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Storage of petrol in bulk (975 litres) - advice needed
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Posted By Chas
Maintenance staff on our premises (non construction)are finding it increasingly hard to get petrol in bulk (100-200 litres at a time)from filling stations due to fears of fuel being used as bombs. As a result they are considering installing a purpose made petrol storage and dispensing facility on the premises that holds 975 litres. It is fully bunded, vented, operated by hand pump, stored outside and is fully lockable etc. This would be filled once or twice per year by delivery vehicle under contract. Training for those dispensing fuel would be provided and so would a spill kit, fire equipment etc.
They know about having to do a full fire risk assessment and having to consider the implications of DSEAR. Can anyone suggest other factors that need consideration and what other petrol regs/controls may apply that limit this activity. I do have my own concerns however I am interested in other views.
Thanks in advance
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Posted By Martin Gray
Contact your local trading standards department they have a Petroleum Licencing Officer and they are very helpful in all aspects of storing petrol
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Posted By Bob Youel
also speak to your insurers and the local fire prevention officer
There is a push on at this time by many EHO's to advise service [petrol/derv etc] stations to reduce the amount of fuel dispensed to any one delivery at any one time, especially re large containers
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Posted By Renny Thomson
Apart from the comments above, I'd recommend a much smaller tank to ensure a quicker turn-over of the contents. Petrol does deteriorate with age, especially after about 3 months. This is often the cause of garden machinery running badly at strat-up in the spring.
Cost of the installation, licensing etc should be considered aganst the convenience of drawing fuel as required from a filling station with perhaps an account card set up to minimise misuse/abuse.
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Posted By Glen Coe
Summer petrol and winter petrol are different due to vapourisation requirements. They add more butane in winter.
So if you are not turning over high volumes you may end up with poor performance.
Personally, I would not consider it, it is too much hassle due to the volatility, and in all likelihood you would only get permission for underground storage.
I would also add that you need to look at the MSDS and you will find it is a pretty nasty chemical with carcinogenic components, even if in small percentages. Not to mention the employees will nick it!
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Posted By Renny Thomson
Glen Coe has a good point. I now recall that petrol storage has to be below ground. It is not premitted to pump petrol from raod tanker to delivery point.
Why not arrange delivery in 205L barrels?
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Posted By Chas
Sorry for resurrecting this thread again but can someone direct me to or give me a reference to where it says petrol(975 litres)has to be stored underground and where it says tankers cannot deliver directly to the dispensing point as stated in the previous response. It would help a great deal. Thanks in advance.
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Posted By Doug Russell
Chas,
Petrol legislation has become slightly more complicated since most workplace storage and dispensing is now covered by DSEAR and only retail forecourts are covered by licensing under the old Petroleum Consolidation Act. The main source for the need for underground storage tanks and off-set delivery points away from dispensers was HSG 41 'Petrol Filling Stations: Construction and Operation', which effectively set the standards against which Petroleum Licensing Officers judged license holders under PCA. The reason for underground storage is effectively to restrict the Zone 2 area where an explosive vapour/air mixture might occur if there was a failure. If you have an above ground tank with bunding and there is a leak from the tank then there could be quite a wide area where an explosive mixture could form. So even though you might no longer 'have to' have an underground tank for non-retail storage, its probably the best solution under DSEAR anyway.
Have a look at the HSE petrol web-pages for info about the legal change.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/fi...dexplosion/petroleum.htm
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Posted By Ron Hunter
Oh dear (or is that oh dsear) - someone better break that 'below ground only' news to Grangemouth!
Seriously though, above ground workplace and retail storage is certainly frowned upon, although I recall an exception being made for an advertising campaign for a new car in the highlands of scotland.
Not forgetting motorsport, e.g. Touring Car Championships, where 205 litre drums are the norm.
Not worth the hassle though for reasons others give - I'd go for a Card Account system.
I am surprised that any retail filling station would permit dispensing into more than one or two 20 litre containers - their conditions of licence don'r permit more than that!
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Storage of petrol in bulk (975 litres) - advice needed
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