Rank: Forum user 
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I work for a company that recycles stainless steel and part of this can involve receiving containers / tanks of various sizes.
We receive no verification that they have been purged or what substance was in them - in turn, our employees are gas cutting them into smaller pieces.
I am aware that we are effctively going in blind and I have read and understood the "INDG314" and "CS15" documents but I wondered if anyone has any practical experience of carrying out this task and any advice is appreciated.
Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Shouldn't there be a paper trail back to the owner who disposed of the tank?
Regardless of the H&S implications I'd have thought the EA would be jumping on you
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Rank: Forum user 
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I haven't had any experience in that line of work but it seems clear to me that your gas cutters are being exposed to unacceptable risk. I would stop them from cutting tanks until a risk assessment has been carried out and identifies the mandate that the state of the interior of the tank and any contents be verified, before any hot work is carried out. What your cutters are doing now is a bit like playing russian roulette.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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When we send equipment off site we send such information with it as a matter of course. I think you should be trying to get this information! Isn't there any documentation of it as waste?
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks, I haven't been with this employer for long and it is something I am trying to find out.
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Rank: Super forum user
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This situation sounds like it could have the potential to be interesting.
How about insisting on a declaration from who ever you get the tank from, regards recent contents.
Some reasonable assumptions could be made from the supplier, if you know the line of business of the supplier of the tank e.g. if from a fuel supplier, then assume flammable vapours present.
If liquid is still present, take a sample - I would think it should be possible to undertake some form of basic chemical test to identify broadly what has been in the tank.
Before starting to cut up the tank - assume all have contained toxic/flammable/corrosive substances etc, so your normal work routine is to drain, vent, purge, wash out etc all of the tanks you deal with.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I had the unfortunate experience of being on a site where two welders were killed when they commenced work on a tank that still contained flammable residues. Two lives, two families, a load of work colleagues and friends, the company itself and the host company whose site it was all suffered to a greater or lesser extent. The Crown Court were not impressed by any defence and ruled accordingly.
Find out what it is that your people are working with and take appropriate precautions, check that they're being taken and then make sure that they're being taken.
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Rank: Forum user
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Unless you are 100% confident of the source and history of the vessels I would not allow any hot work on the vessels. I would not be happy to rely solely on any form of assurance given by the supplier - they are often mistaken or misinformed.
HSE publishes guidance - www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg314.pdf
Basically only use cold cutting techniques on closed vessels. If you can't then the vessel must be made safe before using hot methods.
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