The short answer is no.
While bonding and grounding are absolute regulatory requirements under OSHA 1910.106 and are foundational safety measures in flammable liquids safety, they are insufficient on their own when transferring non-conductive (e.g., conductivity < 50 pS/m) flammable liquids like toluene, xylene, benzene, or ultra-low sulfur diesel. This is a classic process safety trap:
We can have a perfectly grounded tank with 106 ohms or less of resistance, a bonded fill pipe, and still trigger a flash fire.
Bonding and grounding only equalize the electrical potential between conductive components (the metal piping, the tank shell, the pump). They do absolutely nothing to stop the liquid itself from generating a charge, and they cannot quickly pull an accumulated charge out of the bulk of a non-conductive liquid. If a liquid has a conductivity of less than 50 pS/m (picosiemens per meter), it acts as an insulator or, as some call it, an “accumulator”. When it flows through a pipe, micro-filters, or a pump, it strips electrons and builds a static charge. Because the liquid is an insulator, that charge becomes trapped in the center of the liquid pool inside the receiving tank. The electrons cannot migrate to the grounded tank wall fast enough to safely dissipate.
As the tank fills, the surface of the ungrounded liquid pool rises, carrying a massive voltage potential (often exceeding 20,000 volts). If that charged liquid surface gets close enough to the grounded fill pipe, a gauge, or the tank wall, a surface brush discharge arcs directly across the flammable vapor space.
Because bonding and grounding cannot eliminate bulk fluid charge, consensus standards require engineering and administrative controls to limit charge generation and allow time for dissipation.
| Control Strategy | Mechanism of Action | Standard Application |
| Velocity Limits | Slows flow to reduce the triboelectric generation rate during pipe transit. | Cap initial fill velocity to < 1 m/s until the fill pipe is submerged. Limit continuous flow velocities based on pipe diameter (vd equations). |
| Relaxation Time | Provides physical time for the charge to bleed to grounded pipe walls before entering the vapor space. | Ensure at least 30 seconds of residence time in grounded piping downstream of high-charging equipment (like micro-filters) before entering the tank. |
| Submerged Fill (Dip Pipes) | Prevents splashing and atomization, which rapidly multiply static generation. | Fill pipes must extend to within 6 inches of the tank bottom. |
| Static Dissipater Additives (SDA) | Chemically increases the liquid’s conductivity above 50 pS/m. | Allows the liquid to shed its charge to grounded equipment immediately. Often used in aviation fuels. |