The Bulletin – April 1968

Quarterly Journal of The Association for Petroleum Acts Administration

E. V. BEEBY

J. BEER

J. BIRKS R. L. BLOOR J. W. FRID S. A. GOWER H. GRIFFITHS

THE ASSOCIATION FOR PETROLEUM ACTS ADMINISTRATION

Chairman: C. R. PESKETT Vice-Chairman: C. T. PEACOCK

Cou11cil:

Rugby R.D.C. 2071

Worcester City 23156

Chesterfield B. 2825

Kidderminster B. 3080

Cambridge City 58977

Huyton with Roby U.D.C. 6000 Walsall C.B. 25661

Officers: Hon. Secretary/Treasurer:

D. HALL

G.H. HARVEY

J. W. HEWISON

T. KERR

R. E. J. RODEN J. SHORT B. W. C. THACKER

Newcastle-under-Lyme B. 60161

Dudley C.B. 55433

Havant and Waterloo U.D.C. 6311

Glanford Brigg R.D.C. 2041

Birmingham City 021-236 9944

Paisley Burgh 5400

Teesside C.B. 87721

Hon. Editor: L. A. CAVE R. P. HOLDAWAY

Liaison Officer: G.N.DEAN

Hon. Electrical Adviser:

Hon. Legal Adviser: J. A. SHARP P. D. WADSWORTH EAST MIDLAND NORTH WESTERN

Branch Secretaries: J. BIRKS, S. A. GOWER, J. SHORT, C. R. PESKETT, R. E. DUST, B. W. C. THACKER, G. H. HARVEY, C. T. PEACOCK,

The Bulletin

Published quarterly by the Association for Petroleum Acts Administration

Opinions expressed in this journal are not necessarily the views of the Association

CONTENTS

TALKING POINT NOTES AND NEWS LETTERS IN PARLIAMENT LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS PLANTS-F. BIRKHEAD A.M.C. REPORT SELF-SERVICE AT PETROLEUM RETAIL GARAGES-A. MARSHALL INCREASED SAFETY ON PLEASURE CRAFT-W. J. CARVIN SAFE PRACTICES WITH BULK STORAGE-J. H. B. HORNBY A NEW TANK NUMBERING SYSTEM-J. w. HEWISON COUNCIL AT SOLIHULL THE DAY THE RIVER TYNE CAUGHT FIRE-C. L. BINNIE BRANCH MEETINGS : YORKSHIRE-LEEDS AND BRADFORD WEST MIDLAND-SHREWSBURY THROUGH THE PIPELINE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS Chairman: C. R. PESKETT Honorary Secretary/Treasurer: L. A. CAVE

Editor: R. P. HOLDAWAY WEIGHTS AND MEASURES DEPT GUILDHALL, SHREWSBURY

Subscription: 30s. per annum

talking point

AN OPEN INVITATION

One of the objects laid down in the constitution of this Association is to co-operate with other bodies having similar objects or concerned with the safe handling, storage or distribution of substances falling within the purview of the Petroleum Acts.

·

Much has been achieved over the past ten years, but many members are not satisfied that the resources of the Association have been used to the full, and point to a lack of official contact with Industry and the Explosives Branch of the Home Office. We support this view and have on frequent occasions called for such a liaison but to little avail. Some eighteen months ago the Council sought representation on the Home Office Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances, but met with a polite refusal. Efforts to persuade manufacturers to discuss details of new technical developments have been equally unsuccessful.

The knowledge that members were seeking guidance on unattended and post-payment self-service installations led the Council, after considerable thought and discussion, to issue recommended conditions of licence, only to face criticism from some manufacturers that certain of these conditions discriminate against their product, and the suggestion that a new Home Office Model Code to be issued-this year, next year, sometime, never-will be more flexible and permissive.

In the absence of the co-operation this Association seeks, the Council will continue to go it alone and this policy we believe has the full support of all members. In passing, we would remind our readers that recommendations or advice offered by the Council have one purpose in mind, _safety of persons and premises, any so-called d1scnmmat10n, therefore, is directed against undesirable features and not particular manufacturers.

notes and news

New Members

Banff CC WM

Barrow-upon-Sour RDC Leics. S Basingstoke RDC Hants S Ely R.D.C. Cambs. & Isle of Ely C.C. H Frimley and Camberley UDC Surrey H

Kingston-upon-Hull City Yorks WM Norwich City Norfolk F Teesside CBC Yorks F

New Associate Members

N. S. Dodds, Petroleum Dispensing Equipment & Installat10n, Doncaster.

B. J. Fuller, Area Safety Officer, Eastern Gas Board, London, N.22.

D. W. Hood, Chartered Architect and Surveyor, Leicester.

A. F. Pollard, Group Sales Manager, Link-Hampson Ltd., Automotive Division, London, E.C.4.

J. & S. Sieger, Gas Alarm System, Poole, Dorset.

D. W. Smellie, Consultant, Impact (Garage Advisory) Ltd., London, S.W.14.

Resignations

Billingham U.D.C., Redcar M.B. and Middlesbrough C.B.-now merged into the new Teesside C.B.

Mr. W. D. Grincell (Associate) Engineer, Shell-Mex & B.P. Ltd., Birmingham.

Retirements

Mr. H. T. Card, Chief Public Health Inspector, Walton and Weybridge R.D.C.

Mr. E. T. Crowe, Borough Engineer and Surveyor, Mansfield, on grounds of ill health. Mr. <;=r<?we serve? for a period on the Council of the Assocmt10n and 1s Chairman of the East Midland Branch.

Mr. W. N. David, Chief Public Health Inspector, Hoddesdon U.D.C., after 32 years' service with that Authority.

Mr. T. G. Henry, Chief Public Health Midhurst R.D.C., after 30 years' service with the CouncII.

We wish these gentlemen a long and happy retirement.

Appointments

Mr. S. A. Eade, Deputy Chief Public Health lnspect?r, Harlow U.D.C., succeeds Mr. H. T. Card as Chief Inspector at Walton and Weybridge.

Mr. D. H. Jagger, Deputy Borough Engineer .and Surveryor, Hove, has been Borough Engmeer and Surveyor, Mansfield, in succession to Mr. Crowe.

Mr. J. Saunders, Deputy Chief Public Health Inspecto.r, Midhurst R.D.C., has been promoted Chief Inspector 111 succession to Mr. Henry.

Mr. W. D. Scott, Deputy Chief Public Hea.Ith Inspect<?r, Hoddesdon U.D.C., succeeds Mr. David as Chief Inspector.

Congratulations

Mr. H. F. Griffiths, M.B.E., Chief Fire Offic.er, Suffolk and Ipswich Fire Brigade, has chosen President-Elect of the Chief Fire Officers Assocmtton.

Mr. W. Middleton, Chief Fire Officer, was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal for d1st111gu1shed service in the New Year's Honours List.

The Criminal Justice Act, 1967

This Act substantially amends fines which may be levied under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act, 1928.

Statutory Instruments

BS. 1721 : 1967 portable fire extinguishers of the halogenated hydrocarbon types replaces BS. 1721: 1960 Carbon tetrachloride and chlorobromomethane portable

extinguishers. Halogenated hydrocarbon fire extinguishers used for fires involving flammable liquids, petrols, mls, greases, fats and certain chemical solvents. 1:hey can also be used where electrical risks are involved, smce halogenated hydrocarbons do not conduct electricity.

It is to note that, if this type of fire extinguisher is used m a .confined space, the fumes and the are toxic and may be dangerous. This pomt is stressed m a warning to be included on the labels.

. revision a fire test for the minimum fire properties acceptable for each size of extinguisher.

S.I. 170 : 1968

Licences and Licensing-The Miscellaneous Fees (Variation) Order, 1968

. This Order !he or maximum fees, specified m the statutory proy1s10ns hsted in the Schedule to the Order, and mto operation on lst April, 1968. spmt hcence fees are increased four-fold, from a of £1 to a maximum of £20. The Transfer fee 1s increased to 10/-.

From Bad to Worse

Fire damaged the kitchen of a bungalow in Queensway Streetly, Staffs, when petrol ignited. Nobody was hurt.'

The kitchen and living room were damaged in a house fire Colli_ns Hill, Lichfield. The householder had been repamng motor cycle in the kitchen before the outbreak. Lichfield firemen quickly got the blaze under control and praised the invaluable help by neighbours.

Tw.o you.ng girls died in a house blaze started by a youth cleanmg motor cycle in the kitchen of a house in S_outh Shields. Apparently the boy dropped a lighted and petrol caught alight. The whole house was ablaze m no time.

The tw? girls were trapped in a back bedroom and died before neighbours and firemen could reach them. Several neighbours and seven members of the family were injured and had to have hospital treatment.

Mexico

A petrol tanker in the faces of schoolchildren w!10 had ar?und 1t after an accident in Mexico City. At least eight children were killed and about 70 other peop!e injured. Sheets of fire shot along the street, engulfing m flame a crowd of youngsters just let out from school for the day. Police said that most of the 70 injured were children between eight and sixteen. The children had walked up the street from a nearby school when a car was in collision with the tanker. High octane aviation fuel spilled into the street. A crowd gathered to watch the accident when a spark set off a blaze and sent sheets of flame racing down the pavement.

The blaze spread to a house and set fire to four parked cars. Two of the cars were destroyed.

Firemen sealed off the block and ordered all buildings to be evacuated. The explosion shattered windows throughout the block.

on page 43

letters

THE USE OF C02

In reviewing Mr. J. R. Hughes' excellent book in the last issue of The Bulletin, your reviewer high-lights an apparent discrepancy in the use of carbon dioxide for purging flammable vapours.

The major accident which Mr. Hughes has in mind I am · almost sure was a U.S. Forces tank in Germany. This was probably due to over-selling C0 2 and fire precautions, and occurred when a static demonstration of the fire equipment caused the fire and a number of deaths. Nitrogen is the most useful purging gas as has been demonstrated by the Gas Industry.

On page 19 you refer to a new C0 2 fire extinguishing system-the principle is by no means new but the application may be.

Nevertheless, accidental operation might cause a fire and this plus expense should be carefully considered.

Mobile or portable foam or dry powder fire equipment is by far the most useful investment as compared with fixed equipment. Forty-eight years in the Gas and Oil Industries enables me to comment.

G. A. T. VICKERS Petroleum Consultant

UNATTENDED SELF-SERVICE

At a recent meeting of Petroleum Officers within the County of Buckinghamshire, at which representatives from 16 of the 19 Local Authorities in the County were present, a Resolution opposing, in principle, the establishment of unattended self-service petrol stations was adopted, nem con.

The Resolution was passed primarily on the ground that it was impossible to safety an unattended petroleum service stat10n. In particular, 1t was noted that paragraph 5 of the Petroleum Act 1928 which requires any vessel contammg petroleum spirit to bear a label showing in conspicuous characters the words 'Petroleum Spirit' and the words 'Highly Inflammable' cannot be enforced. In addition to this particular point, many conditions contained in the ditions of Licence adopted by all Officers m Buckinghamshire some years ago, and which _were largely based on the Home Office Model Code, are incapable of enforcement on an unattended petroleum filling station.

The feelings of the Petroleum present the meeting were not only that relaxat10n of t.hese co!1d1t10ns must be accepted if unattended self-service statl?ns are allowed but also that having relaxed these on certam types of there would be extreme difficulty in a Court of Law in taking enforcement a:tion a of these conditions on stations on which they still applied. In other words it seemed to the Officers present that the introduction of unattended self-service petroleum stations will lead to a general lowering of the standards of safety which have been built up over the years. They do not feel able to subscribe to any movement which would lead to a general lowering of safety standards in the handling of petroleum spirit.

Aylesbury

W. E. RUSE

Beckenham

In Parliament

ABANDONED VEHICLES

Mr. Arthur Lewis asked the Secretary of State for the Home he is aware of the large number of vehicles bemg left on the roads unlicensed and becoming derelict, that as a number of children m Newham have been burnt when playing with the petrol tanks of these derelicts the police have advised that water should be P<;>ured into the tanks to prevent fire and that many councils are now doing this; and, in view of the caused by_ t_hese uncovered petrol tanks, if he will advise the authont1es concerned to take action nationally along these lines.

Mr. Roy Jenkins: My hon. Friend ... will be aware the attention of local authorities was drawn some time ago to the need to dispose of abandoned vehicles, and that Part III of the Civic Amenities Act, 1967, will confer new powers and responsibilities on them.

DANGEROUS LOADS

Mr. John Horner asked the Secretary of State when he proposed to introduce regulations governing the transport of dangerous flammable, explosive, toxic or corrosive substances which were carried in considerable quantities on the roads without any control.

Mr. David Ennals, Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, said explosives, petroelum and some other dangerous substances were subject to strict control when conveyed by road. By April it is hoped that more than 200 flammable liquids will be added to the list of substances controlled.

Mr. Arthur Lewis asked the Minister whether he is aware. as from January 27th, 1968, under the Civic Act, local councils will have powers to remove and dispose abandoned vehicles; and what action he or mtends to take, to circulate and advise local authontie_s urgent need to avail themselves of this ?pportun1ty, m view of the number of such vehicles which now on. the roads and streets causing damage and IIlJury .to children who tend to play on them and causing explosions of the petrol tanks.

. Mr. Yes. My right hon. Friend and his nght hon. Fnends the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of_ for Wales sent a circular in August to local authorities their attention to the provisions Part J1J of the C1v1c Amenities Act 1967 h · h d · I with the removal disposal of abandoned' o!her ;efu.se. My nght hon. Friends intend to issue another ClfCUlar early next year when regulations are made. They no doubt that local authorities are full aware of thelf new powers and duties. y

House of Lords

TRANSPORT OF INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES

Lord Faringdon asked whether, in view of the repea!ed questions which he has asked the Government concernmg the marketing of vehicles transporting dangerous substances, they can now make a statement.

Lord Stonham: My Lords, in reply to my noble friend:S last Question on this subject on December lOth, 1966, it was stated that my right honourable friend the Home Secretary expected draft Orders dealing with the conveyance by road of dangerous inflammable liqui.ds. to coi:ne into force early in 1967. Unfortunately, negotiations with industry and other interested bodies on the draft regulations have taken much longer than expected, but final proposals for amendments to the original draft Orders were approved by the Standing Advisory Committee. on Dangerous Substances at their meeti°:g last '!1onth, to consideration of a few outstandmg pomts of detail. Revision of the original draft Orders is being put in hand and will be completed as soon as possible. The Advisory Committee will now turn their attention to similar regulations dealing with other classes of dangerous substances.

Lord Faringdon: My Lords, I thank the noble f.:ord for his reply. Like every other reply that I have received. on this subject it is a promise of immediate or early act10n. Can the noble Lord tell me what further delay is likely before the necessary Order is placed.

Lord Stonham: My Lords, I think my noble friend aware that I share his sense of frustration at these inordinate delays on this particular question; but there have been many difficulties. Over 200 highly inflammable liquids arc concerned, and there have necessarily had to be many long discussions with a great many interested firms and bodies. My information now is that any further delay before the laying of the Order should be very short.

Lord Faringdon: My Lords, could the noble Lord define 'Very short' ?

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plants

Liquefied petroleum gases liquefy at atmospheric temperature by the application of pressure, a property that enables them to be transported and stored in the liquid From a relatively small volume of liquid, many times its own volume of vapour can be produced: one cubic foot of liquid propane is equivalent to 684 OOO Btu and occupies 275 cu. ft. as gas at standard temperature and pressure.

The liquid_ gas is in pressure vessels of a variety of accordmg to requ1rements. In the storage vessel, hqmd saturated vapour are in equilibrium at a pressure determined solely by the composition of the liquid and the temperature, and when vapour is withdrawn from the vessel the equivalent amount of liquid immediately evaporates to maintain equilibrium. The latent heat the liquid is drawn from the body of the hqu1d m the vessel, the temperature of which falls by a corresponding amount.

. the rate of vapour withdrawal is constant, an equihbnum temperature is reached at which the heat lost in the is counter-balanced by heat drawn by the vessel and its contents from the surrounding air. This equilibrium temperature corresponds to a new and lower equilibrium pressure.

This principle, known as "bulk vaporisation", is used for most propane installations in this country, where it is usually possible to absorb sufficient heat through the sides of the storage vessel to sustain vapour off-take at sufficient pressure without a separate heater: in the case of butane, however, it is only possible on small installations.

As commercial liquefied petroleum gases are mixtures of hydrocarbons of the C3, C4 and C5 ranges, all of which different boiling points, continuous bulk vaporisation will cayse fractional distillation. The lighter hydrocarbons thus changing the composition of the residual hquid in stock and also the composition of the vapour produced as vaporisation continues. Where this variation in composition could affect the process for which the gas is used, it is essential to withdraw liquid from the vessel at the desired rate and vaporise completely in a separate uni!. very slight variation in composition will occur with this method, and then only after re-filling of the storage vessel.

_On propane where high. rates of vapour are reqmred and for practically all butane mstallations, bulk vaporisation cannot be used because the temperature and pressure of the liquid in the vessel fall too low to maintain the desired output. This is particularly the case when stocks are low, since the effective heat

transfer area is the wetted surface ?f the vesse.1. a vaporiser, using heat from .a conve_ment source, is essential on all industrial installat10ns usmg butane and for all plants where bulk vaporisation is unsuitable.

When vapour is required at higher pressure in the storage vessels, a pump is employed to feed hqm_d gas into the vaporiser. This ensures that the is constant even when the storage l?ressure falls low dunng very cold weather. If a pump is used, _the storage pressure can be increased by returning sufficient vapour to the top of the vessel.

Storage Vessels

The storage vessels are in accordance with BS 1515: 1965 Part I, and are msp.ected at all stages. of manufacture by one of the leadiD:g compames: a test certificate is issued details ?f the final h draulic tests and maximum working pressure 0 f each vessel. The vessels are. fabricated fron_i. steel of BS 1501-151 Grade 28A 9uahty, and are des1gne? working pressures of 100 ps1g for butane and 210 ps1g for propane.

C "t'es of the vessels can be vaned to meet md1v1dual apac1 i . b · d I I b · ts the maximum size emg governe so e y y reqmremtent·o'n problems Where necessary, large vessels transpor a 1 · · d · b Cted On site from pre-fabricate sections. can e ere ' II Horizontal cylindrical vessels mounted on two mtegra Y Id d dies are most frequently used, but where there we e era l" d · I 1 b "t d"fficulties vertical cy m nca vesse s can e are s1 e 1 installed.

E h I n1ust be fitted with the requ1s1te number ot ac vesse . · d 1· · · 1· f valve mamfolds des1gne to re 1eve at .1 sa1ety re 1e t t d t ·ned pressure a pressure gauge, a con en s Pre- e erm1 , d. l h · d" t t read in tons and a ia -type t ermometer 111 m ica or o ' · "d E ft I k t · ersed in the hqu1 . xcess ow va ves are a poc e unm I t" tl fitted in the liquid and vapour out 1ese · d · d to close in the event of a p1pehne fracture, bemg es1gne Id when abnormally high flow rates wou occur.

A fillin connection is provided on the comI?n. · gt 1a[ spray pipe and an external lme extendmg smg an m en ' d" · If 11.ng coupling located at the loa mg pomt. to a se -sea 1. l t "tl Th · I 0 ·i vapour balance me, comp e e w1 1 ere is a s ' · · d h I 1• to assi"st in the unloadmg operation an e p to coup mg, reduce the transfer tune.

All pipelines carrying LPG are bonded to a common point and smtably ea:thed. _An point is also pn=!vided at the unloadmg station to which the road tanker is connected.

This article by F. Birkhead, Project Engineer, W. C. Holmes & Co. Ltd., Gas and Chemical Plant Manufacturers, Huddersfield is reproduced by courtesy of the Council of British Manufacturers of Petroleum Equipment

Vaporisers

From the storage vessels the liquid butane or propane is fed either by gravity or by pump into a vaporiser, which may be heated by hot water, steam or electricity according to the service available. They are designed in accordance with BS 1500: Class 2 for unfired pressure vessels. Virtually any capacity can be designed into a single unit, but if preferred a number of vaporisers may be utilised: they may be either horizontal or vertical type units, the choice depending on the duty. To provide the necessary heat for evaporation , hot water boilers fired with LPG may be employed when a suitable steam supply is not available: the bot water is circulated by pump through a coil within the vaporiser. If steam is used, a vapour pressure control valve is provided on the steam inlet.

On the inlet liquid line is a solenoid valve actuated by a high liquid level switch in the vaporiser body, this feature preventing liquid LPG from being carried over into the pipe work. Each vaporiser has a safety relief valve, pressure gauge, drain valve and a stack pipe.

Dew Point

Jt is possible to distribute neat butane or propane vapour in the same way as town gas , but when this is done consideration must be given to the dew point. Neat liquefied petroleum gases, above their boiling points , at the operating pressure are actually unsaturated vapours. The dew point is the temperature at which the vapour commences to condense and depends on the composition and pressure of the vapour

lf pure butane is being di stributed at a pre ss ure maintained at 10 psig and a temperature above 55 deg F it will be entirely vapour Should , however, the tempera ture in any part of the system fall to 55 deg F or below, butane will

condense until such a time as the pressure in the system has been reduced to that corresponding to the temperature in question. For example, if the temperature of the system falls to 40 deg F butane will condense until the pressure has fallen to about 4 psig: any attempt to maintain a pressure of 10 psig will result in the system becoming filled with liquid butane. Propane is Jess of a problem because the dew point for the above condition is minus 20 deg F instead of 55 deg F as for butane.

To use butane at low temperatures it has to be mixed with air, thus reducing its partial pressure. In the above example, if the butane is mixed with four times its volume of air its partial pressure will be reduced to one-fifth 55 psi absolute. The dew point of this gas at 10 psi is now about minus 17 deg F . It would be possible therefore to distribute or store at 10 psig without any special precautions under all weather conditions experienced in the United Kingdom.

LPG/Air Mixtures

Af! of mixing butane or propane with air is that 1t IS possible to achieve a Wobbe index equivalent to th'.1-t of town gas or natural gas. The Wobbe index determmes the heat that can be obtained with a given gas from a burner and is defined as:

Gross Calorific Value \/Specific Gravity (Specific Gravity = Specific gravity of the gas (air = 1))

\Yhen . first butane/air plant was installed in the Umted Kmgdom a butane/air mixture of 720 Btu/cu. ft. was selected as being most suitable for interchanging with a 470 CV coal gas . Due to the fact that the calorific value and Wobbe group of town gas may vary from one area to it is necessary to calculate the most suitable calorific value of the LPG/air mixture for any scheme under consideration.

Typical flow diagram f or a liq11 eji ed petroleum gas/air plani

Butane/air plant at the Colchester works of Moler Products Ltd. Seen are the 100 ton capacity storage vessel, twin hot water heated vapor- isers and the outlet pressure regulator

Butane and propane mixed with air and having a similar Wobbe index to the original gas have been successfully used on a wide variety of equipment, using both natural draught and air blast burners. Some burners require only slight modification to ensure flame stability and freedom from sooting. In certain cases, however, with highly developed burners it is necessary to change the burner in order to successfully burn an LPG/air mixture. Even so, the overall reduction in fuel 'costs and other advantages such as freedom from sulphur more than justify the small extra costs involved.

LPG/ Air Mixing Plants

With the Holmes mixing unit , the pressure of the butane or propane is reduced to about 30 in. wg. through duplicate pressure regulators before entering the unit.

There are several methods of mixing gas and air, these including positive displacement air blowers and gas boosters, ratio controlled instruments, venturi ejectors or carburettors. The Holmes-Kemp carburettor has been used on a large number of installations and has proved to be very successful. The system includes an isolating valve on the neat gas inlet, a safety cut-out valve, a zero pressure regulator, a carburettor with an air-filter, a booster driven by a flameproof electric motor, a nonreturn valve and a gas/air isolating valve. A vacuum pressure switch is fitted to stop the motor should the butane or propane supply fail.

Holmes mixing units are available in capacities of from 2,0CO:to 60,000 scfh and can be run in parallel to give any desit d total output. The carburettor is self-adjusting to gas demand fluctuations. The units may be started manually by push-button , but automatic control or autoselective switching can be incorporated where desired The actual sizes of carburettor available are 2,000, 4,500, 9,000, 18,000, 30,000 and 60,000 scfh of mixed gas. Normal pressures obtained from standard units are from LO in. to about 50 in. wg.: if higher mixture pressures are required a different system is employed in which the air is compressed into the carburettor at a pressure equal to that of the gas.

Packaged Mixing Units

A packaged mixing unit has been developed which can be moved from site to site and so eliminates the need for separate building. Other advantages are that it occupies little space, is simple to install and requires a minimum of civil engineering work.

The complete unit is housed in a gaLvanised s heet steel casing 8 ft. square by 7ft. 6in. high maximum and is available for all capacities from 4,500 to 60,000 scfh. 1t is possible to mount several units side by side, linked together by inl.et and outlet manifolds . These units would be suitable for use a s peak load plants if nµtural gas is available only at constant flow. ·

Mobile Mixing Equipment

Pilot mixing units are avail a ble on hire t o allow te sts to be ca rried out at customer 's own works: individu a l burners or even actual furnaces can thus be performance tested on site. Mixing equipment can be supplied mounted on a trailer, with a vaporiser incorp0rated if required, and can

be moved from site to site either for tests or to help during emergencies.

. Portable packaged mixing units are also available mounted on a base frame, complete with a vaporiser: steam hot water or electricity may be used to supply heat for vaporiser. A separate storage vessel is required to supply fuel to the vaporiser, and this could be moui;ited either on a vehicle or on a prepared base. From the mixed gas outlet of the unit, pipework wou.ld be required to connect to the ex1stmg mam or the pomt of usage.

Bottle Filling

Liquefied petroleum gas are extensively throughout industry for a of apphcat10ns On a number of installations , provis10n IS made for the cylmders to be filled from the bulk storage vessels. An electrically driven pump is used in cases .where a number of bottles are involved , but If the number is small , handoperated pumps are employed. !he cylinders may be filled by weight checks by automatic or by means of a vulumetric gauge fitted on the cylmder.

Rail Tanker Off-Loading

When large quantities of LPG are may be made by rail tanker. unload11!g stations for rail tankers have already been these I.ncorporating facilities to transfer large ma short time , so keeping the turn-round penod to a mm1mum

Liquefied petroleum v<l:pour is. from the

sels by a compressor d1schargmg mto th e. sp a ce of the rail tankers, thus di spl acin g the 11qu1d flows into the storage ves sel s. yYhen the flow of ltq u1d ceases the operator ca n ma ke a vi s ua l check by mea ns of a sight flow indicator to th a t the operat10n 1s c omplete. The self-sealin g couplu? gs a re then removed a nd the ho ses on whi ch the couplm gs a re fitted then s wun g away to their storage p oints.

ff de sired, storage ve ssels or a ny o t he r o f th e pl a nt s uch as road o r rail tanker off-l oadmg s ta t10n s may be protected by a wa ter s pray coo lmg sy stem. T he wa t e r spray s may be s ta rted b y an o pe ra to r , o r a press ure switch actuated b y ta nk press ur e ca n st a rt th e wa ter pump or open the ml et va lve.

Rail tan k er off-loading· station at th e Tipt on works of th e W est Mi dlands Gas Board. It acc ommodat es. 25 tanke1:s and 1s rat ed at 125 t o n / hour using compr essed vapour t o off -load liqwd butan e

stora ge ves

A.M.C. REPORT

FIRE SERVICE COMMITTEE

Parking of Hazardous Loads

In April we considered a letter from Chester expressing concern at the indiscriminate parking of hazardous loads. We shared Chester's views on the subject and decided that they should be conveyed to the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances. We have now considered the following reply from the Home Office:

30th June, 1967.

As you know the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances is at present considering the problems arising from the conveyance by road of dangerous substances and draft regulations have been prepared in respect of the marking of vehicles conveying inflammable liquids with a flash point below 73°F and the labelling of containers on the vehicles. Similar regulations will be made in due course in respect of other classes of dangerous goods, such as corrosives, organic peroxides, poisons and compressed or liquefied gases. These labelling requirements are, of course, only the first step; further regulations will in due course be prepared to deal with such matters as the construction and operation of vehicles, and at that stage the Committee will undoubtedly wish to consider whether a provision similar to reg. 7 of the Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance by Roads) Regulations 1957, should be included in the regulations relating to other classes of dangerous substances.

I am afraid that because of the scope and complexity of the task it is likely to be some time before the Committee is able to consider the problem raised by the City Council of Chester but the Fire Service Committee may be assured that we have the problem very much in mind.

Whilst welcoming the progress now being made we feel it right to inform the Advisory Committee that the Association considers that the urgency of the problems of hazardous loads is such that these matters should receive the greatest possible priority.

Municipal Rel'iew Supplement, January, 1968

Dangerous Substances. Carriage by Road and Parking of Vehicles

The question of carriage of dangerous substances by road was referred by the Home Office to the Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances after we had discussed the matter in 1965 and 1966.

We have noted the following extract from the minutes of the third meeting of the Standing Advisory Committee, held on I Oth October, 1967 :

Conveyance by Road of Inflammable Liquids

The Chairman reminded the Committee that in December, 1966, the Home Office had circulated for comment, under cover of paper SCDS (66)7, four draft statutory instruments relating to the conveyance by road of inflammable liquids with a flash-point below 73°F. These draft statutory instruments were listed in paragraph 1 of paper SCDS (67)3. At the same time the draft statutory instruments had been circulated to other bodies closely concerned with the conveyance by road of inflammable liquids.

Because of the complexity and novelty of the subject, considerable difficulties had been encountered, notably in establishing the correct nomenclature for each of the substances to be brought under control. Drafting had been further complicated by the fact that there were already provisions in existence prescribing the manner in which vessels containing petroleum spirit and carbon disulphide must be labelled when these substances were conveyed by road. A considerable volume of comment had been received on the draft statutory instruments and the Home Office had found it necessary to hold a number of meetings with various sections of the industry to discuss important points which had been raised. Since the draft statutory instruments would serve to a large extent as a model for further regulations in respect of other classes of dangerous substances, it had been essential that any difficulties should be thoroughly explored. As a result of the work done on inflammable liquids, it was anticipated that regulations in respect of the other priority classes (corrosives organic peroxides and poisons) would be produced quickly. !Vluch research had already been done on corrosives, and it was expected that Sub-Committee I would be reconvened to start work in connection with this class very soon.

Beca_use of the very heavy pressure of work in both the Explosives Branch and the administrative division of the fire Department during the past year, it had so far proved impracticable to bring Sub-Committees II and III into operation. This delay was very much regretted, but it was nc;iw the intention to activate Sub-Committee III (dealing with the co_nstruction of vehicles) early next year. This Sub-Committee, in preparing its recommendations, would have to pay not only to the provisions of the Petroleum (Conveyance by Road) Regulations, but to the notes for the construction of petroleum tank ".eh1cles, prepared by the petroleum industry m consultat10n with the Explosive Branch of the Home Office, and the appropriate requirements of AJ::?R. The p_reparatlon of the necessary papers for consideration by this Sub-Committee would thus entail a considerable amount of work, but this would be done as soon as It was the aim of the Home Office to bring SubComm.1ttee II (dealing with the operation of vehicles) into operat10n soon after Sub-Committee III had started work.

As Sub-Committee II had not yet been convened nothing more has been reported to us regarding action taken over the parking of vehicles carrying dangerous loads. We continue to view this subject as one in urgent need of attention and are pressing the Home Office accordingly.

Municipal Review Supplement, March, 1968.

Self-service at Petroleum Retail Garages

Synopsis of a talk presented to the West Midland Branch

by A. MARSHALL Sales Manager of Avery-Hardoll Limited

After _a brief rev_iew _of some of the developments in self-service marketing m overseas countries including Sweden, United States and Germany, the talk turned to s<?me of the trends which had given rise to the present picture for self-service marketing in the United Kingdom. After the War, there had been many mixed sites in the coun.try and gradually the oil companies had tried to obtam solus outlets, leading towards the completely company owned garage. During this period the oil company policy was directed towards giving good service on the and later towards encouraging trade with promotional ideas and hard advertising, such as the Shell 'Make Money' and the Esso 'Tiger'. Though the oil companies had sent round teams to show how a forecourt should be run, the message never seemed to persist for any of time and forecourt operators obtained a reputatlo!l for being not the most polite or helpful of individuals. This gave rise to consideration of self-service on forecourts, following the trend in supermarkets.

The first post-payment self-service site was opened at Tun:ibull's in Plymouth using Ljungmann equipment for servmg Shell petrol. Shortly afterwards the second site was opened by Mobil at Southampton using Wayne equipboth these sites the system was somewhat similar, m that there were two-way microphones so that the controller could speak to the customer and vice versa, and the amount that the customer had taken was recorded on small counters in the kiosk

At time, Avery-Hardoll were making full investigatt.ons mto methods of post-payment self-service and decided that, whether the oil companies liked it or not, the demand would grow. It was decided that it should not be necessary to have speech, as the system should be sufficifor the a".erage customer to operate ".erbal guidance. A ticket, printed in the kiosk with details sale would make for quicker operation, and also was m effect a permanent record of what had happene<;I in the pump. The type of equipment was discussed with the Home Office, who gave it general approval (or at least they did not bar its use) and the Petroleum

Officers at Ewell and Cambridge agreed that two dealers there who wanted to purchase the equipment could have licences to operate. These two sites were of particular interest as the one at Ewell (Dawnier Motors) was a very high gallonage site, and the one at Cambridge (Hollands Motors) was a very much smaller 'neighbourhood' type of site. Avery-Hardoll then carried out a very long and detailed investigation on these forecourts to find out what people wanted, whether the equipment was suitable, and how they felt about self-service generally.

It was found that many of the popular ideas which had been quoted regarding self-service just did not stand up to full investigation. For example: .

(a) Self-service is messy and dirty. This is not so. If a hosecock starts clean, it stays clean. It is dirty on a normal forecourt because the attendant dips the oil and uses the hosecock later.

(b) The driver will not get out of the car. A National Benzole survey proved that 73 % of drivers in fact did get out of their cars anyway.

(c) People will not help themselves to petrol. This was a very popular misconception, but in fact many drivers much preferred self-service and gave some of the following reasons:

I. An operator could spill and waste petrol. The owner driver did not.

2. They did not have to tip.

3. The operation appeared to take much less time.

4. They took much more care of the cars, whereas they thought that operators tended to spill petrol and scratch the car with the hosecock.

5. The driver always avoided petrol running down the paint work.

6. Surprisingly enough, women quite liked self-service and were quite ready to operate the pump, and were pleased when it seemed so easy.

From these first two sites Avery-Hardoll went ahead with production of equipment now ab<;rnt forty sites operating very sat1sfactonly, all showmg increases in gallonage. Coml?etitors also _have a number of sites operating, 1t seems obv10us .that this method of optaining petrol will spread ver"j must always be taken in recommendmg a site for _conversion to self-service, as some do not have the potential to. warrant the capital cost, and in the dealer merely that this is a way of getting nd of troublesome labour. without realising that there are many other features which have to be considered.

Pre-Payment Self-Service

One of the features in the year or has the spread of pre-payment self-service, done either by com or note acceptors, or a combination of both.. !his is n:iainly because Petroleum Officers have been w1llmg to license completely unattended sites for after hours operation. At present Avery-Hardoll have no equipment suitable for this type of operation but are obviously very closely studying the market and again will try to assess what is the most advantageous piece of equipment from the dealer's point of view.

One of the difficulties from the manufacturers' standpoint has been establishment of equipment which may be acceptable to all authorities. No model code has yet been issued, though various letters have been sent from the Home Office. Recently the Association for Petroleum Acts Administration issued recommended conditions for both and unattended pre-payment self-service equipment, and it was stated that these mitigated unfairly against the Avery-Hardoll equipment. The conditions say that a two-way system of communication shall be provided between the self-service pumps and the control room. Jn Avery-Hardoll equipment this communication is established by light and button. The conditions also

111t1mate that a microphone and loud speaker must be provided so the controller and customer can talk and discuss how to operate. Avery-Hardoll felt that this was wrong, and that, unless the customer was sufficiently intelligent to operate the simple controls, he should not be told parrot fashion how to go ahead. It also seems peculiar that these conditions for post-payment self-service make it mandatory both to have a controller and also have speech both ways, whereas the conditions for unattended self-service allow for neither speech nor any responsible person in control. It was felt that the conditions would be adequate if it merely stated that communication (be it by speech or by light and button) were provided.

Discussion ...

Jn opening the discussion, Mr. R. P. Holdaway said there was a vicious circle regarding technological advance and development and codes of practice. The Council of the Association had repeatedly called for co-operation between manufacturer, the Home Office and the Association but to no avail. Members expected guidance and it was the duty of the Association's Council to give such guidance. Jn the absence of this co-operation it was no use Industry criticising the action of individual Petroleum Officers who are only brought into the picture when some new development is almost on the market.

Mr. Marshall: We are anxious to discuss the problems and will give co-operation. There was, however, the problem of industrial security. At the proto-type stage security was vital. There would be less objection to dealing with a small technical sub-committee.

Mr. R. E. J. Roden pointed out that as of the Reference Committee he could say that his Committee in drawing up the Conditions for post payment self-service did not intend that a two-way system of communication should only refer to a loudspeaker system. A satisfactory system could be either by loudspeaker or electronic means.

Mr. K. C. Hughes spoke of latched open nozzles on_a post-payment self-service station recently opened 111 Stafford, which were quickly removed! He had approved A very-Hardoll system but Stafford Licence Conditions made provisions for one-way speech for emergencies, i.e. when a person arrived at the filling station already smoking.

Mr. Marshall said that this was a valid point, and in principle he was not against a one-way speech system, but felt that when his firm had already developed a pushbutton system, the Association's requirements for a twoway speech system were at variance.

Mr. T. H. Keith: Where there is a large immigrant population, some of whom cannot even read the instructions on paraffin heaters, I feel that unattended selr-service in _these areas is extremely dangerous, and in this case I thm k that a two-way speech system is the answer.

f\1r. Sites must be selected, if possible, to avoid those circumstances. If not, it is better not to allow unattended self-service.

Mr. D. Hall: No voice system is perfectly adequatem any case danger would not arise until the pump is activ_itated. I agree that the two-way speech system is possibly not required-but the conditions of the Association appeared to be worded so as to use "communicate" in its broad sense, not necessarily speech. I must stress, however, the predicament the Association is in with regard to lack of information from the Horne Office and rnanuwhen_ members were pressing for information on this topical subject. l hope that the Association's Technical Co!11mittee will be able to get the manufacturers' help and assistance.

Mr. Marshall: I think most manufacturers would take the to mean speech, and whilst appreciatmg the difficulty of the Association in drafting conditions, I would have liked to have had anticipated consultation with the Association.

Mr. G. Balshaw asked if it was possible to have a completely retractable hose.

Mr. Marshall replied that the Home Office idea was that nozzle should not remain on the ground. The quest10n posed the problem of hose dilation on a reel hose.

f\1r. K. C. Hughes in referring to the ticket printing eq_u1pment on a particular petrol pump, stated that it prmted down to one hundredth of a gallon and the and because the average motorist could not Judge a delivery to one hundredth of a aallon he had received inquiries from members of the had thought they had been overcharged.

.M'.. Marsh.all: I agree this can cause difficulties, but this is the pnce manufacturers have paid for producing pumps which printed to one hundredth of a gallon and nearest halfpenny when halfpenny did 1iot equal one hundredth of a gallon.

Mr. H. Griffiths asked for Mr. Marshall's ideas on the minimum pre-payment money limit, ten or five shillings.

_M_r. Marshall: A limit of ten shillings instead of five sh1ll1ngs was not really valid. The change to decimal currency could alter some views.

The comment was made that there was less likelihood i:nistaking petrol for paraffin with a ten shilling lower l11nit. A ten shilling purchase of paraffin in this manner was rarely made.

Increased on pleasure craft

In 1964, Mr. W. M. Ward at that time Chief Fire Officer of the Norfolk Fire Service, contributed an article in 'The Bulletin' drawing attention to the need for a new code of practice relating to the construction, maintenance, use and servicing of motorised pleasure Craft on the Norfolk Broads.

In this article, Divisional Officer W. J. CARVIN, A.M.1.Fire E. Senior Fire Prevention Officer of the Norfolk Fire Service, details the progress that has now been made.

safety

Detailed examination by a Fire Prevention Officer has been made of 27 pleasure craft destroyed by fire on the Norfolk Broads in the period 1964 to 1967. The causes of these fires have been

(a) Ignition of petroleum vapour on 23 occasions, and of these there have been seven incidents where the continuously burning flame of a gas refrigerator has been definitely established as the source of ignition. Petroleum vapour has accumulated in the hulls of 1O craft by leakage from the petroleum feed system (filling inlet, tank, fuel pipes) and the s<;>urce of leakage in the other 13 has not been established.

(b) Ignition of liquefied petroleum gas on three occasions.

(c) Careless disposal of lighted cigarette end, once.

Jn J964 there was a sudden increase in the number of fires and explosions on the Norfolk Bro.ads, this !ed to the production of two Codes of Practice for unprovmg safety on pleasure craft. Both Codes were issued in August, 1964, one by the Norfolk and the other by the Broadland 9"".ners In 1966 a Fire Prevention Note, Fife on Pleasure Craft" was issued to Fife Authont1es and also made available to the public as an H. publicati.on. The three codes make the same basic but naturally the wording and layout 1s d1fferen_t; as the Home Office code comes. from a lugher au!l10nty it would be right to accept thelf code. as the of any recommendations made. The code gives advice m general terms, but experiments and development.s by tw? marine engineers in Norfolk have been made to give specific safety on three of the general recommendations of the Fire Prevention Note.

Petrol leakage from Carburettors

Mr. Bowness has been the Fishing Vessel "Saros" as a test vessel for improvmg the safety of pleasure craft as well as sea going vessels.

His investigations have been the leakage of petrol from the mto the He has found that condensation has been m the float chamber. due to the atmospheric of tl.1e float chamber. He has also discovered there is at limes an emission of explosive vapour from this vent.

Mr. Bowness has found that the inside of the carburettor can get iced up, freezing the assembly solidly in the open position, thus causmg a Jet of petrol to come from the float chamber vent. He suggests that a cure for this would be for the vent to be and a .new vent drilled and tapped and direct to a which will compensate for the air movement with the nsc and fall of the float. The effect of this is that the venting of the carburettor float chamber is carried out by the air contained within the diaphragm chamber, thus eliminating

the possibility of condensation in the float chamber. The diaphragm has very little movement during normal operation but if for any reason the carburettor does flood, the diaphragm chamber would also flood and could be made to operate a visual warning.

This device is now on the market under the trade name of "SAROS SAFETY FUEL SYSTEM".

Gas refrigerators

Mr. Snell of Neatishead, has developed a simple system to isolate the continuously burning flame of a gas refrigerator from the air contained within the hull of the boat. The flame is contained within a metal box arrangement attached to the base of the vaporiser unit and flue, making a gas tight joint.

An air pipe is run from a joint external to the hull of the craft and connected to the box. The flame can, therefore, burn in the air supplied through the pipe, and air within the hull cannot reach the flame. The flame is monitored by a photo electric cell which cuts off the supply of gas in the event of flame failure. The flame is ignited by an electric element run from a battery, continuous pressure on a contact button will cause the element to glow, this energizes the photo electric cell and gas will begin to flow and be ignited by the element. The contact is then released and the flame will maintain the flow of gas by the photo electric cell. Existing gas refrigerators can be adapted to incorporate this device and it is hoped that the system will be included on all new gas refrigerators made for marine use.

The device has been demonstrated to the Thames Conservancy Board at the Calor Gas Co. Laboratory, and they consider that, if properly fitted, the device will eliminate the risks associated with refrigerators on pleasure craft. The objections to gas refrigerators made in the past by the Norfolk Fire Authority can be met by the device if the installation is carried out efficiently.

Heating

A gas heating unit has also been developed by Mr. Snell which will comply with Clause 48 of "Fire Precautions in

Pleasure Craft" in that a sealed combustion chamber is used, with air inlet and flue gas outlets forming an integral part of the appliance. Air from the hull is passed over the outside of the combustion chamber, giving a warm air flow within the hull.

It is apparent from these developments that the boating mterests on.the Norfolk Broads are aware of the potential hazards which associated with petrol driven pleasure and are takmg an active part in helping to improve hre safety.

Self Service at Petroleum Retail Garages - Discussion

Mr. Marshall: There was the difficulty of how far safety should be taken.

Mr. J. P. Emerson: Is there any sensing devices for unattended self-service sites to sense of smoking occurs ?

Mr. Marshall: There are heat sensing devices which are not particularly reliable. They sensed all heat sources and this switched off pumps.

A c.ommcnt was that there is no safeguard against smokmg occurrmg on unattended self-service, so for

continued from page 38

self-service and ordinary filling stations one might as well throw the "No Smoking" signs away.

Mr. Marshall: This is not true, as there are "No Smoking" notices on display at all sites. I consider that the general public know petrol to be hazardous and have a high regard for their own safety. I believe there to be less likelihood of smoking on a self-service site than an ordinary site.

FROM

Diagram of gas refrigerator showing position of flame protecting devicfl

FLUE

P UR SING U IT

Safe Practices vvith Bulk Storage

In contributing this article J. H. B. Hornby, City of Oxford acknowledges the assistance he received from the

American Petroleum Institute

Typical of the excellent Accident Prevention Manuals* prepared by the American Petroleum Institute is the one covering safety at Bulk Storage Depots, entitled 'Safe Practices in Bulk Plant Operations'. These Manuals deal not only with explosion and fire hazards but also cover personal injury and security

Safety principles are outlined in the first part of the booklet and, in line with our requirements, smoking shou ld be permitted only in designated areas, and matches and lighters should not be carried anyw here within the plant. Warning is given against the use of power equip- ment, such as motor mowers or tools; and heaters; in dangerous or potentially dangerous areas; and the institute suggests the provision of covered metal containers for such combustible materials as waste paper, oily rags or packing material-as part of the good 'housekeeping' routine. This word 'ho usekeeping' has a wider meaning than we would give it in England. In the U.S.A. it covers industry too , and really refers to such things as keeping a place well painted, tidy, weed free and clean. All these, in relation to petroleum storage of this kind, are very important and mentioned at various places in the booklet.

A special warning in the section on ignition control is about adjacent buildings , mentioning specia ll y the way that a fire can move rapidly among dry grass and weeds. As a precaution against static, tanks trucks shou ld be electrically bonded to the loading rack by means of a bonding cable.

Vapour control suggestions include the use of extension spouts in tanker filling, so that flammable liquids discharge near the bottom of the tank ; and in the event of a major spill, all work in the vicinity shou ld come to a standsti ll.

·n with most North American organi- 111 keeptd safety' the use of petrol for cleaning sat10ns c01:icerne uch frowned upon , and the Institute Purposes is very m d · · "bi d th t the only petroleum pro ucts perm1ss1 e s a those with flash points above lOOoF. for cleamng are e to read (under Fire Control

.

It m t f specific fire fighting respons1b1ht1es that the ass1gnmen . 0 t desirable but rather that each to each employee is to dd four things: a lert all call the Fire Department; control people wit 111 "ds may be feeding the fire, and the flow of any iqui · . 1 ble fire fightmg equipment. use any ava1 a . 1 . eatl dealt with under t le same Personal tsd 11advke is given on the ca uses of general headmg, an of tools· lifting · contact with 1 · · • • the use , ' persona mJUI yd, t d the inhalation of petroleum petroleum pro uc 5 an vapours.

Calla ,/1·a11 tanker fuelling terminal Imp erial Oil (Essa) A modem " Toro11to.

When it comes to the application of safety emphasis is given to the control of grass by commercial weedkillers, the maintenance of gates and fences for the purpose of excluding unauthorised persons, the to keep sewers and drains free from obstructions. Inside the buildings, points on personal safety are made;_ such things as the of clear spaces, the keepmg of everything in good repair-no holes m the concrete floo:s, no broken planks, no projections, and so on. A special section covers the storage of drums and other packaged products, emphasising the need for secure stackmg, careful sensible handling to avoid breaks and leaks, and the of mechanical aids in the handling of d_rui:iis where possible. The Institute states that pamful lllJUnes have resulted from simply failing to test whether a drum is full, half-full, or empty before attempting to move it. The filling of containers with flammable liquids shoul_d not take place, except in a specially designated and vei:it1lated room, and the booklet includes the very sound advice that any other filling should be done out of doors where harmful vapours can readily disperse.

A warning against the accumulation of oil which may drip from vehicle sumps is given in the 'Garages' secti?n, and a simple, yet perhaps sometime vital recommendat10n is that any garage door should be opened before a vehicle engine is started. On pump houses, again the door should be left open when the pumps are being used. The good maintenance of all pumps , piping and valves is widely stressed, and pipelines should not, for example, be stepped upon. Lubrication and painting timetables are mended, and the correct colour coding of all pipes 1s advised.

In dealing with the storage tank s themselves, the booklet recommends regular inspection of foundations , and the avoidance of any earth build-up at the sides. Dykes should be well looked after with the drain valves ordinarily closed, or the alternative syphon raised , and water should be drawn off when it becomes excessive. Stairs , walkways , bridges , platforms and handrails should be of a standard design, preventing falls; and all walking surfaces should be treated with non-skid material.

Finally , on the application of safety principles, the booklet recommends periodic thorough cleaning of all valves , with repair s undertaken only by competent mechanics.

The receiving of fuel at the storage depot is dealt with by recommending the operator to apply the following procedure:

1. Compare the document s covering the consignment,

2. Check each cargo compartment for volume and content,

3. Examine a sample in a clean bottle for colour and odour,

4. Check again with documents,

5. Check receiving tank for like product and ability to hold proposed delivery ,

6. Co nnect hose and set valves ,

7. C heck for leaks during delivery. Re-check valve sett ing and relief vent ,

8. A sce rt a in that all delivery tank s are empty.

Equally thorough step by step are laid down for deliveries when the storage depot 1s unattended, and when delivery is by rail tanker.

Transferring the fuel from the storage tank to the road tanker is covered by the heading' Delivery of Product', and special points on this concern the maintenance of anti-slip surfaces both on the tanker and the loading rack; the desirability of guardrails and self-levelling steps if tankers of different heights are used ; and the attachment of devices to the hoses themselves which prevent their being damaged if they should come into contact with a tanker when out of use. Again the correct use of colour coding is emphasised, and each hose or spout should be equipped with spring-loaded, slow-acting self-closing valves-never, of course, to be fastened in the open position.

Ancient and Modern Tankers at the Essa Depot, Toronto

Before loading begins the engine and the lights of the vehicle should be off; handbrake on , and outlet valve s closed and everyone out of the cab. The anti-static bonding cable should be connected to the tanker's bare metal lug before any dome cover is opened. After this each compartment _of the tanker should be inspected to see that no fuel remams from a previous delivery.

J?uring loading, the operation should receive the und1v1?ed attention of the loader so that spills will be avoided, and the compartment should be filled to the marker with an allowance for expansion. Then the cover should be closed , and the bonding cable taken away.

The bo?klet mentions that some operators discontinue all electrical storms are close by The pro_mmen_t on Emergencies suggests the placing of a Notice containing all emergency information to the telephone , and Plant Security is also dealt With.

The conclusion is worth quoting in full:

. '.'Safoety at the bulk plant is achieved only by the parof all personnel , whether they work directly ';1tlun the _p_lant or merely have their he a dquarter s there. Each part1c1pant is rewarded by freedom from injury , and lo st time; by prese rvation of the plant and contmurty of its se rvice to th e community ; and by it s enhanced pubfjc goodwill "

*A list of these publicatio11s ca n be ob tained from The Amer ican Petro leum Institute , 1271 A venue of th e Americas, New York, N. Y. 10020

A NEW TANK NU M BERi NG SYSTEM

Contributed by J. W. HEWISON, D.S.A.A. Havant and Waterloo U.D.C.

Having complained for years on th e inadequacy of the numbering of petrol tanks , [ think it only fair to praise a new system which has been developed by Petropump Installations Ltd.

At one time or another l am sure we have all had just cause to criticise the ineffectual metal tabs of zinc or brass at present in general use for the numbering of petrol tanks. They are small and are made of very thin metal which bends over very easily and soon becomes obscure.

This new tank marking and identification system has many advantages and takes the form of a fill pipe tray , made of heavy gauge galvanised iron , indelibly marked either by identation or plastic lettering protected by a suitable covering not affected by petrol or water.

Its main purpose of course is clearly to identify the tank as follows:

I. By Number.

2. By Capacity in Gallon s

3. By Grade of Petrol.

4. By Company 's Name.

This la st item is very useful on stations where more than one company's petrol is sold, i.e. Motorway Stations.

Jn addition, of course, the tray is an absolute boon to tanker drivers and Inspectors who from time to time have to remove the fill pipe cap a nd lock , for these can be conveniently pl <.tc ed in the tray. It also prevents , when fingers are numb with cold, the lock or key s being dropped down the manhole should one be a little careless.

The tray can also be used to good effect on sta tion s where there are underground paraffin tanks when the marking c?uld 'PARAFFIN ONLY' in 'bold block characters 111 add1t1on to the tank number and its capacity.

Cakemore Terminal

The Shell-.Mex and B.P . Cakemore Terminal , Biriningham , was built mo st ly from seco nd-hand material s in 1942. A redevelopment s tarted in 1963 and wa s completed in 1967. Black .011 prodycts are delivered from the Parent Group 's refinene s by rail. Up to 48 new-type fixedaxle rail tank cars or 24 _ 100-ton bogie cars can be di s c.harged simultanec;n1sly a re facilities for heavy fuel 011 arnvmg below de s irable discharge tern peratu re s

New storage t a nk s hav e b.een provided and three loading ga ntrie s can fill 24 fuel o tl road tank wagons simult aAnother ga!1try handles and lubricatin g oils. Some 120 vehicles are used 111 d e livering product s from the terminal to the customer.

Many technical inn ovatio.n s have been in ,thle rebuilt termin a l. Four vanable output 1 di sc harae rail tank ca rs at up to 250. pe1 hou1. d ew ho se< and v isua l ftow ind.1cat o r s s p ee up discharge operations and save l abo ur time.

A · ·adi'o 11·11 k betw ee n storage tank s and the microwave I < · . ffi 'tl 1 1·epeater stat io n at the rail discharge point o ice , w1 1 < < • t k bi tl o d LI Ct lev e l and the temperature 111 a ny a n ena es 1e p1 · · I b I · fiig u 1·es on a sc reen a lmo st 111stanta n eo u s y to e s 1own m ·i · ·k b · g 't si·mple tele1)hone dial. All fuel 0 1 p1pewo1 y usm < • d · b d d I · J s bee 11 s l1 eat hed 111 se lf- co lou 1e 1esm- o n e aog mg ia · d t f• b"' I 1n the office the latest c le n cal m et h o s iave 1 reg ass.

· 1 h · · ·k been introduced t o h and le orders wit 1 t e 1111111111um w o 1 d delay The n ew Cakemo re is better o rga m zed than a n ' · M'dl d · d ever to give efficient se rvice to We s t 1 a n s 111 u stry.

Council at Solihull

Reports from the Meeting held on 25th January, 1968

Present

Messrs. C.R. Peskett (Chairman), E. V. Beeby, J. Beer, J. Birks, R. L. Bloor, G. N. Dean, J. W. Frid, D. Hall, G. H. Harvey, J. W. Hewison, R. P. Holdaway, C. T. Peacock, R. E. J. Roden, J. Short and the Hon. Secretary.

An official welcome was expressed to delegates by the Deputy Town Clerk, Mr. A. Collins, in the unavoidable absence of the Town Clerk, Mr. D. W. Chapman.

Apologies

Received from H. Griffiths, T. Kerr and B. W. C. Thacker. The Hon. Secretary expressed his regrets that the names of Messrs. Griffiths, Peacock and Thacker were omitted from those present at the October meeting.

Minutes of previous Meeting

Confirmed.

Matters Arising

The Hon. Secretary referred to the decision to apply for membership of the National Safety Council, Chicago. He reported the receipt of an application form which stated that membership subscription was 80 dollars. After due consideration the Council agreed to let the matter 'lie on the table'.

Correspondence

This was dealt with by the Chairmen of the various Committees to whom the letters had been sent by the Hon. Secretary.

Report of Hon. Treasurer

The Hon. Treasurer reported a credit balance at the 3lst December, 1967.

Report of Hon. Secretary

The Hon. Secretary reported that membership was still progressing but regretted that in the case of one Officer Member and two Associates, their subscriptions had not been paid for two years. The Council decided to adhere to its previous decision and consider the membership as lapsed.

The Hon. Secretary also reported that only 80 applications had been made for a special re-print of Volumes 1-3 of The Bulletin. Resolved that no further action be taken.

Report of Hon. Editor

The Hon. Editor suggested that the print of The Bulletin be increased to 700 copies. Agreed.

Report of Finance and General Purposes Committee

The Chairman, Mr. Bloor, reported that notices regarding the School at Attingham had gone out to local authorities. Considerable discussion took place on the subject of holding a second School or an Advanced Course of Instruction. It was decided to consider this matter again after this year's School had been held.

Report of Reference and Legal Committee

The Chairman, Mr. Roden, referred to a number of subjects his Committee had dealt with and reported as follows:

(a) Enquiries had been made from a firm of petrol pump manufacturers regarding the Association's Licence conditions for unattended self-service petrol pumps, particularly to the fact that the minimum amount be is 10/-, this having the of d1scnmmatmg agamst coin-operated pumps servmg the minimum amount of 5/-.

Recommended that the Council adhere to its previous decision awaiting the issue of the Home Office Model Code.

(b) A letter fron:i another firm of petrol pump manufacturers referrmg to the Association's conditions for self-service relating to the use of a series of hghts and buttons for communication betweeen the customer and controller rather than direct speech comm.unication. Resolved that either type of equipment is acceptable as set out in the conditions.

(c) A suggestion that the Association should draw up emergency procedures for problems which may face a petroleum was accepted. An Emergency Procedure Committee was appointed.

(cl) A correspondent suggested the setting up of an Equipment Panel to test and witness demonstrations of new fire fighting devices. After considerable discussion the suggestion was rejected.

(e) Mr. Peacock requested on behalf of the Yorkshire Branch that the Association's Code of Practice should be reconsidered and brought up to date. This was agreed and an ad hoe committee for this purpose was formed.

Report of Constitution and Rules Committee

The Chairman, Mr. Hall, referred to various classes of Officers and Members which had been put forward. Jn the case .of Life Members it was agreed that these should be nommated by the.Council. The Secretary was then asked to ensure that of motion relating to the creation of the offices of President and Vice-Presidents be placed on the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting in accordance with standing orders.

With regard to a request from a Company which had several representatives as Associate Members, that the Company itself takes up membership and its representatives be enabled to attend Branch Meetings for a reduced fee, the Chairman said he could see no justification for a change of Constitution to meet this request. The Council agreed.

Branch reports

Reports of Branch activities was submitted by the Branch Representatives as reported in the last issue of The Bulletin.

Any Other Business

The Council agreed to recommend that Mr. C. T. Peacock, Hemsworth KD.C., be Chairman of the Association for the period 1968-69 and that Mr. B. W. C. Thacker, Middlesbrough C.B., be appointed Vice-Chairman for the same period.

New Office

It was proposed· by Mr. E. V. Beeby and sec<;m';fed by Mr. R. L. Bloor that a new office in the Assoc1at10n be established.

The office to be that of Honorary Technical Adviser. The Council agreed that the item be placed on the agenda at the Annual General Meeting. It was further that the Hon. Technical Adviser, the immediate Past and the Hon. Electrical Adviser should be ex-offic10 members of the Council. The Secretary was asked to these items on the agenda for the Annual General Meetmg.

Annual General Meeting

Resolved that the Annual General Meeting shall be held at Solihull on 24th April, 1968.

The Day the River Tyne caught Fire

OIL SLICK FIRE

Contributed by C. L. Binnie Chief Fire Officer, South Shields

At 0950 hours a call was received at Central Fire Station, Keppel Street, South Shields, from the River Police that a large oil slick was well alight in mid stream near John Readheads Shipyard in the River Tyne.

Two Pump Escapes, One Emergency Tender, One Foam Tender and One Fireboat were sent. Upon arrival an oil slick approximately 200 yards by 25 yards was seen to be well alight in mid stream and was drifting inshore to the south bank of the river threatening shipping moored at buoys, quays and wharves.

At 0959 pumps were made up to five and Foam Tenders two and instructions given for all pumps to take up position at various points down stream of the oil slick and be prepared to take the necessary action if the burning oil reached the shore.

In the meantime the Harbour Master had arrived and tugs were standing by to move any vessels that were threatened by the burning oil.

At this stage the burning oil slick had broken into three large areas, one of which was now within 50 feet of the quayside of one of the local ship repair yards.

The Fireboat which had been manoeuvring in the vicinity tackled the slick which was nearest to the shore

MONDAY, llth DECEMBER, 1961 f uish the remainder. The first, and then to ex mg · t using water at method of extinct10n was by momtor Je high pressure.

D · g these

The "stop" was sent back at l 02h5 were · ·d f ·t ·ver s ore m ' ' operations both s1 es o 1 5 n 1 s·d by Tynemouth Fire being covered by, on eShields Fire Brigade, on the South e yf ou Durham County Fire supplemented by appliances rom

Brigade. E 2 Fo·tm Tenders, I Emergency Tender, 2 Pump scapes, ' 3 Water Tenders. h River . I d ked well toget er, e.g.

All services mvo ve . Authorities, Fire Brigades Police, Harbour Maste1' b a serious situation had the in co.uld well have e:;rious vessels, including oil burnmg oil Docks, and discharging at the tankers deg'.lssmg 1R. Drive or the many wharves petroleum mstallat10n iver , and jetties.

·i ·1 bi · · I f the Fireboat being read1 y avm a e w,1s speedy control of this unusual hazard.

At present enquiries are still made as to the cause of the fire and where the oil origmated from.

branch meetings

Yorkshire

A series of meetings have been held by the Yorkshire Branch over the past few months. Two at City Fire Brigade Headquarters, Leeds, on the 12th July and September, and two at the West Riding County Council Fire Brigade Headquarters, Birkenshaw, Bradford, on 18th October and 29th November, 1967.

At the July meeting, the Chairman, Mr. S. GascoigI_J.e, and 22 members were welcomed to the Branch by D1vvisional Officer J.E. Lowther, who deputised for the Chief Fire Officer, Mr. C. D. Forrest. Mr. Lowther mentioned the need for progress with regard to latched nozzles, coin and note operated pumps.

Apologies

Three apologies were received.

Correspondence

The Hon. Secretary reported that he had received from the Association's Hon. Secretary copies of the General Council's recommendations concerning the following:

1. General requirements as to the storage of petroleum spirit in underground tanks other than at bulk storage and distributing depots;

2. General requirements as to the storage of petroleum spirit or petroleum mixtures above ground (other than bulk storage);

3. General requirements as to the storage of carbide of calcium;

4. Electrical installations;

5. Report on examination of electrically operated petrol service pump.

A general discussion on the requirements recommended by the General Council concerning the storage of petroleum spirit in underground tanks other than at bulk storage and distributing depots then followed. There was much diversity of opinion and lively discussion on many points and it was recommended that a number of alterations and additions be made.

* * * *

At the September meeting the Chairman and 14 members met at the Esso Depot, Clarence Leeds, where a talk and demonstration of the O.P.W. nozzle was given by Mr. Stam for Messrs. Link-Hampson. This was followed by a discussion.

The members then visited the Shell Depot in Yarn Street, Leeds, where a talk on the Z.V.A. nozzle was given and this was followed by a discussion and demonstration.

After adjourning to the Mansion Hotel for refreshments at the kind invitation of Mr. Mallalieu of Messrs. LinkHampson, the meeting continued at the Fire Brigade

Headquarters, where a welcome was given by Station Officer Gledhill, who expressed Chief Fire Officer Forrest's regrets at not being able to be present.

Apologies

Two apologies were received.

New Members

Two new Associate members were welcomed.

Matters arising out of the Minutes

It was pointed out that a requirement concerning the provision of petrol interceptors was not required in the recommendations concerning the storage of petrol in underground tanks as Section 27 of the Public Health Act, 1936, covered the point adequately. It was moved by Mr. Darwin and seconded by Mr. Gledhill, after some discussion, that a fourteen pound dry powder extinguisher could be used in lieu of a two gallon foam extinguisher.

The Hon. Secretary suggested that an item requiring all equipment and plant to be maintained in an efficient condition was desirable. It was moved by Mr. Murray and seconded by Mr. Hendry and passed unanimously that such an item be included.

Correspondence

The Hon. Secretary then reported that the only correspondence was that concerning the demonstrations given that morning. He also referred to the kind assistance given by Mr. Gledhill in arranging the demonstrations. The appreciation of the meeting was expressed.

Discussion on latched nozzles

After general discussion on latched nozzles it was agreed that, although the members were not in favour of their use, it was only reasonable that they be accepted, provided that the conditions recommended by the Home Office be complied with. It was proposed by Mr. Darwin and seconded by Mr. Sample that latched nozzles be approved subject to compliance with the Home Office recommendations, and were not used on unattended self-service stations. The proposition was carried, only one voting against. * * * *

At the October meeting, the Chairman and 17 members were welcomed by Mr. Murray, who apologised for the absence of Mr. K. L. Holland, Chief Fire Officer, West Riding C.C., who hoped to join the meeting later.

Apologies

Five apologies were received.

New members

The Hon. Secretary reported that a prospective new member been introduced by Mr. Skelton. He exhis to Mr. Skelton and pointed out that this was the first time that assistance to recruit further new members had been given by one of the present members. The Hon. Secretary stated that he had written to every Clerk and every Petroleum Officer in the area.

Mr. Murray stated that there were 87 authorities within West Riding County area and that the Chief County Fire Officer would be prepared to mention the desirability of membership of the Association in any letters he had to send to them, which offer was greatly appreciated.

Branch resolution

A resolution that the Branch was not in favour of coinoperated petrol/oil measuring instruments, but that they may have to be accepted, was moved by Mr. Gascoigne, seconded by Mr. Gledhill and passed unanimously.

The following resolutions were then passed: coin-operated self-service petrol/oil measuring mstruments

_Mr. Roost the conditions required by the City of Bradford and _it was decided that the following ought to be mcluded m the Association's recommendations:

"No person under the age of 16 shall be permitted to operate an appliance";

"The qua_ntity of petrole1;1m _delivered by the insertion of a com to be clearly md1cated on the appliance";

"A device o! devices shall be incorporated in the design of the nozzle attached to the delivery hose of each appliance to prevent the following:

(a) overfilling of any vehicle fuel tank;

(b) dis?harge of pet!oleum spirit until such time as the del_1very. nozzl_e is properly located in the fuel tank filhng pipe orifice of any vehicle;

(c) a blow-b.ack of petroleum due to a build up of pressure m the fuel tank of any vehicle and each such delivery nozzle and associated device or devices shall be of such design to meet with the approval of the Board of Trade under the Weights and Measures 1963, Section 12".

Latched nozzles

Not to be permitted for use by the public.

Any other business

Mr. Gle?hill that he had been approached about the mstallat10n of flat-ended tanks in lieu of the present dish-ends, but any decision was deferred for further information.

Mr. Murray reported an accidental discharge of some four gallons of petroleum spirit when an 0.P.W. latched nozzle was being used.

A specification for a bin store required by the City of Leeds was accepted with two amendments:

1. That the notice should read 'Danger-Petroleum Spirit/Mixtures-Highly Inflammable-No Smoking or Naked Lights'.

2. The lid should be sloping at an angle of not less than 30° to the horizontal.

* * * *

At the November meeting the Chairman and 16 members were welcomed by Mr. K. L. Holland, Chief Fire Officer, West Riding County Fire Service. He assured the Branch of his full support and outlined his previous contact with the Association.

The Chairman was shown a copy of the circular advocating membership of the Association that Mr. Holland enclosed with his correspondence and expressed the Branch's thanks for the co-operation. He also thanked him for the arrangements he had made for that day's meeting.

Apologies

One apology was received.

Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were taken as read.

Correspondence

The Hon. Secretary reported that the only correspondence received had been from Mr. Holland in connection with the meeting and the circular advocating membership, and from Mr. Abraham in connection with his talk on flat-ended storage tanks.

Electrical installations

Mr. Gledhill moved, Mr. Lister seconded and it was passed that consideration of the Association's recommendations be deferred until the new Code is issued. The Hon. Secretary was instructed to obtain details from Mr. Murray.

Report of Electrical Engineer

It was moved by the Hon. Secretary that the examiner shall not be associated with the firm which installs the equipment. Mr. Sample seconded the motion and it was passed.

Other business

A talk entitled 'The Use of Flat-ended Tanks' was given by Mr. H. Abraham, Gunness Pump Services. He stated amongst other things that his firm had constructed flat-ended tanks and strengthened the ends by welding triangular fillets to the cylinder and. the that 15 lbs. p.s.i. internal pressure had been without undue deflection and that flat-ended tanks mstalled durmg the war had been taken up and found to be in good condition.

The Chairman suggested that the firm should get the blessing of the British Standards Institution. The Hon. Secretary pointed out that the external pressure of a tank was taken by the vault or the concrete case, that the internal pressure in use was no more than 5 lbs. p.s.i. and that in any event the recommended 'Conditions of Licence' did not preclude the use of flat-ended tanks.

The Chairman thanked Mr. Abraham for his talk and Mr. Abraham expressed his thanks for being given the opportunity.

The Chairman then agreed to Mr. Sample raising a problem he had to solve. An application had been received to run a 2in. fuel supply pipe supported by a girder at a height of 20ft. over a side street 25ft. wide. Mr. Gledhill stated that he had had a similar application but had persuaded the applicant to run it under the road. Mr. Abraham suggested the inclusion of a reflux valve.

Mr. Pollard then asked if oil-filled radiators were considered to be the best means of heating kiosks at petrol stations. It was generally agreed that they were provided the switch was of a suitable type and in a suitable situation.

Mr. Wood asked for information concerning the earthing of tanks; it was pointed out that this matter had been discussed in an article in The Bulletin.

Report of Electrical Engineer

The discussion of this item was then continued. The Hon. Secretary pointed out that the report was entitled 'Report on Examination of Electrically Operated Petrol Service Pump'. He moved that the word 'pump' be substituted by 'Installation' so that the whole of the electrical equipment in the hazard area would be included. It was duly seconded and passed.

Mr. Murray stated that the definition of the hazard area was being reconsidered and gave a summary of the proposals of the Institute of Electrical· Engineers concerning the matter. Doubt was expressed as to this Institute being the appropriate body to make such recommendations as an expert knowledge of physics was also required.' The Chairman recommended that discussion on this item be deferred until the new recommendations be received. This was moved, seconded and agreed.

Mr; Murray also reported that regulations concerning the storage of liquefied gas were being considered and that Shell Petrol Company have a film on the subject which would interest members.

The Chairman said that the end of the pipe line of the national grid terminated at Penistone. It was of interest and the Branch might find a visit to be useful.

Next Meeting

1t was suggested that the next meeting be called when the Hon. Secretary had received detailed information of the recommendations concerning electrical installations which was anticipated to be about April, 1968. It was decided to leave the precise date to the Chairman and Hon. Secretary.

Jt ;.vas also agreed that the storage of low pressure gas be discussed and that Mr. Holland's kind invitation to hold the meeting at the West Riding Headquarters be accepted.

West Midland

The Annual General Meeting of the Branch was held at the Council Chamber, Shirehall, Shrewsbury, on Wednesday, 17th January, 1968.

The meeting was welcomed by Mr. A. Bloomfield, Chief Fire Officer, Salop County Council, who spoke of the close co-operation existing between the district petroleum

authorities and the Fire Service in Shropshire. He referred to the growth of the Association from a small Group to a National Association and the valuable work being done. It was necessary to be forward thinking in our approach to new developments and if sufficient safety precautions could be provided it was possible to accept some of them. A vote of thanks to Mr. Bloomfield was moved by Mr. R. P. Holdaway.

Present· were the Chairman, Mr. K. C. Hughes, and 52 members. Nine apologies were received.

Minutes

The Minutes of the Branch Meeting held at Walsall on the llth July, 1967•. having been previously circulated, were approved and signed as a correct record.

Report ·of Secretary/Treasurer

Secretary presented his report and the balance sheet. This was approved. Mr. H. Griffiths drew attention to the healthy state of the balance sheet and Mr. J. Forman that some consideration be given to the purchase of a cham or badge of office for the Chairman. It was agreed that the Committee look into this matter.

Election of Officers and Committee

The following were elected: Chairman Vice-Chairman Committee Members

Mr. R. E. J. Roden, Birmingham Mr.J.Easton,Burton-upon-Trent Mr. G. Balshaw, Shrewsbury Mr. K. C. Hughes, Stafford Mr.T. H. Keith,Cannock U.D.C. Hon. Secretary/Treasurer Mr. G. H. Harvey, Dudley Hon. Auditor Mr. T. J. Metcalfe, Warley

Representative on National Council

The Secretary was appointed as Branch Representative.

Address

R. E. J. in thanking the Branch for his appomtme!lt as Cha1rman, referred to the new developments takmg pl'.lce: self-service, plastic tanks, revised model code, which would need re-thinking on certain It was necessary to use Branches as a forum for d1scuss10n. Mr. .thanked the past Chairman, Mr. Hughes, for 111s services and then introduced the Speaker, Mr. A. Marshall, Sales Manager, Messrs. AveryHardoll Ltd., who presented a paper entitled "Self Service '.lt Petr?leum Retail Stations". A synopsis of this most mterestmg talk appears on page 37 of this issue

In a vote <?fthanks to the speaker, Mr. D. Hall said. that h.1s authority had already approved some selfeqmpment. As Petroleum Officers we realised our hm1tat10ns and welc.omed the specialised knowledge brought by the Associate Members. We appreciated the Speaker's comments and forthright speaking and would profit b)'. them. Thanks were expressed to Mr. Roden for conductmg the meeting, to the Shropshire Fire Brigade for the excelle!1t arrangements made and to the Salop County Council for the use of the Council Chamber.

by OTTO

through

the pipeline

WHY OFFSET?

Most dispensers on filling station forecourts use suction pumps to draw petrol from the underground storage tanks. There are good safety reasons for preferring suction pumps for this task. However, suction pumps suffer from the defect that the depth and distance from which they can draw are limited. In fact, most petrol pump manufacturers recommend a limit of 100 feet for distance and 12 feet for depth.

To obtain maximum efficiency from a suction pump one should place it as near its supply tank as possible. Do this, however, and the marketing people complain of Jack of efficiency in other directions. They point out that the presence of tanks and filling pipes in the service area bring the periodic impeding, if not blocking, of the forecourt by a tank wagon. What is more, some of the large tank wagons now available just will not fit on some forecourts.

One way out of the dilemma is to provide a tank wagon stand in a suitable open yard at the rear or side of the forecourt. Then because pump efficiency demands short suction lines, the tanks may be left under the forecourt near the pumps and filled by means of off-set filling lines. It is true that this involves extra pipes but the alternative would require the provision of extra lengths of suction line. So, wherein lies the difference ?

ln these enlightened days, it is doubtful whether anyone would Tee an off-set filling pipe into a dipping pipe. This practice must surely have resulted in more loss of petrol than many others. Too often in the past have ill-fitted or worn caps been forced from dip openings by the pressure of spirit in off-set filling lines during delivery. Even the provision of a separate dipping pipe has not wholly removed the danger. Spillage can still occur even before the tank is filled. In any case where are the brave men to hazard life and limb removing manhole covers to dip storage tanks on very busy forecourts ?

Experience has proved the rule that where a tank is filled by an off-set it should have no other opening save for a properly contrived vent opening and pipe. This does mean that the tank cannot be dipped. However, there are many excellent gauges on the market which indicate tank contents every bit as accurately as dip sticks.

These gauges in effect usually weigh the head of liquid. Consequently they are affected by any variation in specific gravity. Significant variation of specific gravity occurs, however, only when there is a change of grade. Change of grade is so infrequent an event that the recalibration of the gauge it entails is a small price to pay for the additional safety achieved.

WHAT'S ON ICE ?

Disused underground petrol tanks remain a potential source of danger for years unless effective steps are taken to render them safe. Sufficient powers have been given to local authorities under Section 73 of the Public Health Act, 1961, to require these steps to be taken. Depending on circumstances, it is usual either to remove the tanks from the ground and arrange their safe disposal or to fill them in solid with earth, sand or cement slurry. Occasionally, where later re-use of the tank is probable, filling the tank with water may be an acceptable alternative.

From time to time, however, one may want to render a tank free from risk of fire and explosion only for a relatively short time, for example while work of excavation or filling in solid is in progress. If a tank is a "leaker" it will be inappropriate to fill it with water while decisions are being taken on its ultimate fate. For cases such as these, the use of "dry ice" recommends itself.

If one adds carbon dioxide to a fully explosive concentration of petrol vapour and air, the mixture will become non-flammable when the oxygen content drops below 15 %. One could do the same thing with another inert gas such as nitrogen but in this case the oxygen content would have to be reduced to below 11.6 %; in other words, one would need more nitrogen.

Tn fact it is not only economy that favours the. use of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide like petrol vapour 1s much heavier than air· so like birds of a feather they tend to cling together. To the oxygen content below 15 % requires the introduction into the of 41 % of carbon dioxide {the proportion of C0 2 m the resulta.nt mixture will then be 29 %). Because of dangers static, it is unsafe to obtain the carbon dioxide for this purpose under pressure from a cylinder. The risk ,?oes attend if one's source is solid carbon d10x1de or dry tee and there are in fact other reasons why the use of"dry ice" is convenient.

If one considers an empty 500 gallon tank, the of mixture in it would be 80 cubic feet. This would require the addition of 32.8 cubic feet of carbon dioxide to reIJ-der it safe. This volume of carbon dioxide would be obt_amed from 4 lbs. of "dry ice". In a closed vessel the would have about 0.4 atmosphere overpressure; if the tank were vented at the top, however, there would be a tendency for air to be driven the evaporation of solid carbon d10x1de leavmg a Iugher proportion of carbon dioxide in the final mixture.

At very low temperatures a higher percentage of carbon dioxide is needed to keep mixtures non-flammable. Moreover, where matters of safety are concerned, it is not

customary to work to close margins. For these reasons, one would not argue with the quantity of one pound of "dry ice" for 50 gallons capacity (i.e. 10 lbs. per 500 gallons) recommended by Factory Department Safety Pamphlet No. 18. Under these conditions, the tank vent pipes should be left open for 12 hours or so while the "dry ice" evaporates before the tank is sealed.

There is always a fly in the ointment. This is to be found in the method by which petroleum officers determine whether or not a petrol vapour/air mixture is flammable. Custom dictates that an explosimeter be used for this purpose. Unfortunately, explosimeters employ a catalytic burning wire and catalysts are well known as the icono- clasts of the chemical world. The result is that explosi- meters have no serious regard to the presence of carbon dioxide in a vapour/air mixture. Even though a flammable mixture has been fully inhibited by the addition of a sufficient quantity of carbon dioxide, the explosimeter may still give a full scale deflection. The only way of finding out whether the mixture is flammable under these circumstances would be to determine the oxygen content as well.

A mixture inhibited by carbon dioxide is safe only so long as the oxygen content remains below 15 %. This fact perhaps underlines the need to ensure that treated vessels are kept securely closed and to regard the treatment only as a very temporary expedient.

unable to see the storage tank owing to a buildin_g inter- rupting his view, and delivery was completed wlulst Mr. Joyce was still in the depot office. He c.:hecked road tanker's dip sticks and signed for the delivery but did not make a final check of the storage tank.

About an hour later he received a telephone call from the Goods Manager's Office of British Rail, asking if he knew that what appeared to be petroleum sp_irit the depot had overflowed and had flooded the railway sidmgs adjacent to the petroleum distribution depot. This was t?e first intimation that Mr. Joyce had that anything was al'I1:iss and an immediate check showed one of the tanks which had been filled to be brim full, and petrol contaminating the tank area and approximately 300 square yards of railway sidings.

. '!he local Fire Brigade was contacted and visited the premises, advising that the best remedial act10n was to liberally cover the affected area with sand and to contact the local Petroleum Officer immediately.

The Weights and Measures Department was first in- formed of the incident at approximately 4 p.m. and at 4.15 p.m. Mr. K. C. Hughes, the Chief Inspector, arrived at the depot to investigate.

legal proceedings

SERIOUS OUTFLOW OF PETROLEUM SPIRIT

At Stafford Magistrates' Court on I 5th January 1968 Brian Geoffrey Joyce of 100 Hall Lane, Great Wyrley'. depo_t manager of L. & W. Jones (Petroleum) Limited of Fnars Terrace, Stafford, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance by Road) Regulations, 1957, and was fined £20 on each charge.

The case of the spillage of approximately 300 gallons of spmt whilst a 3,200 gallon capacity compart- ment of an underground storage tank at the depot was being re-filled with 2,400 gallons of spirit from a road tanker through an off-set fill line on 20th November, 1967.

Mr. Joyce had himself for dipping the tank before the delivery and for keepmg the storage tank under observation during the delivery, but before com- pletion he was called to the depot telephone and left the tank. Off-loading continued, the tanker driver being

The first task was to minimise the of fire or explosion from any source and this involved halting the movement of any rail traffic over a considerable area of the sidings, closing a nearby coal merchant's vehicle mai!1- tenance shed and generally limiting the movement of railway and other personnel. The affected area was roped off and hastily prepared 'no smoking' notices were promi- nently displayed. Explosimeter tests showed the area to be heavily contaminated with vapour and arrangements were made with British Rail to keep the area clear. It was hoped that clearance could be given the following morning by which time it was expected that the spirit and vapours would have dissipated.

_Statements were then taken from Mr. Joyce and a of the Licensee, a Limited Company, and from these it was obvious that Regulation 16(8) of the Convey- ance by Road Regulations had not been observed. Mr. Joyce was insistent, however, that he had dipped the storage tank before the road tanker had arrived and that there had been 870 gallons in the compartment.

. The dipstick record book, showing morning and evening dip readings of each tank was then examined in conjunc- tion with several loading authorities for withdrawals from the storage by the licensee's own road tankers. The dip for the tank in question showed that it had con- tamed 1,610 gallons on the morning of the accident and the loading authorities showed a total of 780 gallons of spirit withdrawn before the road tanker delivery. This should have left 830 gallons in the tank-somewhere near the manager's claimed dip reading of 870 gallons. However, one of the loading authority documents showed that 300 gallons of spirit had been returned to the storage tank and, at this point, the depot manager realised why the tank had overflowed ! He suddenly remembered that a customer had wrongly ordered a quantity of 'regular' spirit when in fact that customer had wanted another grade and the 'regular' spirit had therefore been returned to the storage tank. This had taken place only a few minutes before the bulk road tanker had arrived and in fact in bewteen the 'dip' and the commencement of the bulk

delivery. The manager's dip and the one upon which he accepted the delivery of 2,400 gall.ons into the storage tank was therefore 300 gallons out-approximately the amount which it was decided had overflowed.

Explosimeter tests of the affected area of railway sidings at 7.30 a.m. the following morning showed no trace of petrol vapour and clearance was given for the movement of rail and other traffic to return to normal.

Informations were laid against Mr. Joyce as the person of the star.age tank for failing to dip same unmediately before delivery commenced and for failing to keep a constant watch thereon. Mr. Hughes writes:

Arising from the investigations into this spillage, it may be of interest to Petroleum Officers to know that at that neither _of two major oil companies having distribution depots m Stafford followed the procedure laid down in Regulations 16(7) and 16(10) of the Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance by Road) Regulations, 1957, for bulk deliveries to the depots by road tanker.

There seemed to be a suggestion that the requirements of the Regulations relating to certificates did not apply to road deliveries to authorised distributors or local depots but only to consumers or retail outlets-a situation which it appears was accepted certainly throughout the Midlands. However, the spillage of approximately 300 gallons of spirit at one of the Stafford depots, which could have had disastrous consequences, was undoubtedly due to the failure to observe all the requirements of Regulation 16 and might well have been avoided if the depot manager had been required to complete and sign a certificate, thus possibly reminding him of the 300 gallons which had been returned after he took his dip readings.

FIRE IN MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP

A case against Reginald Tildesley Ltd., a licensee within the Urban District of Aldridge-Brownhills, was heard by the Aldridge Magistrates on the 12th February, 1968. Defendants pleaded not guilty to an offence against Article 10 of the Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles, etc.) Regulations, 1929.

A fire occurred during the draining of a fuel tank in a motor repair shop attached to a garage. Burns were sustained by five persons in the garage most of which were to the upper limbs and were relatively minor, but the fitter actually engaged on the tank received 60 % burns which resulted in his subsequent death.

The site was immediately visited on receipt of the call from the police and a preliminary investigation was undertaken within three hours of the fire starting. It was never possible at any time to obtain a statement from the central figure in this occurrence and the fire had resulted in the destruction of equipment including the hand lamp which was in use at the time.

Sufficient remains of the lamp remained, however, to show that it had been connected by means of crocodile clips to a free-standing 12 volt motor car battery. The length of lead when measured was l lft. from clips to head and information was available that it was in use at the relevant time. The head of the lamp was completely destroyed but no metal cage was apparent and it was

ascertained upon enquiry that the fitter had made this lamp himself so that it was unlikely to have been flameproofed at the head.

Other factors were taken into account and it was found that the wheels of the crawling board were of fibre and thus unlikely to spark on the concrete floor. The jack which was in use had steel wheels but there was no evidence that movement had taken place. Evidence of smoking was not forthcoming and no welding or brazing operation was being undertaken.

Opinions were expressed that the fire originated at the head of the lead lamp and it was felt that this was probably the case.

The car had been supported on a trolley jack and the fuel obtained out of the motor vehicle tank into a tray of insufficient capacity to hold the quantity involved. This probably resulted in the fitter's clothing being contaminated by petrol which in turn was responsible for his extensive burns. The vehicle was situated approximately halfway along the length of the workshop some 60ft. long and vehicles were stationed on both sides of it. No attempt had been made to undertake the task on a hoist at a bay adjacent to the doors, which would have minimised the chances of an accident occurring at all and would also have minimised the degree of injury and damage which in fact occurred.

The repair shop was not, of course, part of the licensed petroleum installation and therefore there was no infringement of the licensing conditions. Close liaison was maintained with the Factory Inspector who told the Council that there was insufficient evidence to support a case under the Factories Act.

Consideration of these factors led the Council to lay information of an alleged infringement of Article 10 of the Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles, etc.) Regulations, 1929. The defendants pleaded 'Not Guilty' and defended the case on the grounds that the actual offender was the fitter undertaking the task and the sole responsibility for what occurred was his. The Council took the view that adequate supervision and an appreciation of the factors involved was the function of the management and that the responsibility was therefore properly that of the Company.

The case was proved and the defendants fined the maximum penalty of £20 with costs of £12 10s. O.d

TANK WAGONS-NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER MANLIDS NOT SECURED FAULTY CONSTRUCTION

Without using the increased penalties available to them since lst January, 1968, magistrates in the Greater London area have imposed stiff tines on three companies operating petroleum spirit tank wagons in contravention of the Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance by Road) Regulation, 1957.

At Barnet Magistrates Court on 3rd January, 1968, Murco Petroleum Co. Ltd. was fined £70 (£10 on each information) and ordered to pay £2 costs. The informations involved the company's tank wagon DVX.753B which on 26th September, 1967, was found to be conveying petroleum spirit without a fire extinguisher and without its six manlids being locked or securely closed.

Not far away at Acton Magistrates Court on the same day Kingsford Haulage (Bulk Liquids) Ltd. was fined £100 (£20 on each of five informations) and was ordered to pay £7 7s. costs. The company's tank wagon SLD.791 carried petroleum spirit in five of its compartments on 27th September, 1967, although the manlids of two of them were neither locked nor securely closed, the driver had the key to the manlids in his possession, the fire extinguisher carried was empty and the draw-off taps at the side of the vehicle were not protected by a stout steel guard or enclosing box.

Some six weeks later, on 15th February, 1968, Freerange Co. Ltd. suffered a fine of £50 and costs of £5 5s. at Stratford Magistrates Court because tank wagon SXT.456 on 17th August, 1967, did not have its rear protected (£15), failed to carry a fire extinguisher (£15) and did not have four of its manlids closed (£5 on each).

KEPT PETROLEUM MIXTURES WITHOUT A

LICENCE

On 19th March, 1968 at Shrewsbury Borough Magi- strates Court a firm of wholesalers in specialised corn-

ponents, Bearings (North Western) Limited, 21 Frankwell, Shrewsbury was fined £5 with four guineas costs after they had pleaded guilty to keeping petroleum spirit without a licence, contrary to Section l(l) of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act, 1928.

On Wednesday 3lst January, 1968, Mr. D. Riley visited the premises on a routine weights and measures inspection. The Inspector, also a duly authorised Petroleum Officer, was shown to a wooden shed at the rear of the premises, and discovered over 80 gallons of petroleum cellulose thinners and paints.

The Inspector's thoughts on what could have happened if a fire had occurred were aroused not only by the large amount of cigarette ends stubbed out on the floor of the building, but also by the fact that outside the door, within 8 feet of the store, was an old 45 gallon oil drum which was being used to burn old rags and rubbish.

Samples taken of the mixtures were certified at the City of Birmingham Industrial Research Laboratories to be petroleum spirit, the flash point in each instance being 66°F.

Petroleum Officers Handbook

BY A. L. GOOD, F.R.S.H., F.A.P .H.I ., A.M.l .P .H.E., A.l.H.M.

Chief Public Health Inspector and Petroleum Officer to Bishop's Stortford U.D.C.

The need for a practical handbook for the Petroleum Officer has been apparent for a very long time. Mr. Good, a Public Health Inspector with long experience as a Petroleum Officer, has attempted to fill this need.

In this book the Author is concerned mainly with the practical problems which face the Petroleum Officer with regard to his duties in ensuring compliance with the Petroleum Legislation. He also discusses fully the constructional problems relating to the storage of petroleum spirit in a variety of establishments both major and minor, laying particular emphasis on safety measures.

In addition he deals with related matters, e.g. transportation, testing, cleansing of tanks, liquefied petroleum gases, pumps, etc. The value of a technical book of this kind is obviously enhanced by illustrations and some 55 line drawings are incorporated in the text showing details of installations and equipment.

This handbook is intended primarily to aid the Petroleum Officer but Fire Officers, County Planning Officers, Local Authority Engineers and Surveyors, Public Health Inspectors, Building Inspectors and Inspectors of Weights and Measures will, no doubt, find the book immensely practical and useful. Engineers and technicians employed in the ever-growing Petroleum Industry will also find the book helpful, giving, as it does, the forthright views of a practising Petroleum Officer.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

Introduction

II Simple Relevant Principles of Physics and Chemistry

Ill Petroleum Mixtures and Carbide of Calcium

IV Storage under Licence

V Keeping Petroleum Spirit, Solid Mixtures of Petroleum and Carbide of Calcium without a Licence

VI Existing Storage Tanks and Pipelines

VII The Interception of Oil and Petroleum

VIII The Transportation of Petroleum Spirit and Carbide of Calcium

IX The Transportation of Carbon Disulphide

X Liquefied Petroleum Gases

XI The Testing of Petroleum

XII Testing Concentrations of Inflammable Gases and Vapours The M.S.A. Explosimeter

XIII Accidents

XIV Means of Escape in case of Fire

XV Fire Extinguishing Apparatus

XVI Control and Enforcement

XVll Conclusion

APPENDICES A-J

These include statutory and other useful forms and notices and, in addition-safety precautions when fuelling aircraft-conversion table gases-British Standards and Codes of Practice -table of flash points, etc.

INDEX