyone here ever keep their car running while filling up? It's amazing how quickly people scatter. It's a totaly prick thing to do and it's not a habit of mine but the misconceptions out there are huge. I don't leave it running, for the sole fact it scares people lol, otherwise I probably would when its cold out. Back in the day I worked at a dealership and would fuel up all the new vehicles, whenever it was cold out I would leave the vehicles running while fuelling up.

Maybelater
04-27-2013, 02:43 PM
I have the potential to ignite the pump on fire with my mind...I just haven't figured out how yet...

IggyB
04-27-2013, 03:23 PM
Gas stations are one thing..........

But the first sentence is "cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas. "

Most operating areas in a refinery are classified as Hazardous locations. You do not bring a flashlight, phone or radio that is not certified for use in Hazardous area. If the right conditions (air/fuel ratio) exist and you use one of the devices which may create a spark, you'll be FUBAR.

Tik-Tok
04-27-2013, 03:57 PM
You guys are nuts. This can obviously happen, and if you don't forward it to 10 people you'll have bad luck for the next 7 years.

spikerS
04-27-2013, 04:35 PM
Originally posted by IggyB
Gas stations are one thing..........

But the first sentence is "cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas. "

Most operating areas in a refinery are classified as Hazardous locations. You do not bring a flashlight, phone or radio that is not certified for use in Hazardous area. If the right conditions (air/fuel ratio) exist and you use one of the devices which may create a spark, you'll be FUBAR.

The word you are looking for is "intrinsically safe"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsic_safety

I can't speak to radios, so I will not include them in my next statement. A flashlight has a filament in the bulb that creates a lot of heat, not to mention the filament itself. However, a regular run of the mill LED flashlight would be fine.

A cellular device has never been proven to be the cause of any flammable gas ignition, unless modified to specifically create a spark.

eglove
04-27-2013, 05:02 PM
Gullible

Modelexis
04-27-2013, 05:37 PM
Reading that reminded me of this youtube vid:

tuZxFL9cGkI

Sugarphreak
04-27-2013, 05:49 PM
...

ExtraSlow
04-27-2013, 07:17 PM
One of the biggest problems with bringing in cameras to a plant/refinery environment isn't that it's an explosion hazard, but the fact that a flash can set off the fire detection system, AKA fire-eyes. One the place shuts down on fire detection, it can take a long time to get it back running again.

Unknown303
04-27-2013, 08:01 PM
Originally posted by ExtraSlow
One of the biggest problems with bringing in cameras to a plant/refinery environment isn't that it's an explosion hazard, but the fact that a flash can set off the fire detection system, AKA fire-eyes. One the place shuts down on fire detection, it can take a long time to get it back running again.

:werd: I've seen a couple people skidded from sites for setting off a fire-eye and dumping a whole compressor station.

IggyB
04-27-2013, 09:39 PM
Originally posted by spikers


The word you are looking for is "intrinsically safe"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsic_safety

.

:)
Intrinsic safety is just another way to meet the hazardous area classification. But it does not really apply to battery powered devices since it requires an intrinsically safe barrier in a safe location.

Toma
04-27-2013, 09:57 PM
lol... when I can get away with it, I don't even shut my car off when filling up. Especially in the winter.

spikerS
04-28-2013, 10:21 PM
Originally posted by IggyB


:)
Intrinsic safety is just another way to meet the hazardous area classification. But it does not really apply to battery powered devices since it requires an intrinsically safe barrier in a safe location.

WTF are you talking about?

You can buy Intrinsically safe cell phones from the cell phone companies here in Canada, and some of them are even MIL spec!

do some research man. :facepalm:

1barA4
04-30-2013, 09:35 AM
Originally posted by sxtasy
Yeah absolute bs. You can't even ignite gasoline with a lit cigarette.

I used to smoke while pumping gas (pump jockey @ Husky in High School), never had an issue. Customers were...alarmed...but tipped well hahahaha

heavyfuel
04-30-2013, 09:37 AM
Diesel solves that problem lol

heavyD
05-01-2013, 08:03 AM
Originally posted by spikers


WTF are you talking about?

You can buy Intrinsically safe cell phones from the cell phone companies here in Canada, and some of them are even MIL spec!

do some research man. :facepalm:

Yeah I have had to purchase ATEX certified (Europe) Laptops in the past and they are available but pricey at $10k.

taemo
05-01-2013, 08:19 AM
Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Does anyone here ever keep their car running while filling up? It's amazing how quickly people scatter. It's a totaly prick thing to do and it's not a habit of mine but the misconceptions out there are huge.

in Asia, in the Philippines from my experience, any vehicles including my aunt and cousins they never stop their car when filliing up, they don't get out of the vehicle either as there are gas boys that will do it for you

FraserB
05-01-2013, 08:50 AM
Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Does anyone here ever keep their car running while filling up? It's amazing how quickly people scatter. It's a totaly prick thing to do and it's not a habit of mine but the misconceptions out there are huge.

Pretty sure all Ft. Mac operations keep their machinery running while they refuel. I know that I've personally refueled running equipment in the winter when we couldn't shut it down.


As for the intrinsically safe stuff, it all comes down to what specific plant OPS, HSE and electrical departments will approve.