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Show Page HILL TOP TIMES 22 April 9, 1976 Gasoline Is Good For Cars, Unsafe For Cleaning By Maj. Joseph Raphael Ogden ALC Safety Officer About a year ago a base employe suffered painful burns to his face, neck and arms while using gasoline to clean a pair of fatigues. The fatigues were put into a sink in the utility room of his home and the gasoline was poured over them. The vapors billowed over the edge of the sink and floated to the floor, bouncing around the room until they contacted the pilot light of a nearby water heater. The fumes ignited, causing the injury to the employe and in excess of $2,000 damage to the house and property. More recently, another base employe was using gasoline to clean automotive parts in his garage. He was using an electric heater for warmth, positioned about 15 feet away. He open-cosaid he heard a loud "whoosh," and as he turned toward the heater he saw flames shooting toward him. Before he could move, he was struck by the flames which ignited his gasoline splashed trousers, inflicting first and second degree burns to his leg. The common denominator in both these cases is the misuse of gasoline as a cleaning solvent. Unfortunately this same common denominator was multiplied thousands of times last year throughout the country, resulting in pain, injury and death. The latest National Safety Council figures indicate that 6,500 people died in 1974 due to fires, burns and related causes, 5,200 of which were in the home. Many of these were caused by il -- the misuse of gasoline, probably because the users were unaware of the danger involved. A National Safety Council publication, "Family Safety" published a very enlightening article on gasoline entitled, "The Vapor Fuse" (Summer, 1975). Excerpts of that article are reproduced here for your information, education and common sense usage: "Ever since the invention of the internal combustion engine, western civilization has run on gasoline - harnessing its horsepower to save labor for humans and horses, to drive and to fly, to cut distance and to cut grass. "And, foolishly, to clean. "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 25,000 people require hospital emergency room treatment each year for injuries involving flammable liquids. More than half of those injuries are related to the improper use of gasoline, and most of those are burns caused by fires or explosions. "Today, despite the availability of relatively safe and efficient solvents and cleaning agents, people still use gasoline to clean clothes, floors, paint brushes, machine parts - just about anything, in short, that needs cleaning. "The National Safety Council's files are filled with enough gasoline - fire case histories to fill this entire magazine. And though the names and places change, the story is often the same: cleaning with gasoline; gasoline vapor; flash fire from pilot light, spark or other ignition source; terror, pain, injury or death. -- -- . "Gasoline is designed to burn. It vaporizes readily and the vapors can be exploded to provide power. But it can't use that who can be a power selectively. It isn't like an a on field from the the stadium. and away gentleman tiger Gasoline will burn on your hands or arms as quickly as it will burn in your car's engine. "What does it take to make gasoline vapor burn? Only air and a source of ignition. You don't have to "shake well" before using or "spray on lightly" or "let set overnight." It's ready to go. Gasoline will produce flammable vapor even when its temperature is lowered to 40 degrees below zero. "Suppose you leave an open container of gasoline on a basement work bench. Because it's heavier than air, the vapor will sneak down the side of the bench, then creep across the floor to the flame in a furnace or water heater. Gasoline vapor can even seep through small openings such as the cracks under an doors between rooms. "When gasoline is wrongfully used for cleaning floors or walls, it is deliberately spread over a large area. By increasing the surface exposed to the air, the amount of vapor is increased and, consequently, the fire and explosion hazard. "Because the pilot light of a furnace or heater is hidden from view, frequently forget about it as an ever of source flame and ignition. present "Even more of a problem than the pilot light is the burner, because of its heavy demand for oxygen. Air currents that flow from various parts of the room to feed the burner carry vapors to it, where it ignites and flashes back to the gasoline with explosive force. The vapor acts as a fuse - a very fast fuse. "An open flame isn't the only source of ignition for gasoline vapor. The electric arc that occurs when you flick a light switch or pull an electric plug out of a wall socket can ignite vapor. So can the sparks from an electric drill's motor. "As you can see, it's easy to start a fire with gasoline that's what it's made for. But, fortunately, it's even easier to follow -- -- Yes! Manuel and Tillers from 7 o 4 to 7 hp L Rockets and Jets Emma are still in the Beauty Business.. .we have just this precaution: moved to a new larger "DON'T USE GASOLINE FOR CLEANING! "Instead, use a product that won't produce flammable vapor below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, such as mineral spirits. "Gasoline burns clean in an engine. But when you clean with it, it can play a pretty dirty trick on you and your family." location WIG & BEAUTY SALON Air Force 1145 South State St., Clearfield south of other location) (2 1Im Specials on Waves & Frosting till Easter Plenty of hop Mtlf 0 He ywood Auto Clinic 132 Hortth 1st Kaysville. Utah West 376-203- 4 5 V urking Gets Law Award The nation's top award for preventive law activities, the Emil Brown Fund Award, was presented to the Air Force during ceremonies on the University of Notre Dame Try the newest permanent wave Super M campus, March 27. Maj. Gen. Harold R. Vague, Air Force Judge Advocate 773-047- 6 counseling court-cloggin- g face-to-fac- formal legal actions. The Emil Brown award honors a former University of Southern competition sponsored by the American Bar Association. Preventive law and client Separate recent years from legal educators who believe that many costly and trials car. be avoided e by counseling sessions with a plaintiff or defendant in advance of General, accepted the award during a dinner ceremony which followed a client 6Xp6ft HAIRSTYLING for men Salon gained increased attention in counseling activities have California law professor who established an annual award of $1,000 for writing or other activities promoting the concept of preventive law. (AFNS) T VlBCJJDDnOQ. "UTAH'S NEWEST" I MINI MOTOR HOMES I II 20' 1973 MODELS f) f ?A S X JV UKISIDI SHOEING CtNTIt 385 SOUTH STAT CLEARFIELD . . CALL 360CJD Dodge engine, Dodge Chassis Automotive air Roof Air & Generator. Self Contained Dual Rear Completely Wheels. These Units Have Been Leased. SEE AT Cutrubus Motors 1711 N. Main - LAYTON - PH. nnn OIMSUR 773-415- 1 Alliitirrk I SUMMtK LtRUUti W nun HIKMING liraTii sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss; i W |