Fuel cock-up - advice needed

[ozsat]

OK - here goes.

Had a different van this morning and it was left running on fumes.

I also fill up RM van at same station which is about my last DP - but the van wasn't going to get that far.

Stopped at a petrol station which I always use for personal use which is actually one of my first DPs.

Brain went into automatic mode - pick up nozzle and filled up - and paid.

Drove about a mile down the road and vanned stall as I pulled up outside next DP.

Tried to start it but it wasn't having it.

Thought about it for a minute and realised what had happened.

My automatic mode filled up with unleaded as I always do from that station - Usual nozzle selected.

Anyway - I'm now been told it is a 'code of conduct' case and will get stuff in writing and will have to be interviewed over my conduct.

Our local union rep is on leave and I'm told to expect things to start tomorrow.


Any advice on what to expect would be gratefully received.

[i love mail sort]

This has happened twice this year in our office. Nothing happened to the staff. The fans were fixed.

[banner18]

A mistake is a mistake. A silly one maybe, but these things happen. People do it to their own cars. This is the sort of thing where RM will show you they mean business and make you jump through a few hoops, but it ultimately will be just a warning that you had better not do it again, dressed up in offialdom. If only you had realised before you started the engine, you could have called the RAC to syphon the fuel tank.

Hope it goes ok for you......

[ozsat]

Thanks - there was no intent!

The odd thing is it was so automatic that when I looked at the full receipt it read to my brain that it was OK as it said UNLOADED.

After the event - I'm surprised the van ran for so long on the wrong fuel - it must have been around 5 minutes later as I also got stuck in traffic for a short time.

[DGP1]

The only person to do that in my office was the manager and nothing happened to him but like others have said, they'll probably make you jump through several hoops before giving you a warning that if something else happens they'll take you off driving

[jockstrapp]

It happened in my office and the only thing said was.......................what a w@nker

[ozsat]

Well went into office today - was told yesterday I would get a letter today - but nothing.

Turns out 5 others who are still there have already done it too.

[opgpat]

Human error, simple as. You should question the signage on the van. Is there a reminder sticker on/near the fuel cap that says 'DIESLEL ONLY'? Are drivers reminded regulalrly about the dangers of filling up? It's all very well to say you shouldn't have made this mistake but emplyers have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to warn employeees with clear instructions and signage.

You should mention there is a device on the market (Diesel-Only filler Neck) that would prevent this occuranced and vans should be fitted with it. The police use it and they are trained observers and highly skilled drivers.

http://www.powerfuluk.com/products/Othe ... -x3x5.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

btw petrol in a diesel is likely to do major damage as the explosive power of the petrol pushes combustion chambers beyond their tolerance. Diesel in petrol just gives you smoke for a bit, might damage some sensors.

[postietaz]

well sorry to hear m8,some 1 in are office got 2 years serious for van conking out cos of no oil .do ya daily checks or piss in the tank lol

[andy2007]

It must have been a very long time, since the van was checked if it ran out of oil. Unless of course there was a serious leak. In which case, that could have been used as a defence. But accidentally putting the wrong fuel in, only needs to be done once. We all make mistakes from time to time. But failing to do the pre-shift checks for long enough, to leave a van without enough oil, is in a totally different league.

[janitor]

One of our vans came back from the garage from a service, driver too it out 5 minutes later it seized up, DOM arrives at the scene, "didn't you check the oil before taking it out" reply was " no it's just come back from the garage, i assumed they would have filled it with oil before returning it". Another van went into garage to have a new clutch when the driver did his van check before leaving the DO found 3 bald tyres one tyre with a puncture, hardly any water in radiator and oil below minimum mark.

[andy2007]

I'm amazed that it'd been left without oil after a service! I've seen some pretty shoddy repairs in my time, at RM. But I didn't know things were THAT bad anywhere! Perhaps that might explain the incident Postietaz told us about. Perhaps it was a momentary lapse.

Personally, I always do the full pre-shift checks (FLT), even if I've just collected it personally, from the Engineer. Because although the one we've had for the last few years, is good at what he does. Anyone can make a mistake, and it'd be me who got the balme, if I missed something. And quite frankly, we've had some right shoddy Engineers in the past.

One, infamously claimed he'd fixed the faulty steering on a Scud. And when the Operator went to pick it up, the "fly by wire" steering, was still irratic. It was virtually impossible to get it to go in a strait line! Thankfully, he's long gone. But it makes you think, doesn't it?