Timothy
G. Prather
University of Tennessee Extension
Many
of us must store some gasoline around our homes to operate
lawnmowers, tillers, chainsaws and so on. But if stored improperly,
a fire or explosion could result, destroying the house and
causing injury or death. Gasoline is a product designed to
fuel internal combustion engines. It is a highly volatile
liquid, and its vapors can be ignited easily by a spark, flame
or other hot object. When mixed with air in the right proportions,
the vapor of one cup of gasoline has the explosive power of
about five pounds of dynamite, enough destructive force to
destroy any house or car.
Of course
there are other dangers which can be presented by the improper
handling and storage of gasoline and other flammable materials,
such as using these materials in the wrong engine or appliance
and poisoning. Let's look into some safe ways to handle and
store gasoline.
How many times have you seen people pumping gasoline into milk
jugs and the like and then putting it in the trunk of the car
or the back of the truck to haul it home? Have you ever wondered
how they make it home without setting the vehicle on fire, or
how they keep the house from burning days later when the fuel
expands, possibly rupturing the jug or blowing the top off?
Milk jugs, anti-freeze jugs, glass containers and many 'gas
cans' are not suitable for carrying or storing gasoline.
Some
plastics become brittle with age and are incompatible with
gasoline. Other containers are not strong enough to withstand
the pressures of expansion and contraction caused by temperature
changes. In addition, some containers sold as gas cans usually
cannot be sealed well enough to prevent spilling.
The
best containers for handling gasoline
are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM)
approved safety cans (see Figure 1). Safety cans are available
in several sizes and have various mechanisms for opening the
valve to pour the liquids. Funnel spouts can be added to make
pouring easier and reduce spills. Although the cost is somewhat
more than the cheap cans at the hardware store, they are much
safer and will outlast several of the others. Both UL and
FM have certain requirements which must be met before a safety
can is allowed to carry their approval. The primary features
of safety cans, as required by the testing laboratories, are
listed below:
Stability:
The cans must remain stable when filled and placed on a 30
degree slope.
Leakage:
When a filled safety can is inverted, the valve cannot leak
more than four drops per minute over a period of five minutes
(UL) or 10 minutes (FM). This test must be passed before and
after 5,000 (FM) or 10,000 (UL) normal opening/closing operations
of the valve. In addition, the seams and joints are examined
under pressure for leaks.
Strength:
UL tests the body strength with a hydrostatic test of 25 psi.
FM tests the strength of the spout and carrying handle by
applying loads from 25-125 pounds on the pouring spout, and
from 75-250 pounds on the handle, depending on the size of
the can.
Fire
Exposure: FM places a gas filled safety can in a large
flat pan of water on which one inch of fuel is floated and
allowed to burn (about eight minutes). The can must vent internal
pressure during the fire exposure and retain the contents
without spillage.
Flame
Arrester: FM checks the flame arrester by passing natural
gas through the screen and burning it on the other side. When
the gas is shut off, the flame must not flash back through
the arrester.
Abuse:
FM requires a full can to withstand a three foot drop onto
a concrete floor without sufficient damage to cause leakage.
Non
Metallic Materials: If the can is not made of metal, additional
test requirements must be met. The container must be compatible
with various flammable liquids, impermeable to gasoline and
it must meet puncture resistance requirements.
Obviously there will be times when it is necessary to carry
a container of gasoline in your car or truck, but try to keep
it to a minimum. Hauling gasoline can be dangerous. When you
must carry gas, secure the can so that it will not slide around
or tip over if you must make sudden stops or turns. Remove the
container as soon as you get where you are going.
Storing gasoline and other highly flammable liquids at home
is also dangerous if not done properly. The best way to store
gasoline is in a well ventilated area separate from the house.
The location should have no electrical equipment, open flames
or other sources of ignition present. In addition, the location
should be protected from the heat of the summer sun to keep
evaporation to a minimum.
Do not
store gasoline in the basement of your home or in the utility
room. The furnace, water heater, clothes dryer or any of several
other items could ignite fumes which may leak from the can
and travel considerable distances. If you do not have a suitable
storage area, consider building a cabinet outside your house
for storage or purchasing a commercially available flammable
liquid storage cabinet, available from safety equipment suppliers.
In addition, never put gasoline or any other nonfood material
in a container which resembles a food container. Keep gasoline
and other dangerous materials locked up. These practices will
prevent children from getting to the material and being accidentally
poisoned.
Never
smoke when handling gasoline and never refuel a hot or running
engine. Take a break if you must smoke or let the engine cool
down. If fuel is spilled, wipe it up immediately. Before starting
the engine, move at least 25 feet away from the fueling area
to avoid igniting fuel vapors which are heavier than air and
may linger for some time.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This document
is
SP288A
,
a series of the Agricultural Engineering Department, Agricultural
Extension Service, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Publication date: April 1986.
Timothy
G. Prather, Extension Assistant, Agricultural Engineering
Department, Agricultural Extension Service, University of
Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.
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