A Connecticut senator, Andrea Stillman, has
introduced a bill into the state legislature to impose a $250 fine on anyone who uses a cell phone while pumping gas. She sees it as a public health issue. Here's her reasoning:
Stillman said there are already warnings pasted on gas pumps informing people that a cell phone in the proximity of a gas pump could cause an electrical charge that might ignite the pump. However, she said, there are no penalties.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that whole thing about cell phones making gas pumps blow up was just an urban legend.
Engadget agrees, pointing out that "there’s no evidence that a cellphone has ever sparked a fire at a gas station."
Comments
MythBusters did a segment on this. Wholly bogus. They had to set off their big explosion some other way. There's a greter risk of a static discharge setting things off. I'm just glad I don't live in Conn.
Mythbusters is highly entertaining but they aren't scientists - they are SFX guys. Don't assume everything you see on TV is true 😉
But he did get some interesting stares from the people nearby.
A law fining people for filling their gas cans in an ungrounded vehicle would probably prevent more fires than this one.
Yes, Intrinsic Safety is an important issue but the concerns with that seem to stem more form electronics immersed in a possible hostile gas (not gasoline, more like propane and methane) environment (as in the aforementioned oil refinery). I'm not sure a filling station would qualify as near immersion in hostile gases. In fact, I would be more concerned with cell phone use near those propane tanks cages in front of the grocery store. The mistreatment those things undergo is bound to cause leaks.
3rd party products (discount cell phone batteries, those metal card antenna extenders) are known to cause fires and on occassion explosion due to improper construction. A fire or explosion near a gas pump will be dangerous (like another poster mentioned with the dink somking the cigarette). But a normal cell phone being used in the manner it was intended is simply not dangerous enough to make a law about it.
And finally, maybe historical research can help answer our question. I'm going to check the NTSB. I don't think there's a proven case of cell phones causing a fire at a gas station.
If I thought there should be a law about any warning sticker I've ever seen, I'd never have a slow day again.
It may just be a TV show, but they did prove that even going WAY beyond reasonable scenarios they still couldnt get a cell phone to cause an open spark. The only possible way something like that could MAYBE occur is with a cheapo counterfeit battery, and as far as I know there is already plenty of legislation about that.
That being said......
The other big issue is that the reason a Static Discharge is SOO much more dangerous than a "sparky cell" is the location of the spark.
I would think most people who are filling their tank and talking on the phone would have the phone in one hand and the pump in the other. That puts the primary source of ignition (the phone) a couple feet away from the primary vapor source. (the pump nozzle/tank opening) However if you are carry a static charge, the worst case scenario could be that the discharge would come out of same hand that you are controlling the pump nozzle with. That puts the spark and vapor only inches away.
The only reason I would think refineries or compressor stations might ban cell phones is because your entire body might be surrounded in a pool of flamable vapor, which is not the same as the 2-3 feet of seperation at a gas pump. Even then you would still probably need a bum battery to cause a problem.
Gas stations don't want cell phones to be used because they might interfere with their profits.
My guess is that most state legislators use cell phones while driving.
~ ~ ~
CUIDADO! PISO MOJADO!
The greatest danger in most facilities is highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas which is also very explosive. But everyone on the rig will be dead long before it becomes an explosion hazard.
Two months ago another rig hit a high pressure gas pocket while drilling. The flames shot over 200 ft in the air. The derrick melted in seconds. Grapefruit-sized rocks rained down on trailers and trucks. A worker on the derrick fell 150 ft to his death. These are the things I worry about, not cell phones.
http://gnn.tv/headlines/1083/Underwear_Police_Ban_on_Low_Cut_Pants
And a related question: Can anyone explain the highway road sign: "Blasting ahead, turn off all cell phones and two way pagers"?
The reason is that the demolitions experts use remote operated explosives. Apparently a stray cell phone or pager signal can set the explosions off prematurely. I have no clue how true this is, but that's the claim.
Hospitals are becoming more open about that. My former wife keeps hers on her at work, though she doesn't take it to patient rooms. She leaves it at the station.
Out of politeness or as a safty measure?
*FOOM*
nevermind...
Also, I don't if anyone here is from Southeastern CT but the New London Day printed an article on this where they state:
"There are documented cases of people across the country who have become engulfed in flames at gas pumps because the sparks from static electricity ignited gas vapors while they were fueling their cars. That's why there are signs at gas pumps warning motorists of the danger. And it illustrates why using a cell phone, which could give off an electric discharge, and pumping gas, is not a good idea."
I heart fact checking. Mind you The Day didn't have too much credibility to begin with but this is just silly.
http://www.pei.org/static/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/14/tech/main617547.shtml
And is it really such a big deal to just turn off your phone before pumping gas?
All this fear came about because of ignorance. Some years back a fire occurred when someone was fueling while using a cell phone. Since then people have thought it must be the cell phone, and like using cell phones on planes, they are trying to play it safe.
The fear is that the RF energy from the cell phone could energize the fuel nozzle. This is impossible, the cell phone would never provide enough energy to do it. If the cell phone was putting out enough energy for this to occur, you'd you'd be cooking. We're talking hundreds of watts of power.
You'll note that taxi drivers been never been advised
to switch off their radios which are many watts more powerful than a cell phone. The whole forecourt is
surrounded by RF signals. It's not the RF that causes spark, I can assure you of that.
Suggest you touch your car before fueling as you get out - thereby grounding it. This would prevent a possible spark when you put the fuel nozzle into the tank right next to the fuel vapour.
Its not just a show on any tv channel .... It holds credibility for the channel which is broadcasting it .
For the sake of clearing other doubts regarding their technical abilities .... yes by far they are competent engineers to pass on a judgement of their own .
Regarding the Main issue concerning the cell phone and Gas station ..... American fire safety organisation has carried out an extensive research and found the claim to be a "HOAX"
The whole urban legend of not using a cell phone in an explosive environment has resulted in people getting extra safe ..... just for the sake of trying to avoid even the slightest possibility ......
the whole purpose of all of us discussing over it is to churn the truth out ..... so kindly come of with some credible references to make ur point strong
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/1139343/posts