Transportation & Storage

If you use fuel at work or at home, sooner or later, you’re going to have to refill, store it, or dispose of it. Here’s how to stay safe when whether you’re filling at the pump, topping up your lawnmower, or picking up propane for your BBQ. Take Action. Think Safe.

Fuels Safety
Home safety Recreation & Events Transportation & Storage Business Safety

Stay Safe!

No matter how you’re using it – treat fuel with care. Here are some simple tips to help you do it safely.

  • Treat all fuels with respect; store them in well-ventilated places and away from nearby ignition sources.
  • When running a gas-powered engine, always allow equipment to cool down for a few minutes before refuelling.
  • Keep a BC Class fire extinguisher handy in case of a fire.
  • Only use a container that has been certified by an accredited certification organization to carry or store fuel.
  • If you need to transport more than five 20-pound propane cylinders at once, you must follow Transport Canada’s Transportation of dangerous goods regulations.
man refuelling car at a gas station and looking at pumps

Staying Safe at the Gas Pump

  • Turn your vehicle off when refuelling.
  • Don’t smoke within three metres (10 feet) of a gasoline pump, or inside your vehicle when refuelling.
  • Don’t force or jam a pump nozzle open when you are refuelling. 
  • Don’t allow children to play at the pump island or assist you in holding or activating the pump nozzle. 
  • Always stand by the pump while you are refuelling. Never leave it unattended.
  • If you are refuelling a motorcycle, dismount first. Fuel spilled onto the hot exhaust or engine could cause a fire, injuring you and others.
  • Before you refuel a recreational vehicle, camper, motor home, or similar vehicle, make sure to extinguish any propane pilot lights inside.
Filling a portable gas can at a gas station

Safely Filling a Portable Container with Gasoline

  • When filling a portable container, keep it on the ground with the nozzle in full contact with it. This will help prevent static electricity from igniting the gasoline.
  • Fill your container to about 90 percent of its capacity to leave room for expansion.
  • Keep well away from sparks or ignition sources.
  • When you have filled the container, tighten both the fill and vent caps.
  • Never leave a portable container in direct sunlight or in the trunk of a car.
Gas cans on a shelf inside a shed

Storing Gasoline Safely

  • It’s safer to use gas up than to store it. If you must store gasoline, keep the container tightly sealed and handle the container gently to avoid spills.
  • Store it at room temperature in a detached shed or garage that is at least 15 meters (50 feet) away from a heat or ignition source like direct sunlight or a pilot light.  
  • Don’t store gas in the basement of your home or cottage. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the floor to ignition sources.  
  • Keep a BC-rated (dry chemical) fire extinguisher (BC-rated) nearby in case of a fire. Don’t use water, since doing so will spread the flames.
Collection of various used gas containers on a shelf

Safely Disposing of Gasoline

  • The safest way to dispose of gas is to use it.
  • Small amounts of gasoline can be left outside to evaporate in an open container away from children and pets. 
  • If you must discard more gasoline, take it to the hazardous waste disposal centre in your area. Never pour it onto the ground, down a toilet or sewer, or into a drain—it could cause a fire or seep into a water source.
  • If gasoline has spilled, check with your local government or hazardous waste disposal centre to determine how to dispose of it.  
Truck trailer with two propane tanks secured to a rack

Transporting Propane Safely

  • You may transport up to five 20-pound propane cylinders in a vehicle (like a car, RV, or food truck) provided they are safely secure in either:
    • an upright position in the passenger compartment with the windows open,
    • a trunk with the lid propped open, or 
    • a ventilated box in the vehicle.
  • If you need to transport more than five cylinders, you must follow Transportation of dangerous goods regulations.
two hooked-up propane tanks against a wall

Storing Propane Safely

  • Never store propane cylinders indoors or in a garage. Store them upright and protect them against tampering, unauthorized movement, dropping, or impact that could result in a leak or fire. 
  • Safeguard stored propane cylinders with tamper-proof, vehicle-proof protection, such as in a locked cage or a fenced-in area. 
  • Don’t store propane cylinders close to operational heaters or near smoking areas.
  • Keep them at least one metre (three feet) from any building opening, sidewalk, or air intake. Keep them the same distance from any property occupied by schools, churches, hospitals, athletic fields, or other gathering points.
  • Never store more than twenty-five, 20-pound cylinders together.

TSSA Keeps You Safe

TSSA regulates the transportation, storage, handling, and use of fuels in Ontario, including natural gas, propane, fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, butane, hydrogen, digester gas, and landfill gas. 

TSSA keeps Ontario’s fuel industry safe by performing inspections, providing licences, certifications, and registrations, reviewing and approving fuel facility and equipment plans, and investigating fuel-related incidents.

Reporting Safety Concerns

If you see anything fuel-related that appears unsafe, report it to TSSA—24 hours a day, 7 days a week—by calling 1-877-682-8772. Choose Option 1 to be connected to our incident hotline (managed by the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy’s Spills Action Centre). 

If you witness an accident, call 911 and stay on the line to provide information about your exact location. 

Resources

Transportation of Dangerous Goods regulations

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