How to Handle Fuel Safely

As a landscaper, using equipment is unavoidable. Thus, so does handling fuel. We need to note that fuel is a toxic and extremely flammable substance. Improper handling of fuel can harm equipment, ourselves, and the environment. In today’s post, I am going to cover fuel hazards, equipment filling techniques, use of portable fuel containers, and safe storage of fuel.

 

 

Safety Guidelines for Handling Fuel

Because fuel is toxic and extremely flammable, we need to handle it with tremendous caution. Below are some guidelines when handling fuel.

• Make sure to handle fuel in a well-ventilated area.
• Always wear proper PPE. The required PPE are gloves, long sleeve clothes, and eye protection. If your eyes are contacted by fuel, flush your eyes with water for about 15 minutes and seek medical attention.
• If fuel contacts your skin, wash it thoroughly and immediately to prevent the fuel from causing potential skin irritation. And if fuel is spilled more than a few drops on your clothes, change the clothes.
• Never smoke while handling fuel.
• Keep flames, sparks, or cigarettes away from a fuel tank. Since fuel would evaporate into the air in hot temperatures even from a closed fuel tank, fuel vapors can pose significant hazards when there are flammable substances nearby.
• Add the correct kind of fuel to equipment. Mix the recommended amount of oil with gas before fueling the 2-stroke engine equipment. Using incorrect fuel can disable the equipment. So, double check if the fuel is the correct one for the equipment.
• You need to report any spills of fuel exceeding a few drops to your supervisor immediately and then clean it up. When cleaning, you may use a special absorbent, rag, or even topsoil to soak up a large spill. After using the absorbent material, it must be disposed of properly and safely.

 

Equipment Filling Techniques

To stay safe when filling fuel in equipment, we need to exercise special caution. Below are some techniques for filling equipment safely.

• Never add fuel to running and hot equipment. Equipment that has been running for a while and just been turned off is still hot. If fuel is spilled on the hot muffler or other component, it could ignite and pose a significant risk. So, it’s recommended to fill enough fuel for the work at the beginning of the work. By doing so, we can avoid filling hot equipment.
• Always remove dirt and debris from the filler cap on the equipment before opening it to prevent them from entering the fuel tank.
• Remove the filler cap slowly. The pressure that builds up inside the fuel tank in warm temperatures must be released slowly.
• Do not overfill equipment or portable fuel containers. Fuel can expand in warm conditions. Thus, always leave a little room in fuel tanks or containers. Fill the fuel tank to 95% capacity only. This could prevent spills as well.
• Do not fill fuel in equipment in a spot where a spill can cause permanent damage. Avoid filling on the lawn and asphalt. Filling on concrete is the best.

 

Use of Portable Fuel Containers

Often called ‘gas cans’ or ‘Jerry cans’, portable fuel containers are usually used when adding fuel to landscape equipment. These containers can come in different colors according to the fuel contents they contain. For example, yellow cans usually contain diesel fuel while blue ones can contain mixed fuel. To make it safer, marking fuel cans is a good way to distinguish the type of fuel inside them instead of fully relying on

the color of the cans.

Source: rawpixel

 

Here are some guidelines for using portable fuel containers.

• Just like removing the filler cap of a fuel tank, you need to slowly remove the filler cap of the cans. Pressures inside the cans must be released slowly.
• Always place the can being filled on the ground. Otherwise, a static electricity charge could ignite fumes from the fuel. Avoid filling the can especially while it is on a truck or trailer.
• Do not use cellphones and other devices while filling. It’s best to turn them off. This is for preventing an electrical charge from igniting fuel vapors. Pay full attention while filling.
• Do not overfill the can. Be aware of the mark near the top of the can which shows maximum filling level. By doing so, you can avoid spills as well as allowing some expansion of the fuel in the can.

 

Safe Storage of Fuel

• Keep cans tightly sealed.
• Store cans at room temperature, away from potential heat sources such as sunlight, a space heater, a water heater, or a furnace.
• Store cans in a garage or detached shed. As gasoline vapors are heavier than air and can move along the floor to ignition sources, keep them at least 50 feet away from ignition sources such as pilot lights.
• Refer to the local authorities for any additional regulations about fuel storage.

Source: rawpixel

 

 

<Reference>

Landscape Ontario, GROW Training Program: “Fuels and Mixes”

Greenius, “Engines and Fuel Basics”

Esso Mobil, “Safety & Storage” (https://www.esso.ca/en-ca/gasoline-safety-storage)