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annesevant
#1 Posted : 04 August 2009 13:06:26(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 14/07/2007(UTC)
Posts: 952
Are there any regulations concerning how you can use petrol in your own property or is it left to common sense?
Recently, I have been able to detect large amounts of petrol vapours floating in the air, in the back garden. (I do mean unused petrol not exhaust fumes.)
Admittedly, my nose is very sensitive but these fumes are enough to make me feel ill and I have to shut tight every window and every door.
If it was gas I could detect so clearly, I would report it to the Gas Board.
I stress this is not happening all the time, so the cause is not a leaky petrol container/tank in the neighbourhood but, what is happening is frequent enough to be a nuisance to me.
Any advice from anybody?
annesevant
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knowsie
#2 Posted : 04 August 2009 22:38:47(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 03/07/2008(UTC)
Posts: 251
annesevant wrote:
I stress this is not happening all the time, so the cause is not a leaky petrol container/tank in the neighbourhood ...
annesevant

Not necessarily, Anne. Is there any connection with temperature? Or when the sun is shining at particular times of the day?

Like any liquid, petrol expands and, more importantly, petrol being a particularly volatile substance, evaporates with temperature, so needs to be kept in a vented container.

If the container gets hot(ter), the vapour will be vented to the atmosphere.

Direct sunlight on the container would accelerate the evaporation process considerably.

Does this help?

I am sure that there are very strict laws on the storage of petrol but I don't have any personal knowledge in this area.

Perhaps the Fire Brigade are your best information source? After all, they have to deal with the consequences if the vapours ignite ...
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Newbie
#3 Posted : 04 August 2009 22:46:32(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 02/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 259
Amounts of petrol legally allowed to be stored can be found here .

There may of course be further restrictions, in emptying and filling containers, as this lets off vapours, as well as restrictions put in place by those who own the property where the petrol is to be kept.

Petrol vapours are EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE, and it's usually the vapour when ignited that causes explosions, due to the rapidly expanding gas, Buncefield anyone?

Report it.
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annesevant
#4 Posted : 05 August 2009 08:53:18(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 14/07/2007(UTC)
Posts: 952
Thank you for the responses to my post re petrol fumes.
I have just read the rules and regulations provided by newbie and it makes me shudder that people are allowed to store so much petrol providing it's in the correct containers. It really needs people to be responsible because I would say checking is impossible.
I am also taking notice of Knowsie's comments. When I can smell petrol, I can also hear human activity, so it is very possible that the liquid is handled carelessly rather than stored in a dangerous way. (I am not talking substance abuse, only tinkering with engines!)
Not easy to solve.
What you do in the privacy of your own property when it is not illegal, is a minefield.
annesevant
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knowsie
#5 Posted : 05 August 2009 11:20:39(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 03/07/2008(UTC)
Posts: 251
annesevant wrote:
When I can smell petrol, I can also hear human activity, so it is very possible that the liquid is handled carelessly rather than stored in a dangerous way. (I am not talking substance abuse, only tinkering with engines!)

I have heard of petrol being used as a cleaning/degreasing agent (cleaning bicycle chains rings a dim, distant bell) so you may be onto something there ...

... Can you pinpoint the source of the noise? A cardboard tube, or similar, held against the ear, can make a simple, effective bearing locator ...
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annesevant
#6 Posted : 05 August 2009 13:17:29(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 14/07/2007(UTC)
Posts: 952
Knowsie might well be right about the cause of the escaping fuel vapours. He is giving us 'bad' good ideas, telling us we can use fuel as a cleaning agent for cleaning car parts/motorbike parts or even the humble bicycle chain!
I suppose the whole male population knew that anyway!
As what is happening is casual, I would imagine that nothing can be done. I should be thankful that the cleaning of mechanical parts is done, in the open air, for leisure reasons and not professionally.
annesevant.
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knowsie
#7 Posted : 05 August 2009 14:31:02(UTC)
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 03/07/2008(UTC)
Posts: 251
annesevant wrote:
Knowsie ... is giving us 'bad' good ideas, telling us we can use fuel as a cleaning agent for cleaning car parts/motorbike parts or even the humble bicycle chain!
I suppose the whole male population knew that anyway!

Oh dear! Still, it can't be that 'bad', can it? After all, it got past the moderators ...!

I did say it was a dim, distant memory and was in the days when nobody in our family owned a car, so, for me, petrol was out!

However, there was an acceptable substitute: paraffin!

This was in the days when paraffin heaters were extremely popular, so it was easy for me as a lad to buy a pint of Esso Blue or Alladin Pink for between 3d and 3½d, depending on supplier - that should bring back some memories!
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