Mobile phones at petrol stations: are they dangerous?

There is a well-known and frightening email that circulates around cyberspace warning people against using their mobile phone at a petrol station. The Shell Oil Company appears to be the source behind the email, which was first sent in 2003.

According to Snopes.com the email presented the following scenarios:

Case 1
The phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fuelling, it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.

Case 2
An individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refuelling their car.

Case 3
An individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were furling their car.

However, general consensus on the net says this email is an urban myth and a hoax. According to the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service, there seems to be no evidence that mobile phone signals cause fires at petrol stations.

'It’s a hoax. There has never been an explosion or a death caused by a mobile phone in a petrol station in South Australia. In fact, there has never ever been an explosion of this kind anywhere in Australia. It’s a farce and it’s from this email that has been circulating the internet for years.'Spokesperson Peter Hall told ABC's Media Watch in 2003.

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Authority (AMTA) says mobile phone radiation isn't even strong enough to spark off a fire. This is confirmed by a 1991 Shell UK Oil Petroleum review mentioned on the AMTA website:

'...portable cellphones properly used do not represent a meaningful hazard on the retail forecourt. Without doubt, apart from the human acts of smoking and striking a match, the thing that represents the greatest hazard on the retail forecourt is the motorcar!' says Shell UK Oil.

Therefore, human error seems to be the main culprit for the fire risk posed by mobile phones at service stations. This is even underlined in Shell's 'Turn Off Ignition Sources' brochure which warns that:

• Mobile phones are potentially hazardous when used on a service station driveway.
• Dropping a mobile phone or switching it on and off can cause sparks, which may ignite petrol vapours.
• Using a mobile while refuelling can cause a lapse in concentration. This could result in the incorrect fuelling of your vehicle, fuel spills and a lack of precaution with driveway traffic. 

So, are mobile phones dangerous at petrol stations? On the whole, yes. However, the biggest problem is not mobile phone radiation but more mobile phone behaviour and how they are handled in fire-prone areas. It is therefore best to err on the side of caution and just obey the warning signs. Don't use your phone in a petrol station forecourt, it's just too risky.