British Columbians have had a couple of days now to do the quick math in order to decide how much their gas tanks can hold, how much they need and how much money they will have to spend to put some gas in the tank. All due to a new regulation governing gas stations and convenience stores across the province.
Known as Grant’s law, the regulations introduced by Work Safe BC, are designed to make the working environment for gas station attendants much safer. Grant De Patie was a Maple Ridge gas station attendant who was killed in 2005 while trying to prevent a 'gas and dash' robbery.
De Patie was dragged through the streets of Maple Ridge in a most horrendous fashion, subsequently dying of his multiple injuries, all over an unpaid bill of 12 dollars and thirty cents; the seventeen year old driver of the stolen car was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2006.
Another aspect of the case was the need for a second employee at gas stations and convenience stores after 10 pm at night, a provision that has now been added to the legislation. It’s a move that has some local store owners considering closure at 10 pm, during the slow portions of the sales season.
The Daily News provided some background on the laws and some local reaction to them in Friday’s paper.
New 'pay before you pump' gas rules start today
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, February 01, 2008
Page one
Starting today, people will be asked to pay before they pump in order to make life safer for those manning the province's gas stations.
"Most people are fairly comfortable with it," said Ray Bruce, manager of the local Husky Station in Prince Rupert.
"Not everyone is one hundred per cent happy, but as with all changes in life, we go through an adjustment period. I imagine it will take all of February before we become comfortable with it and it becomes part of our regular routine."
The regulations that require people to purchase their gasoline before they fill up have nothing to do with any decision made by the gas stations.
Rather, the changes follow province-wide public consultation with employers, workers and police.
WorkSafe B.C.'s board of directors approved the amendments to provincial legislation last fall.
The changes are known as 'Grant's Law', in reference to Grant De Patie, who was killed in 2005 while trying to prevent a 'gas and dash' robbery when working alone at a Maple Ridge gas station.
"I think Grant De Patie, personally, was the straw that broke the camel's back," said Bruce Clarke, WorkSafe B.C.'s regional prevention manager for northern B.C. "It's something we've been looking at for a while."
Along with a requirement for customers to prepay at gas stations, the changes require employers at convenience stores and other outlets that are open between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to schedule more than one employee working during late-night hours.
During the slow winter season, this means Husky will be closing early at 10 p.m., but that will likely change in the summer when traffic picks up, said Bruce.
"For us right now, it's not worth having two people scheduled for just an hour or two," said Bruce.
There will no changes to the hours of operation for any other station in town. They either already close by 10 p.m., will chose to have two staff on after 10 p.m. or will protect workers by way of a locked door or barrier that requires people to pay through a window.
According to several employees at different stations around town, one of the most frequently asked questions from the public has been - how do they fill their tank to the brim without knowing in advance what the cost will be.
Bruce said the easy way is to use a debit card and pay at the pump.
All they need to do is authorize their purchase for more than their tank will take. The machine will verify the amount is available in their bank account and allow pumping to proceed. When the customer uses less than the amount that was authorized, they will only be billed by the machine for the amount of gas actually pumped, he said.
As for people paying inside who want to fill up, that will be more complicated, but still do-able.
"The only person this is really going to affect is the cash payer. For me, I'll probably see more pay at the pump and more cards used," he said.
It is worth noting that for travelers from the United States visiting Canada, being allowed to pump then pay is weird, not the other way around.
Known as Grant’s law, the regulations introduced by Work Safe BC, are designed to make the working environment for gas station attendants much safer. Grant De Patie was a Maple Ridge gas station attendant who was killed in 2005 while trying to prevent a 'gas and dash' robbery.
De Patie was dragged through the streets of Maple Ridge in a most horrendous fashion, subsequently dying of his multiple injuries, all over an unpaid bill of 12 dollars and thirty cents; the seventeen year old driver of the stolen car was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2006.
Another aspect of the case was the need for a second employee at gas stations and convenience stores after 10 pm at night, a provision that has now been added to the legislation. It’s a move that has some local store owners considering closure at 10 pm, during the slow portions of the sales season.
The Daily News provided some background on the laws and some local reaction to them in Friday’s paper.
New 'pay before you pump' gas rules start today
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, February 01, 2008
Page one
Starting today, people will be asked to pay before they pump in order to make life safer for those manning the province's gas stations.
"Most people are fairly comfortable with it," said Ray Bruce, manager of the local Husky Station in Prince Rupert.
"Not everyone is one hundred per cent happy, but as with all changes in life, we go through an adjustment period. I imagine it will take all of February before we become comfortable with it and it becomes part of our regular routine."
The regulations that require people to purchase their gasoline before they fill up have nothing to do with any decision made by the gas stations.
Rather, the changes follow province-wide public consultation with employers, workers and police.
WorkSafe B.C.'s board of directors approved the amendments to provincial legislation last fall.
The changes are known as 'Grant's Law', in reference to Grant De Patie, who was killed in 2005 while trying to prevent a 'gas and dash' robbery when working alone at a Maple Ridge gas station.
"I think Grant De Patie, personally, was the straw that broke the camel's back," said Bruce Clarke, WorkSafe B.C.'s regional prevention manager for northern B.C. "It's something we've been looking at for a while."
Along with a requirement for customers to prepay at gas stations, the changes require employers at convenience stores and other outlets that are open between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to schedule more than one employee working during late-night hours.
During the slow winter season, this means Husky will be closing early at 10 p.m., but that will likely change in the summer when traffic picks up, said Bruce.
"For us right now, it's not worth having two people scheduled for just an hour or two," said Bruce.
There will no changes to the hours of operation for any other station in town. They either already close by 10 p.m., will chose to have two staff on after 10 p.m. or will protect workers by way of a locked door or barrier that requires people to pay through a window.
According to several employees at different stations around town, one of the most frequently asked questions from the public has been - how do they fill their tank to the brim without knowing in advance what the cost will be.
Bruce said the easy way is to use a debit card and pay at the pump.
All they need to do is authorize their purchase for more than their tank will take. The machine will verify the amount is available in their bank account and allow pumping to proceed. When the customer uses less than the amount that was authorized, they will only be billed by the machine for the amount of gas actually pumped, he said.
As for people paying inside who want to fill up, that will be more complicated, but still do-able.
"The only person this is really going to affect is the cash payer. For me, I'll probably see more pay at the pump and more cards used," he said.
It is worth noting that for travelers from the United States visiting Canada, being allowed to pump then pay is weird, not the other way around.
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