Exxon bans use of cell phones at Finland gas stations; considering company-wide ban

Katie Fairbank

AP business writer

People do it everywhere — pull into a gas station and take out a cell phone to make a call.

But Esso, an Exxon Corp. subsidiary, wants drivers in Finland to make their calls far away from the pumps. Exxon itself is mulling over the idea on a company-wide scale.

The problem is that some experts believe electronic impulses from a cellular phone could help ignite fires if gasoline or gas fumes are present.

That hasn’t happened yet, but Esso would rather be safe than sorry — so mobile phones will be prohibited at its stations in Finland by the end of January and the ban may be expanded to other countries.

Exxon spokeswoman Lynn Russo said some Exxon affiliates “are putting signs in service stations” elsewhere in the world. She said Irving, Texas-based Exxon has not yet decided whether to post signs banning the use of cell phones at stations in the United States.

In Britain, cell phones are not to be used at gas stations, said Megan Matthews, a spokeswoman for Nokia, the second-largest cell phone manufacturer. That regulation is a leftover from the days of older technology when phones used up to 20 watts of power compared to today’s, which use about 0.6 watts.

“That rule still exists although a lot of gas stations don’t enforce it,” said Matthews.