Safety in Your Home

Storage and Disposal of Gasoline
Staying Safe at the Pump
Keeping Safe from Carbon Monoxide

1) Tips for Safe Storage and Disposal of Gasoline
Gasoline is an important part of our everyday lives. It lets us run our cars and trucks, getting the kids to school and the groceries home. It helps us keep our grass and gardens looking good, powering mowers and lawn care equipment. It lets us get away on vacation, running boats, off-road vehicles, and motorcycles.

But gasoline can be dangerous if not handled or stored properly. Gasoline should only be used for its intended purpose - as a motor fuel - and stored only when absolutely necessary. It should not be used as a solvent, cleaner, barbecue starter or for any other non-engine use.

Take the following precautions:

Your local and state governments are the first places you should check for standards and regulations on gasoline storage. For example, fire codes and regulations restrict the amount of gasoline an individual homeowner can store (usually no more than 25 gallons), in approved containers of less than five gallons capacity each.
Gasoline must be stored in an approved container or tank. Keep gasoline containers tightly closed and handle them gently to avoid spills.
Gasoline is a flammable liquid and should be stored at room temperature, away from potential heat sources such as the sun, a hot water heater, space heater or a furnace, and a least 50 feet away from ignition sources, such as pilot lights. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the floor to ignition sources. Do not smoke where gasoline is handled or stored.
Put gasoline in a small engine (like a lawnmower) only when the engine and attachments are cool.
Store gasoline in a building separate from the house or place of occupancy, such as a shed or garage. Always keep gasoline out of reach from children.
For better ventilation, it is best to handle gasoline outdoors.
Do not mix even a small amount of gasoline with kerosene or diesel. Do not use gasoline in kerosene heaters or lamps.
Minor spills should be absorbed with sawdust, paper or rags. Larger spills may be contained and collected. Check with your local government or hazardous waste disposal center to determine the proper avenues for disposing of spilled gasoline. Place recovered gasoline and cleanup materials in approved, labeled containers for proper disposal. Never dispose of spilled gasoline or cleaning materials on the ground or into your garbage, drains, toilets or sewers. If you do, it might cause a fire, or seep into streams, bays, lakes or your groundwater.

2) Staying Safe At the Pump
Static electricity-related incidents at retail gasoline outlets are extremely unusual, but the potential for them to happen appears to be the highest during cool or cold and dry climate conditions. In rare circumstances, these static related incidents have resulted in a brief flash fire occurring at the fill point. Consumers can take steps to minimize these and other potential fueling hazards by following safe refueling procedures all year long.

Most importantly, they should not get back into their vehicles during refueling – even when using the nozzle's hold-open latch. This will greatly reduce and minimize the likelihood of any build-up of static electricity.

A build-up of static electricity can be caused by re-entering a vehicle during refueling, particularly in cool or cold and dry climate conditions. If the motorist then returns to the vehicle fill pipe when refueling is complete, the static may discharge at the fill point, causing a brief flash fire with gasoline refueling vapors.

Motorists who cannot avoid getting back into the vehicle should always first touch a metal part of the vehicle, such as the door, or some other metal surface, away from the fill point upon exiting the vehicle.

Here are additional consumer refueling safety guidelines:

Turn off your vehicle engine while refueling. Put your vehicle in park and/or set the emergency brake. Disable or turn off any auxiliary sources of ignition such as a camper or trailer heater, cooking units or pilot lights.
Do not smoke, light matches or lighters while refueling at the pump or when using gasoline anywhere else.
Use only the refueling latch provided on the gasoline dispenser nozzle – never jam the refueling latch on the nozzle open.
Do not re-enter your vehicle during refueling.
In the unlikely event a static-caused fire occurs when refueling, leave the nozzle in the fill pipe and back away from the vehicle. Notify the station attendant immediately.
Do not over-fill or top off your vehicle tank, which can cause gasoline spillage.
Avoid prolonged breathing of gasoline vapors. Use gasoline only in open areas that get plenty of fresh air. Keep your face away from the nozzle or container opening.
When dispensing gasoline into a container, use only an approved portable container and place it on the ground when refueling to avoid a possible static electricity ignition of fuel vapors. Containers should never be filled while inside a vehicle or its trunk, the bed of a pickup truck or the floor of a trailer.
Only store gasoline in approved containers as required by federal or state authorities. Never store gasoline in glass or any other unapproved containers.
When filling a portable container, manually control the nozzle valve throughout the filling process. Fill a portable container slowly to decrease the chance of static electricity buildup and minimize spilling or splattering.
Fill container no more than 95 percent full to allow for expansion.
Place cap tightly on the container after filling - do not use containers that do not seal properly.
If gasoline spills on the container, make sure that it has evaporated before you place the container in your vehicle. Report spills to the attendant.
When transporting gasoline in a portable container make sure it is secured against tipping and sliding, and never leave it in direct sunlight or in the trunk of a car.
Never siphon gasoline by mouth nor put gasoline in your mouth for any reason. Gasoline can be harmful or fatal if swallowed. If someone swallows gasoline, do not induce vomiting. Contact a doctor immediately.
Use gasoline as a motor fuel only. Never use gasoline to wash your hands or as a cleaning solvent.
Never allow children to operate the pump.

3) Keeping Safe from Carbon Monoxide
Furnaces, space heaters, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves all help keep us warm in the cold of winter. But any fuel-burning system needs to be properly maintained and operated for safety's sake.

Burning any fuel – oil, natural gas, kerosene or wood – releases carbon monoxide and particles into the air. Without proper ventilation, these particles can build up in your home, posing a threat to you and your loved ones.

A few simple suggestions
The U.S. General Services Administration offers these tips for limiting carbon monoxide in your home:

Follow the manufacturer's directions on gas or kerosene space heaters, making sure to use the correct fuel. A persistent yellow-tipped flame can be a warning sign that the heater is not adjusted properly and is emitting excess pollutants.
While a space heater is in use, open a door from the room where the heater is located to the rest of the house and open a window slightly.
Install and use exhaust fans over gas cooking stoves and ranges and keep the burners properly adjusted. Again, a persistent yellow tipped flame indicates that the burner is giving off excess emissions. Ask your gas company to adjust the burner so that the flame tip is blue.
If you purchase a new gas stove or range, consider buying one with pilotless ignition, meaning it does not have a pilot light that burns continuously.
Never use a gas stove to heat your home.
Always make certain the flue in your gas fireplace is open when the fireplace is in use.
Have central air handling systems, including furnaces, flues, and chimneys, inspected annually and promptly repair cracks or damaged parts.