Safety Tips to Follow at Petrol Pump

Here are some safety tips that you must follow at a petrol filling station:

• Turning off your car engine when filling up the fuel tank - Many of us may not know that switching off the car engine is an important petrol pump safety rule in India. And it is one of the most important safety precautions when your turn is up for refuelling.

When the attendant opens up the tank, you can switch your engine off and remove the keys from the ignition point to avoid another person or kid accidentally starting the car engine. Although a major mishap may not occur, a slight leak or fuel dripping can be a fire hazard. So start the engine only after the fuel is filled and the fuel tank is closed completely.

• Avoiding smoking and using a lighter on the petrol filling station premises - Petrol is highly combustible. It can catch fire when it is in contact with any flammable substance. Therefore, it is important not to light a cigarette and start smoking at a car petrol pump. Some people keep smoking in a petrol pump, keeping the windows open and holding it up outside. It is extremely dangerous.

While you should avoid smoking, it is equally important not to use other lighters or flammable substances on the petrol pump premises, such as a matchbox. You can unload such substances and reload them once the fuelling is done and you are out of the petrol pump.

• Avoiding mobile phone usage - While it is unlikely for a mobile phone to cause a petrol fire hazard, it is possible! A fully charged mobile can be a source for ignition and should be avoided.
  Also, a fully heated phone can cause an explosion affecting the entire surrounding. People carelessly leave their phones inside the car during summer. It can heat the phone beyond permissible degrees that become a serious cause for concern. So, be careful with your mobile phone while travelling in your car. This is one of the most essential petrol pump safety rules in India.

• Being careful with kids - Kids can carelessly indulge in activities that light up a petrol fire when filling petrol in the fuel station, such as playing with a lighter or matchstick. Therefore, children should be held within the car safely with the windows shut. It is also important to keep them away from the adult refuelling your car.

• Being aware of theft - When fuel is filled in a vehicle’s fuel tank, you will be concentrating on the attendant filling fuel, or sometimes you go outside to use the toilet. Unfortunately, such scenarios let outsiders step inside your car to take some of your valuable belongings.
  So, beware of such theft that can result in great losses. Always make it a habit to lock your car when you step outside at a petrol pump. This is one of the important petrol pump safety rules in India that you must follow.

• Have an eye on your attendant - Some of the attendants present at car petrol pumps can take advantage of your carelessness or busy schedule and fill in less petrol for the amount you pay. In addition, there can be situations where the quality of petrol is compromised when you are engaged in a conversation on the phone or with other members in your car. So, when fuel is filled in a vehicle, be focused on the process to ensure the best quality petrol for the cost.

• Drive carefully at a petrol pump - Car petrol pumps are generally busy places. Many cars keep coming and going out of the petrol pump. Also, people and children keep roaming around paying bills or using the toilet. Therefore, driving carefully while focusing on the surroundings is essential to avoid serious accidents. This is one of the most important petrol pump safety rules in India.

• Discharging static electricity - Friction can produce static electricity. For example, when rubbed over synthetic car seats, synthetic clothes can cause friction. Therefore, when you keep moving in and around your car when fuel is filled in a vehicle, you should be careful of the big static charge that can build up instantly. And, suppose the petrol hose's earthing wire is broken. Then, if the hose's metal nozzle touches the petrol tank's metal neck, a visible spark can be discharged that is too dangerous. In addition, the scenario can be a petrol fire hazard if the climatic conditions are too cold or dry.

• Be careful while storing petrol in your car - When you are travelling long distances, or on expressways that are devoid of having car petrol pumps, you tend to carry petrol in portable containers from a petrol filling station. Ensure you have approved containers, preferably made of plastic and meeting the relevant standards to stay safe and avoid petrol fire ignitions. Keep the containers away from children and also store them in ventilated areas. If your body parts or clothes come into contact with petrol, ensure to wash them immediately.

Riding to different destinations is a fantasy. While exploring different places and otherwise, it is common to visit a petrol pump often to get your car's tank refilled. When going to a car petrol pump, most of us are not concerned about the safety precautions that we need to ensure. Petrol is a combustible substance that causes a petrol fire hazard. Therefore, it is important to avoid smoking and using lighters or mobile phones in and around a petrol pump. Keep your car's engine switched off and be careful while having petrol in closed containers. So, visit a petrol pump when the situation demands, and stay safe at any time while present there!