Are there special precautions to take when filling non-conductive containers?
Even if a liquid is conductive, filling or handling plastic or other non-conducting containers can be hazardous. The splashing and turbulence of the liquid in the container can cause a static electric charge to build up in the liquid or on conductive parts on the container that are not grounded. A spark with enough energy to ignite a vapour/air mixture in its flammable range (an incendive discharge) can originate from the liquid or from the container. For medium-sized containers (5 – 60 U.S. gallons or about 19 – 227 L) it is advisable to ground any metal parts on the container (and nearby conductive surfaces that the container may come in contact) and fill the container from the bottom through a long, grounded metal pipe. This procedure will reduce the amount of static charge produced and will enable the generated charge to relax (dissipate) through the metal pipe. When filling non-conducting portable containers, the NFPA recommends that a grounded dip pipe or grounded wire be in the
