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IsawavideorecentlywheresomeonedroppedadevicecontainingaLiPobatteryfromareasonablygreat

heightafewminuteslater,thedeviceburstintoflames.Lithiumispyrophoricandwillignitespontaneously
ifexposedtoair.
Ifyoudropaphoneandthecasecomespart,thebatterycanbecomedisconnectedfromitsterminals.Thiswill
generallydevelopasparkasitdisconnects.Ifthebatteryshouldbeshortcircuited,thesparkingisdefinitely
capableofignitingjustaboutanythinginthearea.Certifieddeviceswilltakespecialmeasurestomakesure
thebatterycannotbedisconnectedwithoutspecialtools,andthattheshortcircuitcurrentifitdoesbecome
disconnectedislimitedtoasafelevel.
I'mnotpersonallyconvincedaboutthepossibilityofradiantenergycausingsparksbutthatisnottheprimary
risk.Evenaswitchedoffphoneshouldnotbetakenintoahazardousarea.

If your safety officer had recommended so he will also have to provide


justification. Without reasonable cause a safety officer can not and will
not recommend for a policy decision. Did you seek the cause for such
a recommendation from him?

It makes perfect sense to ban the use of cell phones "out in the field"
on any production plant; not just because of electromagnetic radiation
or sparks from battery causing a fire but also because the phone
demands attention which people then do not pay to their surroundings

It is a well known fact that using a mobile phone while up at a solvent


vapor atmosphere could cause an explosion. Its from possible static
charge that could build up on the person and then get discharged to
cause the ignition. I have a video of a Shell burnt out station after
such a situation killing the attendant. These friends who are writing in
should state their experience with Chemical Industries before
commenting.

Cell phone makers including Motorola and Nokia have included


warnings about not using cell phones around gas vapors. The danger
from a mobile phone radio signal causing a fire is negligible though a
dislodged battery, or the voltage regulator of the battery if out of
calibration and is letting your phone charge at 2 times the rate, or the
battery in your phone is over charged, and therefore could spark
depending on the humidity, or heat, etc...it becomes all the more
dangerous to cause a fire. In the past cell phones batteries have
exploded of its own and company had to withdraw those batteries from
the market. In most refineries and gas plants where I worked using
mobile phones are strictly prohibited for fear of interference with their
control systems too. One can not even enter the premises with a
mobile in his possession
Two videos one that of shell and other while filling gasoline in a car
both from mobile phone are available with me. On request through the
forum I may be able to send those to interested friends to mail Ids.

A company had banned its employees from talking or texting on cell


phones while working for safety reasons. Now its taking the cell phone
ban one step further.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is banning


employees from carrying their cell phones on the job. The penalty if
they do: termination.

The new rule came after a trolley rammed into another one, injuring
the operator and nearly 50 passengers, derailing both trains, and
causing MBTA service to be suspended at the Government Center in
Boston for several hours. The crash totaled three trolley cars and
caused $9.6 million in damage.

The operator of the trolley told investigators from his hospital bed that
he was sending a text message to his girlfriend just before the crash.
Preliminary information from an investigation by the National
Transportation Safety Board also shows the driver, Aiden Quinn, ran a
red light just before the crash.

Before this incident, MBTA employees were allowed to carry cell


phones but were banned from talking or texting while on the road or
tracks. A first offense carried a three-day suspension, although the
agency had the right to fire violators. MBTAs General Manager Daniel
Grabauskas said the trolley driver in this crash would be fired.

You are not to get on board that bus or [train or trolley] and have a
cell phone on your person or in the cab.

This is going to be a zero-tolerance policy. Officials said the new


policy wouldnt compromise communications in an emergency because
cabs are equipped with radios and emergency call buttons.

Transit officials say in the last 12 months, five train and trolley drivers
and 13 bus drivers had been cited under the old policy. One bus driver
was fired.
If your safety officer has recommended to ban mobile phones at your
works there is no other way but enforce it for safetys sake please.

Regards,

Kesava Pillai
12th July 2010 From India, Kollam

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