Oregon will allow drivers to pump their own gas until at least April 11 in order to reduce contact that could spread the coronavirus and ensure that essential frontline workers have access to fuel during potential staffing shortages, the state fire marshal announced early Saturday morning.

“During this unprecedented time of state emergency, we need to ensure that critical supply lines for fuels and other basic services remain uninterrupted,” State Fire Marshal Jim Walker said in a press release.

The announcement prompted outcry from many Oregonians who pointed out that any suspension of attendant service, which is a voluntary decision for station operators, would increase customers’ exposure to surfaces that could be contaminated with the virus. Oregon already allows limited self-serve gas in many rural counties around the state.

Rudy Owens, a spokesman for the fire marshal’s office, said the “overarching" goal behind the marshal’s decision is to prepare for a situation “where the workforce may not be able to come in or there might be closures” of stations due to the prevalence of coronavirus. In that case, the state wants to make sure critical parts of the workforce such as healthcare workers and grocery store employees can still get to their jobs.

It’s also difficult for gas station attendants to maintain the recommended 6-foot distance from other people while taking payment and refueling some vehicles. Some fuel companies already allowed customers to pay for gas using company-specific applications on their smartphones.

Andrew Emmons, who pumps gas at a Chevron station in Sherwood, said he considers Saturday’s decision a step backward for public safety.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for Oregonians to be able to pump their own fuel. There’s a few of us designated, trained attendants who touch the pumps and we’re taking the proper safety precautions," Emmons said. “We were the only ones touching the pumps. Now if you let everybody touch the pumps, that’s a higher breeding ground to spread the virus.”

In an emailed statement, lobbyists for the Oregon Fuels Association, which represents fuel retailers, said the group “requested this temporary, emergency rule to help protect gas station attendants and make sure fuel remains available during staffing shortages.”

“For two weeks now, we’ve heard from over 200 small business gas stations owners that have been cutting hours of operation and some have closed their stations due to staffing shortages and employee concerns with public, face-to-face, hand-to-hand interactions required of gas station attendants,” Danelle Romain and Mike Freese wrote in an email. “For many small businesses and their employees, as well as communities with limited gas stations, this temporary change is critically important.”

"Right now we’re in a situation where there are major inconveniences on so many Oregonians,” Owens said. "We know any situation that creates disruptions is unwelcome.”

The change means countless drivers will be touching fueling and payment equipment at gas stations, so they will need to sanitize or wash their hands after getting gas in order to minimize their chances of contaminating their steering wheels and other things they subsequently touch. Owens, with the fire marshal’s office, acknowledged this is a concern and said people need to follow public health guidance on washing their hands and not touching their faces, just as they would after touching any other public surface.

The fire marshal ordered gas stations to immediately put in place workplace policies to ensure employees follow state public health officials’ social distancing advice. He is requiring stations to keep an attendant on duty “to supervise self-service refueling” and “help mitigate the spring of COVID-19 through sanitization measures ...” COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Stations can only operate without an attendant if “there are no employees available to work” and the station operator must document worker absences as well as employee hiring and retention efforts, the fire marshal’s office said.

The fire marshal’s office says any station without fueling service should post instructions on the equipment, and the state has already produced a flyer with safety instructions for the stations to use.

Oregonian reporter Mike Rogoway contributed to this report.

— Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

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