Figured I would post the pictures,

[Ianab]

I've had dry grass smouldering around my push mower before, and seen haymaking machinery catch fire because of grass wrapped around moving parts. That would be as dangerous as a lit cigarette.

I guess it's also the same as not allowing guys to gas up their bikes at the servo while sitting on them. If they NEVER caught fire there wouldn't be any risk. But one or 2 must have, and I guess the only thing worse than setting your bike on fire is if you are sitting on it, and have spilt the gas on your crotch. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Pouring gas onto a pile to burn is not a good idea. Growing up we started many brush piles with kerosene or diesel. Gas will explode and than it's gone. Diesel will just burn and stay there and catch the pile on fire.

Yes, I've used LOTS of diesel to start burn piles.  Once or twice I didn't have any available and used a little bit of gas, soaked into cardboard or rags, so it would burn a little while.

[BargeMonkey]

 I should walk up to the barge and grab the MSDS for "R-Bob" or what most people call regular gasoline and take a picture of it, dealing with a busted locomotive engine so I'm not really a ball of fire 😂 I posted the pictures because I figured it would maybe get people to think, again we live in a world of "safety culture". It could have been a little grass wedged in by the muffler, it could have been the muffler itself, I wasn't there to witness it but there was a source of ignition present, I'm doubtful it was the key switch or seat switch. I did the basic  program at the CT fire fighting academy, took the advanced fire fighting program in Norfolk VA.
Anyway, this incident generated a discussion for my father and I at home because 1wk prior we signed a contract for 4 large petroleum storage tanks to be built for us. Due to the new federal code changes we are NOT required to have a canopy mounted fire supression system, the manufacturer doesn't even recommend it. All new above ground tanks have to be UL205 fireguard triple wall tanks, and being in NYC watershed we didnt want the liability of a tank in the ground. The idea of one of the local people with no drivers license rolling into our gas station on his lawnmower to get gas and a 12pk of natty light 😂 replicating this scenario next to the store has now gotten us to order 2 large stand alone fire bottles with monitors. 2.5yrs prior we made the decision to start cutting back on what logging /excavation work we do sometimes because of the huge cost of comp /insurance, lack of qualified help. Just about begging the experienced local guys to come drive truck at almost 50 bucks an hr scale wage, but I offer to pay 1.00 hr over Stewarts / Cumberland farms and I will get to pick and choose from their qualified help, it's actually pretty sad when you think about it.

[teakwood]

When we burnt our land in dryseason we used 8 parts diesel and 1 part gasoline mixed together, that is what burns best and its not explosive. another company gave me a firespiller for that job, kinda funny tool. it holds 2gal of liquid and you just walk and the tool spit out a small line of fire.

At 1.30min you can see the tool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1QLdJR8Gk0

[nativewolf]

teakwood, I do a lot of burning.  Our family is restoring/creating pine/oak savanah in North Carolina, sort of far afield from you but ....I use a lot of drip torches, etc.  Sometimes we just grab a rake full of tinder and drag that. 

I've actually been on the site in the video, didn't do the burn work but they are slowly but surely getting several of the Urban Forest back into shape.  Hard to recognize it but that is only a few mins from downtown Chicago, you hear airplanes very low coming in and out ohare airport.  Can't talk sometimes. 

[nativewolf]

I should walk up to the barge and grab the MSDS for "R-Bob" or what most people call regular gasoline and take a picture of it, dealing with a busted locomotive engine so I'm not really a ball of fire 😂 I posted the pictures because I figured it would maybe get people to think, again we live in a world of "safety culture". It could have been a little grass wedged in by the muffler, it could have been the muffler itself, I wasn't there to witness it but there was a source of ignition present, I'm doubtful it was the key switch or seat switch. I did the basic  program at the CT fire fighting academy, took the advanced fire fighting program in Norfolk VA.
Anyway, this incident generated a discussion for my father and I at home because 1wk prior we signed a contract for 4 large petroleum storage tanks to be built for us. Due to the new federal code changes we are NOT required to have a canopy mounted fire supression system, the manufacturer doesn't even recommend it. All new above ground tanks have to be UL205 fireguard triple wall tanks, and being in NYC watershed we didnt want the liability of a tank in the ground. The idea of one of the local people with no drivers license rolling into our gas station on his lawnmower to get gas and a 12pk of natty light 😂 replicating this scenario next to the store has now gotten us to order 2 large stand alone fire bottles with monitors. 2.5yrs prior we made the decision to start cutting back on what logging /excavation work we do sometimes because of the huge cost of comp /insurance, lack of qualified help. Just about begging the experienced local guys to come drive truck at almost 50 bucks an hr scale wage, but I offer to pay 1.00 hr over Stewarts / Cumberland farms and I will get to pick and choose from their qualified help, it's actually pretty sad when you think about it.

You guys need some immigration.  Seriously...what is wrong with your labor market? 

[luvmexfood]

Something similiar happened near here several years ago. Guy fueling a hot mower. Nearly died from the burns. Like Barge said. Be aware of what could happen. If you have to refuel pop the hood up and give it a few minutes to cool. Good time to get a drink or whatever.

[CarlR]

The picture of the gas can reminded me...last winter one of my five gallon cans got a crack in the bottom.  It was full, or pretty full when it all leaked out inside the shed.  The fumes were really strong, a spark or flame might have created a real problem.

Maybe plastic gas cans aren't forever.  I looked at all mine and got rid of several.

Thanks for telling the story,  Carl

[Gary_C]

There are two very real possibilities for the ignition of gasoline in that environment. The first would be the auto ignition temperature which could be around 475 degrees and the exhaust system could easily be that hot.

The second reason would be static electricity that could be generated by pouring gasoline from the gas can to the tank. It is especially dangerous with these newer poly gas cans and you should always keep the spout of the gas can in contact with the tank while pouring. If you worked in an industrial environment under OSHA rules you should use a ground strap and a safety can when pouring flammable liquids. Most of the industrial plants that handle flammable liquids also require you to check your shoe conductivity and wear a grounding strap if the conductivity is low.

It is also especially dangerous to fill your gas cans in the back of your pickup, especially with a poly bed liner. If you do tempt fate, it's best to keep the gas nozzle in contact with the can being filled at all times.

[BargeMonkey]

 I try and keep my verbal filter in place when posting, I only try to be helpful and decent, but because I walk in the shadow of a pretty successful business man I have to hear every day how much our insurance costs, how the combination of 2-3 large mistakes could cost us everything. We send our guys for everything, first aid/cpr/aed, MSHA, GOL, anything safety possible, our longest running employee at home now is actually the guy you will meet if you go do GOL -Logger rescue training in NY. I also work in an industry where I'm paid to prevent 5-7 other grown men from trying to fix or break something, had a nice meeting yesterday about how 480V 3PH @ 100A is going to be a life changing experience. 😂
Someone on another page put this picture up this morning and I had to, I don't know the true info on it, but was told it was from a homeowner filling up a hot engine on the woodsplitter, again probably a combination of ignition sources. 

 
Its not a lack of help problem, it's "qualified help" that's getting harder to find, we are pretty picky and guys either make it 2wks or 20yrs. The way the insurance is going in NY your going to see more guys go CTL / big mechanical because you just can't afford someone on the ground running a saw. We have medical insurance and can afford to pay guys decent money, but most guys don't see the hidden costs which almost doubles your "hourly" cost to us, comp/insurance , payroll tax, SS withholding. I had one recently I was trying to train, offered to pay his way thru GOL, get him his CDL, smoking pot and showing up for work when he wants forced us to actually go without someone for a while. We have a guy every summer just do maintenance, paint trailers, truck frames, busy work, the best guy I could come up with this last yr who actually showed up and worked every day was early 60s and almost legally blind. Every industry we look at has these similar problems and then the talk is to do away with even more parts of our local vocational school.

[mike_belben]

Too much welfare, disability, SSI and easier jobs.  Regulation and compliance and BS is driving everyone out of the real work that made this country a superpower.

[grouch]

Sounds like scapegoating and dreaming to me.

Too much ignoring international economics, unchecked multi-national corporate greed, buying and selling of laws and regulations in private, too much wishing for bygone times that never were.


By the way, what does any of that have to do with improper and unsafe handling of gasoline?

[mike_belben]

More like too much DOT greed, too much insurance and compliance expense. Too many programs for employer to fund, too high of a tax rate on anything "commercial"