Gasoline Safety

Gasoline Safety

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A man was trying to start a campfire with wet wood. Having little success, he decided to speed up the process. Thinking that the fire was completely out, he poured some gasoline on the wood. The gas ignited and flames raced up the stream and ignited the gas can and his clothes. He received very serious burns.

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Gasoline is one of the most dangerous substances that we store in or around the home. Because it is so common, we often fail to treat it with respect.

Remember these things about using gasoline safely:

Only purchase enough for the job at hand and store it in approved containers.
Don’t store it in the house. Keep it in a detached garage or a tool shed.
Never fill up your lawnmowers, rototiller, or any other piece of machinery when it is hot. Wait for it to cool before filling.
Don’t use gasoline for washing automotive parts. The fumes can ignite from an ignition source that isn’t even close to the area you're working in.
Never use gasoline indoors.
Never use gasoline to start a fire or pour it on a fire that has already been started. The fire can rush back up the stream of gas, igniting the container in your hand.
Don’t try to extinguish a gasoline fire with water. The water will only spread the fire.

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A man was using gasoline to clean the floor of his garage. He took the time to shut off the power and he extinguished the pilot light on the overhead furnace. He opened the doors and window to ventilate the building. Believing he was safe, he proceeded to use the gasoline to clean the floor. Then his neighbor walked into the garage carrying a case of beer and a lit cigar. The cigar ignited the gasoline fumes, burning the two men and destroying the garage.

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Martin Lesperance is a fire fighter/paramedic and is the author of the best selling book "I Won’t be in to Work Today – Preventing Injuries at Home, Work and Play" Martin delivers keynote presentations dealing with injury prevention. His talks are funny, but still have a strong underlying message. Visit his website at www.safete.com