Skip to main content
hpa logo
Topics A-Z:
Search the site:
Home › Topics › Chemicals & Poisons › Compendium of Chemical Hazards › Petrol ›Petrol - Incident Management
Printer friendly page (opens in new window)

Petrol - Incident Management

Key Points

Fire

  • Highly flammable
  • Vapour/air mixtures are explosive
  • Low flash point
  • In the event of a fire involving petrol, use normal foam and normal fire kit with breathing apparatus

Health

  • Toxicity occurs if petrol is inhaled while being ingested; aspiration may cause serious lung injury
  • Harmful
  • Inhalation may cause headache, dizziness and drowsiness. Aspiration into the lungs causes pneumonitis with choking, cough, wheeze, breathlessness, cyanosis and fever. In severe cases pulmonary oedema, convulsions or coma may occur
  • Often no symptoms occur following ingestion. In some cases, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may occur
  • Irritating to eyes and skin

Environment

  • Avoid release into the environment
  • Inform the Environment Agency of substantial release incidents

Frequently Asked Questions       Hazard Identification

Prepared by R P Chilcott
CHAPD HQ, HPA
2007
Version 2

This document will be reviewed not later than 3 years, or sooner if substantive evidence becomes available.