State officials to Oregon gas attendants: You have to supervise and help

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    FOX 12 Staff (KPTV) — Gas station attendants are still required to supervise and help as some gas stations in Oregon shift to self-serve, the state’s office of emergency management says.

State officials over the weekend suspended enforcement of gas station self-service regulations in an effort to comply with social distancing guidelines.

Not all gas stations in Oregon will permit self-service, but they’re allowed to if they meet requirements from the Oregon State Fire Marshal. The requirements include:

The gas station owner retains documentation that there are no employees available to work as an attendant, including documentation for absences and employee hiring and retention efforts;
The gas station owner is subject to State Fire Marshal audit and has posted safety signs for how to safely operate a fuel pump; and
The hours of operation under this subsection do not exceed 10 consecutive hours.
State officials believe lifting the restriction will help stretch staffing and keep stations open. Some businesses have already shifted to self-service, including Fred Meyer. Many Oregon residents, however, have concerns regarding the decision.

“It was just my first thought of, ‘well, it’s one gas attendant versus everyone going up and touching it,’” Matthew Novobioski, of Portland, said.

Leta McConnaughey, of Gresham, also voiced concerns.

“I would be more than willing to wait longer to have them pump it, then for me to have to pump the gas myself, I’ll wait for that,” McConnaughey said.

The office of emergency management says attendants are still required to wipe down all surfaces. The new regulations are in place until April 11.

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