Why can't you use a Mobile Phone at a petrol station?

Question

I have never seen a spark from my mobile but blue sparks when I close the door from my finger. I have seen the guy with the tanker making the delivery on his mobile beside the main hoses from his trailer in use.

So what is it with "No Phone" use at petrol stations?

Answer 1

The actual ban is on Transmitting devices, which of course catches mobile phones. This was introduced during the CB boom in the 80s, as it was thought that he illegally high power (up to 100 watts) of some rigs could make sparks in the equipment or on adjacent metalwork. Also the early digital readouts on the pumps could be confused by the radio waves (think - just click the microphone switch till the display shows a lower value!)  It's very unlikely that a modern phone would cause any problem, but elf & safety still think otherwise and the local authority licence for the petrol installation requires all transmitters to be switched off. Of course starting your engine can't cause a spark, can it?

Answer 2

There has never been a recorded fire at a fuel station caused by a mobile phone

H+S

Early phones.... new gadget ?

Thing is now with the modern Lipo battery, its like hidden bomb

Especially if its switched off on charge on your car charger

If its switched on, it senses overcharge and switches off charge to battery internally,  if its off the battery will charge and charge till it expands and blows with risk of fire

I would do a search on youtube :    Lipo fire  ?

Answer 3

It is not so dangerous because I have done it too, I think when the phone will ring.. a Great proplem will exist.. just follow the sign you you will be secured. Maybe the guy is ignorant of just hardheaded..

Answer 4

Modern phones don't cause a fire hazard, they used to cause a bit of a problem with the digital recording system in the pump, but that has now been mostly resolved.

The main reason is to stop people rabbiting away on the phone and holding up everybody else thats waiting for fuel.

If there was any sort of fire hazard at all it would be the lack of electrical bonding between the pump nozzle and the car filler.

Answer 5

In theory, mobile phones can generate static electric sparks. These, in turn, can ignite fuel vapors.

It's a very very infinitessimally small chance, but enough that petrol stations want to make sure to indemnify themselves against liability.

Answer 6

i think its daft,whats the first thing a petrol engine does when it fires up??sparks on four cylinders

Answer 7

safety first...ask who suffers if it is a legit concern and its ignored....the tanker guy should have been told...

Answer 8

health & safety gone mad

Answer 9

One scenario involves dropping the telephone in such a way that the battery is ejected and is short-circuited across its charging terminals. This, of course, would have to happen in an environment that contains an ignitable atmosphere.

The chance of all the right conditions coming together at the same time are distinctly remote. There are numerous potential ignition sources on an automobile, but the incidence of fires during fueling episodes is rare, to say the least. A study done some years ago in Germany estimated the chance of a fire happening during vehicle fueling from ALL ignition sources as extremely low.