Refueling

Whether you’re a welder, crane operator, or a foreman, your company truck or rig will need to be refueled. Most sites have fuel trucks that come around with trained individuals to fill you up. Either way you should know what precautions to take when refueling whether you or someone  else is doing it.

Always make sure you’re at least 7 1/2 meters away from any ignition source. This means  keeping clear of welding sparks, any sort of static electricity, cell phones that are in use, and of course anyone smoking. Always turn the vehicle or machinery off before refueling or even taking the cap off. Make sure to ground equipment before refueling and if it has mounted equipment drop it to ground. Never modify the refueling equipment. Yes this means the old  “jam your wallet in the handle to press the trigger so you can fill up while staying warm in the truck” trick is a NO GO. Sorry, it only takes a few minutes to fill up. You won’t get hyperthermia in this time frame so do it safely. This will also help avoid over fills and spills. Always have a fire extinguisher close by just in case.

Always play it safe when refueling your equipment or vehicle. With the price of fuel these days, be thankful that it’s not coming out of your pocket while on site.