We are all familiar with that short, sharp shock when static electricity discharges to or from something we touch.

Static electricity is a common, and often annoying, inconvenience of cool, dry weather. It is produced when certain susceptible materials contact or move against each other. In a car this is usually the occupant's clothing and the vehicle's trim, but in household or commercial environments it can be carpet and footwear.

It's caused by contact-electrification between insulated surfaces. In the case of your car, when you sit on the seat the electrical charges within the atoms of the your clothing and the cars trim transfer from one to the other and the surfaces end up with an unequal charge. While these materials remain in close proximity to each other there is no noticeable effect. However when you open the door and step out, the voltage between you and the car increases to anything from 10,000 to 20,000 volts. If you have shoes made from insulating materials the charge can't leak away to earth so when you touch the door to close it, you get zapped as the charges equalise themselves.

The reason it's more noticeable in dry weather is that moisture in the air assists in dissipating the charge before it gets the chance to zap you. The good news is that it's relatively easy to overcome. Just hold onto a metal part of the car as you get out and you won't feel a thing.

While this may be a minor inconvenience, there are other places where static electricity can be just plain dangerous. One of them is near fuel.

While the chances of igniting fuel with static electricity may be slim, it is possible. The most likely time for this to occur is when filling a container with fuel. If you do this, make sure the container is approved for use with fuel. Plastic oil containers are generally not suitable due to the material used in their manufacture being susceptible to static electricity. Metal containers are safe, as are plastic containers that are specifically made for fuel storage.

Never fill a container in the back of a car or trailer, always place it on the ground to discharge any build up of static electricity that could ignite fuel vapours. Also, to discharge any static charge that has built up in your body, make it a point to touch the container with your bare hands once it is on the ground, and for the same reason, make sure the fuel pump nozzle contacts the container while filling.

There is also a widely held belief that mobile phones can ignite fuel vapours, and service station driveways frequently carry signs warning that, amongst other things, phones should not be used while refuelling. This issue has prompted considerable research that concluded that the risk is negligible. That said however, regardless of the improbability of an incident occurring, you must obey the service station's Site Rules while you are there.

Should you require further assistance please phone our Technical Advisory Department on (07) 3666 9148 or from outside the Brisbane area on 1800 623 456.

The information provided in this fact sheet is intended as a general guide only. You should carry out further research and investigations into the topics outlined above prior to implementing any actions or recommendations.