The Bulletin - December 1986

Journal of the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration

B MER TAB-LINK FOR LONGER LIFE EASIER SERVI

belt the past 2 years a different type of drive appeared on forecourt petrol dispensers. e name IS Tab-Link and its unique poh.IYbeestle r/polyurethane enables tlS ttolast a minimum of six times longe; than conventional V-belts. It s easier to service, as one reel enables the service engineer to up any length of belt to SUit all pump assemblie thereby greatly s, reducing the stock carried.

When it comes to the manufacture of pump equipment a simpler design is possible using Tab-Link, as the tensioning and sliding adjustment systems used with conventional drive belts aren't needed. i Tab-Link is in successful use in petrol dispensers throughout Britain, including those serviced by Pump Maintenance Limited , and built by Avery-Hardoll Ltd., TokheimLtd. and Ferranti Ltd.

Light to lift and very strong, yet never noticed.

Suprabloc covers have been specifically designed for use where frequent access is required to part of a chamber within a block paved petrol filling station forecourt.

The system presents the minimum of exposed metal to the general layout yet provides easy, lightweight access

The solid bottom covers and are offered with 300 x 300mm lift-out section available as recessed or solid chequer top which can be fitted centrall or offset over chamber. y

All units are hot-dip galvanised after

manufacture to ensure long-life resistance against corrosion and are fitted with nitrile sealing gaskets.

Detailed and illustrated technical handbook available to specifiers.

Solid top peephole

Recessed peephole

Frederick Jcmes & Son (Oswestry) Ud ., Oswestr y. Shr opsh ir e.

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

Talking Point

GOODYEAR HOSES

Some 34.000 Ys" petrol pump hoses manufactured by the Goodyear group between 1984 and 1986 have been classed as "suspect" following an increasing number of incidents where hoses have burst showering members of the public with petrol. The Goodyear company together with the petrol pump manufacturers and pump maintenance firms are co-operating in inspecting these hoses and replacing them in an unprecedented programme.

The identification of the hoses has not been helped by hose manufacturers not complying with BS 3395 1980 which requires that each hose be clearly labelled 2m intervals with manufacturer. BS number. type. SIze of hose, month and year of

The photographs show. hoses whIch bubbled a?d burst. both hoses showenng members of the public. luckilv in both incidents no injury was sustained. were taken and clothing removed to prevent an accident.

BRANCH SECRET ARIES

Honorary

HUMBERSIDE BRANCH R. G. Kitching Hum.berside County Council.

EASTERN BRANCH F. C. Rason

Secretary: Mr. B. D. Taylor. Cambridgeshire County Council

SOUTHERN BRANCH R. Edwards M.R.B. (Petroleum Services) Ltd

MIDLAND BRANCH Oerek Hopkins Warwickshire County Council.

Honorary Editor: Mr. J. A. J. Thompson.

TANKER BLAZE

The strength of a 1968 stainless-steel tanker averted a possible disaster on the A19 near Middlesborough.

The tanker crashed and caught fire after the driver had tried to avoid a car which had gone out of control, but only two small puncture holes were made in the five-compartment tanker. The Seddon Atkinson tractor cab and the tyres were completely destroyed by the fire.

The driver was takiag 4,800 gallons of toluene -a petroleum spirit from ICTs North Tees works near Middlesbrough, to the ICI plant at

He was travelling the southbound carriageway of the A19 when he a car going out of control on no:thbound carrIageway. The tanker driver applied hIs antI-lock brakes but the car hurtled across the central and front offside of the tanker causing It to over on ItS sIde. The leaking fluid then ignited.

PolIce emerge.ncy services were quickly on the scene, but It was decIded to let the fire burn itself out. cars were involved in the crash, but only the tanker dnver and ?ne of the car drivers were taken to hospital.

The accIdent closed the A19 dual carriageway for eIght hours.

"PINKING" PETROL

Mot.or Agents' Association has been plagued by :n IncreasIng of complaints from motorists servICIng, and as a result took up the subject wIth the oIl companies and some car manufacturers in an effort to get them to modify their products.

In 1979 the Department of Transport advised all car makers that low lead fuel would be introduced in 1986 and that engine designs would need to be altered to allow for this.

Some makers took the advice and some did not. And of Course cars already on the road over this period clearly need adjustment.

Since January 1, 1986 the oil industry has been adding to petrol as an alternative to lead. This has een. alrly successful, but the fuel has become more to starting cars with hot engines can be more dIffIcult, during the summer months.

M Mr. Chve AInsley, director of petrol services at the otor Agents' Ass " . d OClatlOn IS confident that the pre- etonatlOn problems or "pink' '11 d' Some oil . ' Ing ,WI now Isappem. t compallIes are now expected to increase the oc ane ratmgs of pet I d bulletins adv" dl'O an many car ma'kers are issuing , It, ealers on how to rectify pinking mam y Je letardmg a veh' I . , " IC e s IgllItlOn,

OBITUARY W. MASSIE

The Midland Branch of th, , " the death of a past Bral h sadly report , 1C hmrm' B'II M ' active and valued memh dn, I assle an er of the h' h d' :I Monday 3rd November aft . , . ranc on '. P , el cl long Illness. Bill had retll ed fI om ump Mamtenance ea·r .' was looking forward to havino :nl the year I, '" me tIme to enlov cyc II1g.

The AsstlL'iation extends svll1l)ath\' t) I . . j '. t l1S Wll ow.

NEW CODE FOR CAN AND DRUM STORES

The Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration have published a new Code of Practice for construction and electrical requirements for Petroleum Spirit Can and Drum Stores (including .electrical requirements and hazard zones).

The Code replaces the one published in the 1960's and reflects modern practice and materials, and defines hazard zones.

The Code covers categories of storage. site conditions, construction. notices. electrical equipment and wiring and fire fighting equipment.

The requirements given in this Code have been prepared to provide authorities empowered to grant licences for the storage of Petroleum Spirit and Mixtures with working' documents that reflect modern law. guidance and practice, The benefit of wide acceptance and use by licensing authorities of model requirements is the increased uniformity of approach sought by all involved. Uniformity is a particular aim of the Association.

The code is available from the Hon, Secretary of the APEA.

Mr. B. D. Taylor. Trading Standards Department. Cambridgeshire County Council!, Hinchingbroke Cottage . Brampton Road. Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. PElS 8NA.

The Cost of the Code is £6.00 (£4.00 to members) including post and packing and remittances must be sent with any order (cheques made payable to APEA) Model Construction Requirements for Petroleum Spirit Can and Drum Stores (l.S.B.N. 0-947970-01-0).

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR ROAD TANK VEHICLES EQUIPPED FOR BOTTOM LOADING AND VAPOUR RECOVERY

This Code has been prepared by the Institute of Petroleum Marketing Sub-Committee and its Bulk Storage and Conveyance Panels and is complementary to th; IP Marketing Safety Code (Model Code of Safe Practice. Part 2) 1978 and Road Tank Wagon Design Code.

The increasing requirement for loading and vapour recover systems in Europe has a need for an Institute of Petroleum Code of PractIce to ensure where necessary uniform and compatible standards of equipment. .'

This Code of PractIce IS based to a great extent on AP I Recommended Practice 1004 for which the Institute of Petroleum acknowledges its debt to the American Petroleum Institute.

Amendments to the Code will be issued by the Institute as considered necessary and users are invited to send comments or suggestions for improvement to the Secretary. Marketing Sub-Committee. Institute of Petroleum. 61 New Cavendish Street. London WIM HAR.

Copies of this Code art' ONl.Y availahle fmm Tlw Institute of Petroleum. 61 NI:.'\\ Ca\endi h Street. London W 1M SA R at a enst of £5.50 (LI.K. and Furopt') £7.5() ()\L'r L·a )

ROAD

TRAFFIC (CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES IN PACKAGES , ETC. ) REGULATIONS 1986: PUBLICITY AND TRAINING MATERIAL

T h e Road Tr a ffi c (C a rri age o f D a ngerous Sub s t a n ces in P a cka ges , etc.) Re gul a ti o n s 19 86 have n o w b ee n m a d e. In case you m a y n o t be fa miliar with thi s titl e , th e se R e gulations w e r e known as the D a n ge rou s Sub s t a nces (Conv eya n ce b y R oa d in P a cka ges , e t c ) R eg ul a tions in th e ir va ri o u s dr a ft s t a ges.

T o help e xpl a in th e k ey p o int s of th es e R eg ul a ti o n s th e H S .E. ha ve pro du ce d a s hort vid e o and s impl e fr ee lit e r a ture

Th e video run s fo r 13 minut es a nd outline s th e m a jo r p a rt s of the R eg ulati o.n s as th ey m a nufa ctu re r s, fl ee t op e rator s, haulI e r s a nd drIvers It h as b ee n d es ig ned to act prim ar il y as a n mtrod uctIOn to tr a inin g in th e Regulation s fo r e nfo rc e rs , mdustry and th e e m e r gency servic es. Th e vid e o , in VHS o r B e t a m ax fo rm a ts , is a vail ab le e ith e r fo r sa le (£20 inc V AT ) o r hi re (£10 inc V AT fo r o n e wee k ) . It will b e s uppli e d with 20 copie s of th e ge ne r a l lea flet. Th e video is onl y ava il a bl e fro m :

C FL Vision

C h a lfont Gro ve G e rr a rd s C ro ss Bu ckingh a m shir e SL9 8TN

Ph o n e Ch a lfo nt St G il es (02 407 ) 4 433.

Co pi es of th e ge ne r a l lea fl e t a r e b e in g m a il e d to m aj o r m a nufa cturer s , fl ee t ope r a t o r s a nd h a uli e rs. Th e r e mind e r ca rd fo r dri ve r s is distribut e d thr o u g h th e t ra d e UI1l o n s. If yo u wo ul d lIk e copi es of e ith er, pl ease co ntact o n e o f t h e e nquir y p o in ts li s te d b e low:Public Enquir y P o int S t Hu g h 's H o u se St a nl ey Pr e cin c t B oo tl e M e r seys id e L 20 3Q Y Phon e 051 951 4382

PE T ROLEUM LI C E NC E FEES TO INCRE ASE

L eg isla ti o n is be fo r e P a rli a m e nt a t th e tim e o f go in g t o pr ess , to r eg ul a te th e va rI OUS fees fo r li ce n ces includin g p e trol e um a n d lic e nc es. Hi s h o p e d th a t fees ea rl y m th e n ew yea r w Ill b e mCl'eased to th e fo ll ow in g :

U p to 25 0 0 litr es £20 p e r a nnum 25 0 0 litr es 50 ,000 li tres £30 p e r a nnum O ve r 50 ,00 0 Iitr es '. £59 p e r a nnum With the lI ce n ce tr a n sfe r tee mcr eas in g t o £5

ALLOY ANGLE CHECK VALVES

In th e mid 1 970' s fo ll ow in g re qu es ts f r o m p ump a nd t a nk in s t a ll a ti o n firm s. a ll o y a ng le c h eck va lves a nd a ll oy caps we r e p rod uced as a c h ea p er a lt e rn a ti ve to t h e acce pt e d va lves wit h g un m e t a l b ody and caps. A lt ho u g h neve r app r ove d fo r use t h ese va lves we r e w id e ly fi t t ed in th e UK.

A ng le c h ec k va lves of a ll oy co n st ru c ti o n a r e s u bj e c t to r ap id dete ri o r at io n in da m p co nditi o n s a n d act as sac ri fic ia l a nod es.

A r ece nt se ri ou s lo ss o f p e tro l in e xcess of 4000 li tr es was id e n t if ie d as c om in g from th e va lve p ic tur e d t h e m ajor r e tai le r in s p ec te d a ll th l,: s it es in h is c h a in and id e n tif ie d te n 'i imi lar in s t a ll a t ion s w it h ove r R() of t h ese s lI s p ec t T hese a re a ll h e in g r e p lace d .

The LPG Industry and the LPGITA(UK)

by Mr. R. Shipman, Technical Manager LPGITA

The LPG industry is really a twentieth century development. It first started in the USA in earnest around 1920 although it had been used prior to that for steel cutting as early as 1911.

In the UK it was first marketed seriously around 1934 when butane became available in gas cylinders for domestic use, and later in 1937 when propane in cylinders became available for steel cutting.

Some interesting dates and events in the early history of the industry are shown in Fig. 1. This is predominently related to the cylinder market.

It was in the fifties that bulk supplies of propane emerged and was used mainly for industrial purposes. The vast majority of butane availability found its way to the town gas manufacturing industry either for feedstock or as a means of calorific value correction.

The discovery of North Sea natural gas put an end to the feedstock market of course, and you will know that this heralded the introduction of bulk butane for industry in the latter part of the 1960's.

The development of the LPG markets was very much linked to the development of road transport, both for bulk supplies and cylinders. In the earliest days before the war, the majority of cylinder movements were made by railway with obvious limitations.

The manufacturers and suppliers of LPG are the petroleum companies with some supplies coming from petrochemical plants of the chemical industry. In the early days the number of distributors was small. A few of the petroleum companies marketed and distributed LPG themselves in cylinders and in bulk. Others supplie.d only to the major distributors. It was recognIsed from the earliest days that like any other' flammable gas, LPG needed to be handled with care, and the equipment for its storage handling and use needed to be designed with a full understanding of the pr.operties of the product. To avoid competition which seek to win advantage by encroaching on safety margIns .th.e suppliers and distributors got together to agree standards. The development of the LPGITA IS shown historically in Fig. 2. A Committee was fo.rmed in 19.47 called the Liquid Fuelgas Industry TechnIcal CommIttee with this aim in mind. The name in 1956 to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas TechnIcal Committee. In 1970 this Committee became an The LPGIT A(UK) is a Company by Guarantee and not having a share capital, anu as such h . t.. • d . '. as lJoth a Memorandum of ASSOCIatIon an ArtIcles of Association

The Memora d' Ass '. t' . n urn sets out the powers ot the , .OClrl Ion In p . . '. I foil' ursuIng Its objective and Includes t le oWlI1g state men ts (Fi r 3 )"

[0 promote fo' th g. Oo K · ,I I e benefIt of the public of the U OIted Inguom the . d . .' .1 Cl Vclncement of the SCientifIc anu t:conOITIlC devel hranches of the opment and efficiency of th.ose K' I commerce and industry of the Umteu JI1!!(,om concerned with or involved in the manu <icture ancl 't' I' tOo d sa e utilization of Ique le p('/rnkurll gas.

LPGITA WORKING GROUPS

• MAJOR HAZARD RISK APPRAISAL

• PRESSURE SYSTEMS REGULATIONS

• FLAMMABLE GASES REGULATIONS

• REVISION OF COP 12 SAFE FILLING AT LPG CYLINDER DEPOTS

• CONVEYANCE/LABELLING OF CYLINDERS AND VESSELS UP TO 33

• REVISION OF COP 7 - CYLINDER STORAGE

• RIVISION OF COP 1 - BULK STORAGE

• REVISION OF COP 10 MOBILE STORAGE

• MOVEMENT OF STATIC VESSELS BY ROAD

• REVISION OF COP 1 - PERIODIC INSPECTION

• TESTING EXCESS FLOW VALVES IN SITU

• SAFETY RELIEF VALVES (B,R. STD)

• LPG QUALITY

• AUTOMOTIVE LPG RIVER TUNNERLS

• TRAINING OF GAS INSTALLERS

• FIRE TESTS ON ALUMINIUM CYLINDERS

Fig. I,

Ancl so the various Codes of Practice were developed There are now some twenty of these coverin 'd ' , f " , N g a WI e varIety 0 actIvItIes. ow a member undert k d h · b' , a es to con ucts IS In conformity with LPGITA Codes of Practice or any other guidelines on s f · d b hA" d a ety Issue y t e ssoclatlon, an to uphold the reputat' f h A Ion o t e ssoclatlOn.

Wh.en the organisation was In its early days the question of enforcement rarely arose, The ma' suppliers and distributors had almost total control the market ancl hacl a vested interest to ensure f was a standard socially It was y apprecIated that the bad publiCIty from I'nad y " equate safety would soon put the bUSiness III jeopardy B 'd . h " eSI es thIS, t ese major companIes all had corporate h Ith f I · I I" ea sa ety anc envlronmenta po ICles which acce t d a I 'b'I' f h' P e mora responsl I lty or t elr activities and which influenced th,eir activities in the LPG market.

The LPG Industry has however grown considerably in terms of the number of companies in the business and the complexity of the distribution network, The of the LPGIT A now approaches 9() companies III total with over half of these drawn from Associates. We still consider our members are responsible operators. however. and we go to some lengths to assure ourselves of this.

1810 1870

HISTORY OF LPG

COMPRESSED TOWNS GAS SOLD IN CYLINDERS IN LONDON

PINTCH GAS DEVELOPED. LATER USED FOR LIGHTING RAILWAY CARS

1910 FIRST CONDENSATION EXPERIMENTS TAKE PLACE IN USE

1911 FIRST REPORTED USE OF BOTTLED GAS FOR CUTTING STEEL

1912 FIRST DOMESTIC INSTALLATION INHOMEOF JOHN GARING WATERFORD Pa.

1920 "PYROFAX" PUT ON MARKET IN USE BY CARBIOE AND CARBON CHEMICALS CORP. USA.

1934 DOMESTIC BUTANE MARKET ESTABLISHED IN THE UK BY CALOR

1936/37 SCOTTISH RURAL GAS COMMENCE BUTANE MARKET IN SCOTLAND

1937 1938 1939 1950 1954

PROPANE MARKET ESTABLISHED IN UK MAINLY FOR STEEL CUTTING SPENSERS (LONDON) LTO ENTER DOMESTIC BUTANE MARKET ICI ENTER LPG MARKET SPENSERS BECOME BOTTOGAS

5MBP TAKE OVER BOTTOGAS

Fig. 2.

Membership, whether as full members or associates, requires an applicant company to procure two sponsors who are already members. Thus there is a considerable of scrutiny of an applicant's technical and busmess standards A transgression by a member would ?e seen .as a on the sponsors and this prospect IS not vIewed lightly.

Members feel that any gross contravention of of PractIce should be subject to disciplinary actIOn by. .Association. This has led to the setting up of a dIscIplinary procedure which would commence with a.n investigation into alleged malpractice. PersuaSIOn to rectify the matter would hopefully be successful .but the final act would be expulsion from membershIp.

Another line of a t" h' b '. CIon w Ich has support from some mem ershlp IS for th' e supplIers i.e. the major OIl compames, or maJ' d' , r f LP or Istnbutors, to agree to refuse supp les 0 G to such com' ..' I . this does seem t b' panles. Now at fIrst slg It After all the a and effective solution. f'rom one ()f the most certamly starts its journey major sUl1Pl" " LPGITA H lers who are members of . owever lust " ',as so often with simple solutIOns. It IS not as simple as that. '

Bulk consider they would have legal lIght to WIthhold suppll'es I'f I . , ' ' on y I t le receIpt faCIlItIes were unsafe and dl'd 11 t f t 0 con orm 0 Codes of PractIce. Downstream activities would be outside their juriscliction.

The supplier might not be the original supplier or manufacturer, he might be a consignor buying from a manufacturer and using contracted transport. The manufacturer may not know where his product is going. Where does the responsibility lie?

An attempt to withhold supplies might be regarded as a restraint on trade if it was for reasons outside the legal responsibility of the supplier.

Of course such action would have the advantage of providing an element of control on companies outside the LPGITA as well as inside it. Indeed, it is the former which is of concern to members.

HISTORY

OF LPGITA (UK)

There is no doubt that suppliers and distributors can effect a good deal of influence on their customers and it is also important that third party consignors and fully aware of their legal responsibilities for the products they consign, both to their customer, and to the transport con tractor, 1947

LIQUID FUELGAS INDUSTRY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

5MBP CALOR GAS ICI NATIONAL OIL REFINING LTD SCOTTICH RURAL GAS SHELL PETROLEUM CO LTO SPENSERS(LONDON)LTD

1956 1970 Fig.

LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS INDUSTRY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

BP TRADING LTO BOTTOGAS LTO CALOR GAS ICI GAS

GRANGEMOUTH REFINING LTO SCOTTISH RURAL

SHELL PETROLEUM CO LTO SPENSERS(LONDON)LTD

LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS INDUSTRY TECHNICAL ASSOCIATION

5MBP. CALOR GAS. BOC. AIR PRODUCTS. ICI. MOBIL OIL. BP TRADING. SHELL INTERNATIONAL. PHILLlPS PETROLEUM. GAS COUNCIL. GUERNSEV GAS. ESSO PETROLEUM. KOSANGAS (NI(. GULF OIL. CONOCO LTD. SHELL UK. WALES GAS.

The sector of the market which gives us greatest concern is that of cylinder filling. We have identified the areas of operation where malpractices may occur as follows:

Receipt facilities i.e. bulk storage

Filling plant Design, InstallatIOn and operation

Illegal filling of cylinders Abuse of cylinder rights Contract filling of cylinders.

Where receipt facilities fail to the of recognised Codes of Practice the supplier Will we believe have the right to withhold suplies and can therefore exercise control. In the other cases influence can only be brought if the operator is a member of the Association when the disciplinary process can be brought in. If he is not a member there is little we can do directly. Yet in some reported cases of the abuse cylinder rights for instance we know that cylinders have had their data plates ground away to identification, and even logos similarly treated leaVIng the integrity of the cylinder in some doubt. Even where there is no attempt to disguise the ownership, a pirated cylinder may be filled unsafely, and if subsequently involved in an incident, the true owner may unjustifiably be aCcused of malpractice.

The Association is attempting to draw up some guidelines for its members on action to take in the event of malpractices being uncovered and it is an area any suggestions from the HSE would be gladly received.

I have purposely mentioned LPG cylinder filling plants in talking about the enforcement of our C:0des of Practice because they are in our view very to Our industry and the number of such plants is expandIng. It is an activity requiring a high degree of control. of plant design, of operation and of supervision. A group is updating Code of Practice No 12 on this subject.

There is a considerable body of opinion. in A which would welcome a system of lIcenSIng for these plants on similar lines to the licensing of petrol stations. Only in this way can we be sure thiS activity is undertaken by competent With plant and procedures which compy With Industry s.tandards. We are however dismayed to learn that the future policy of the Government might be to ?Isband licenSing as a means of control, and that for Instance petrol filling stations will at some time be sub' d Ject to self-regulation only based on HSE Approve C?des of Practice. I leave it others to defend. if they Wish h· . f'll' .' t e current licensing system for petlol I Ing statIons b f I' sing LP would still suggest the prinCiple 0 Icen G CYlinder filling plants needs to be carefully explored.

So far I h· 11 th' ave not mentioned the role of HSE In a Now You do have the legal powers for rovements 'es prosecut' ., prohibition or in extreme cas HSE In an world I ,":,ould like to hope. that I t of Practice and GUidance Notes wel e so C (lSe 0 OUr Lp., . . ulT A Codes that we could feel that you dl t· (lUI enforce . . h ment agency. It is a goal that IS WOI t ,rJ\/nt! tor 10 m . h' k Y View even if at times you may t In lA,' d It' hI' and we at times think you are "'1/\ Ill!:. t()I ;in II11Possihle zerio risk situation.

We consider the record of the LPG industry in the UK is good. Where accidents have occurred, and we accept that they have, they often can be attributed to non-compliance with existing Codes. Repeats will not be prevented by tightening Codes even further, but enforcing current Codes will. You will know that we are concerned about the fringe operators, non-members of LPGITA, perhaps because they cannot find sponsors. Our own members nevertheless complain at what they see as excessive attention from the Inspectorate and the imposition of demands sometimes going beyond the scope of any current Codes, either yours or ours. Yet at the same time, they point to operators who appear to disregard Codes of any sort and yet stay in business. Because of their cavalier attitude they can undercut the responsible operators, and the risk is that they alone will survive.

Equally, the standards we set must truly reflect the acceptable risk level and be reasonably practicable. The quest for risk reduction must be tempered by cost effectiveness.

LPG, because of its very nature, and because the technical requirements we lay down are stringent, is expensive to handle. Its place in the market could quite easily be severely jeopardised by escalating the costs still further. Thus any proposition which can mean higher costs or market restrictions must be fully explored for justification and this is where joint discussions between yourselves and the LPG ITA become absolutely essential. This in our view works well as far as your Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes are concerned. We are nevertheless concerned as I have said, when Inspectors see fit to go beyond the limits of such guidance. It makes for uneven enforcement of which, as you may know, we have complained.

I think I should say, however, that we are not in principle opposed to reasonable improvements which can reduce hazard risks. Over the years we have seen and promoted such changes some quite dramatic We .have seen the almost universal adoption of on transportable LPG cylinders, for Instance. ThiS was a voluntary industry exercise phased ?ver al ong period to make the costs, running Into many £ millions, acceptable. Now I believe certain changes which might be put forward for the future are inhibited by the fear of retrospective application by the Factory Inspectorate. I consider this extremely disappointing as it pushes us towards a reactive position which is contrary to our aims.

Let me say something of the way the LPGITA works. The controlling body is the Executive Committee who are on behalf of members, for the policy and directIOn of the Association. Its members are elected by the Full and Associate members and the Chairman is elected from within the Executive.

The organogram of relationships is illustrated here. Fig. 4.

Working Groups are set up to carry out specific tasks, with objectives. terms of reference and target date for completion. Members are canvassed for participants or for their interest to be kept informed. Most of the Working Groups of which there are currently fourteen active. are set up by the Techm ca Management Committee. Fig. ).

THE LPGITA (UK)

THE OBJECTS FOR WHICH THE ASSOCIATION IS ESTABLISHED ARE:-

TO PROMOTE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC OF THE UNITED KINGDOM THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THOSE BRANCHES OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OFTHE UNITED KINGOM CONCERNED WITH OR INVOLVED IN THE MANUFACTURE AND SAFE UTILISATION OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS.

Apart from this in-house work there is a great deal of participation with other organisations. The following analysis gives some idea of the workload this entails:- Fig.6.

TO PROMOTE STUDY AND RESEARCH INTO THE PRINCIPLES METHODS AND TECHNIQUES CONCERNED WITH THE SAFE DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURE USE APPLICATION STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS AND TO PUBLISH THE RESULTS OF ALL SUCH STUDY AND RESEARCH.

Fig. 4

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Technical Membership Manager Committee

Market Development Committee

TMC Working Groups

Fig. 5.

Admin Assistant Secretary

British Standards Institute of Petroleum CBI

35 committees AEGPL 3 committees 4 committees BCGA Ad Hoc representation National Caravan Council HSE Working Groups 1 HSC ACDS sub-committee 1

You will probably be interested to know the subjects in which we are directly involved with the HSE and HSC above. The ACDS sub-committee is concerned with 'piped gas', a term now embracing LPG supplied to premises from outside the curtilage. The HSE Working Group is advising on the development of an Approved Code of Practice on the training of gas installers.

REPRESENTATION ON OUTSIDE BODIES

BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM

C.B.I. AEGPL BCGA NATIONAL CARAVAN COUNCIL HSE WORKING GROUPS HSC ACDS SUB COMMITTEE Fig. 6.

35 COMMITTEES 3 COMMITTEES 4 COMMITTEES

Now training is an important aspect in the safe handling of LPG and merits a special mention. In .the earlv davs of the market. the manufacturers/supplIers :ere companies quite capable of providing the necessary training and education. With the expansion in the number of organisations involved. particularly the downstream distributors. and the penetration into the domestic heating sector. this is often not the case. We are therefore pursuing a policy of indetifying the needs of different asp.:-cts of the business and then trying to establish independent training facilities to meet these needs. The Petroleum Training Federation has been invaluable in assisting in developing this approach. and organising courses.

An aspect of particular concern, is the adequate training and competency of installers of bulk LPG for domestic purposes. Here we have had considerable assistance from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). They have developed a training syllabus for LPG gas installers which is an endorsement in effect for installers already otherwise competent. So far courses following this syllabus are being run in Glasgow only. We are still discussing how this training night be made more easily available elsewhere in the country. The work of the HSE on the Approved Code of Practice, and the possibility of certification is therefore of very great interest and relevance to us.

In the hands of responsible operators the LPG industry plays an important role in our society. Its place in the energy market of the UK may be relatively small compared with other sources, but yet it is not by any standards insignificant. Annual primary supplies of LPG approach around 1 miIIion tonnes. This represents in round figures a trade of say £240 million. But this is only the tip of the iceberg not a particularly apt metaphor because LPG will be traded around three times before it reaches the consumer. In some sectors of the market, particularly the cylinder trade, it is considerably greater than three times. Even at this conservative estimate, however, because the product value would increase, the trade turnover would approach £1 bilIion. Again this is not the whole story. Th: industry calIs on a wide range of support industries, cylmder suppliers, pressure vessel manufacturers, measurement and control equipment manufacturers, and of course alI of the final consuming appliances. The

trade is therefore measured in £ bilIions, and this all means jobs.

The preservation of the industry is vital. We believe this means accepting and enforcing basic safety standards which avoid competition by unscrupulous operators but which are nevertheless reasonable. New entrants also must not be allowed to circumvent these standards to establish themselves the risk to the rest of the industry is too great.

We would like to see you use your powers to pull these miscreants into line, and up to the minimum requirements recognised by the industry. This we consider wiII do far more to avoid accidents, than to engage in an extravagant scrutiny of our more responsible operators.

As a final cri de ceur I would like to plea for a slow down in the sheer volume, and indeed weight, of proposals for safety legislation and associated documents which pour on to the desks of industry. I do not think the LPG industry is alone here. Reading, analysing and evaluating take an enormous amount of unproductive time and effort, and in many cases involve the of techniques. Gathering the reactIOns from a Wide ranging industry to sub 't I · d' ml a conso Idate view is a slow process. We need time. When put forward proposals or studies based on the techmques of risk analysis for instance, they can only be evaluated by those expert in this field d tl . h . Id' an lose Wit eqLllva ent ata on probabilities on which the whole concept hangs. Thus it is costly both I'n tl'lne , manpower and .resources, and hangs upon industry. I do ho e this cry IS heeded. p

LONDON NEWS

Fire Causes Death of Motor Mechanic

A fire in a garage within a railway arch caused injuries to 2 motor mechanics, one receiving fatal injuries.

Mr Taylor (27), was decanting the contents of a petrol tank into a bucket. Vapour from the bucket was ignited by a nearby electric fire causing Mr Taylor's petrol soaked clothes to catch fire. Mr Taylor's colleagues were unable to extinguish the fire until he had received fatal injuries.

This incident highlights the dangers of working with even small amounts of petroleum in hazardous conditions.

Mechanic Injured in Fire

A fire occurred in a garage workshop while a mechanic was working on the fuel gauge/pump unit of a vehicle. A spark from the equipment ignited petroleum spirit which had been drained from the fuel tank of the vehicle into an open container.

The mechanic received burns to his hands and arms and the vehicle was extensively damaged.

A caution was given for the infringement of the Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles etc.) Regs. 1929.

The Big Bang

The Petroleum Inspector was called to a site where a tank had exploded whilst being cut up using propane torches.

When he arrived the tank was scattered around the site, some parts at least 40ft away. The inspector observed that the exploded tank was lying with its manholes to the ground and had been in that position at the time of the accident; he suggested that any water there had been in the tank could have drained out overnight. The explosion had been caused by a spark from the propane torch igniting fumes whilst cutting was in progress.

Further investigation revealed that a contractor had difficulty in disposing of the tank with "Danger Petrol" on them, and had painted this out before the tank was delivered to the site.

Three men were seriously injured, needing hospital treatment for broken bones.

Licence Refusal

A petrol filling station was refused a petroleum .lIcence on application to the GLC believed to be the by the Council in 20 years. statIOn, in a highly residential area. with public houses with basements on either side and the Beverly Brook to the rear. had tanks believed to be over 50 year old and. therefore. considered as potential leakers.

Also. of petroleum spirit had. in the past. been made the tank wagon standing on the public ThiS. of was unacceptable to the The Cou.ncd was prep.ared to consider phased Improvement WO\ ks but the Licensee maintained that this situation could not be improved.

The Licensee did not appeal against the Council's decision to refuse the licence the tanks were subseyuently filled with sand.

Tiger in the Drains?

The cause of an intermittent smell of petrol over a prolonged period was finally established owing to the determined efforts of the district and senior petroleum inspectors. .

In September last complaints of smells of petrol in houses in Harrow were received. The inspector was contacted and immediately visited. On checking the houses concerned he was only able to detect a smell in a ground floor room of one of them an gave advice on ventilating the room. No further trace of the smell could be found in the drains or under the floor-space of the house. He then visited a nearby petrol filling station which had recently been redeveloped and where .h.e knew there to be a history of leaks of petroleum spmt into the ground prior to the redevelopment. Leaks were found on two pumps and these were taken of use until they could be repaired, sump was proVided to collect residual spirit in the ground. Arrangements were also made for the drainage system to be and flushed through and for the petroleum spmt to be tested. One suction line subsequently faIled and an excavation was found to have ina.dequate. concrete cover. The inspector, therefore. reqUired all hnes to d to ensure that they had been protected m expose .,. t d accordance with the AuthOrIty s. reqUIremen s an a further protected Ime was found. lines were subsequently I?rotected to t?e reqUired standard. Tests on the GRP mterceptor, which had been , 11 d as part of the redevelopment works, were also t and a fault was found in the third chamber. repaired, Meanwhile the cO,mpany d had agreed to install gas analYSIS eqUipment complainant's house to determin whether m t e mam ,. d not the intermittent smell was an or Scientific Services aSSisted m the the, ' of these tests which subsequently proved momtorIng' , , , , All further deliveries of petroleum spmt to station were stopped and the installation was t le, I I g to further tests, However. because subjected d . dients between the house and the fllhng an u ht that there may be another statIOn It extensive search of other premises ?f the . u d fruitless, Investigations contmued at and it was eventually t e I I "'t which had settled m the glOUt1 Ia't the premises. was being carried ,on foIlowmg e t ble into two manhole chambers which top of petroleum interceptor but had been were part 0 e l collecting chambers in the new chambers had become porous arrange me ' . ""t I king into them was by-passmg h Petroleum spnl ea , . d' ' t e, . d entering the surface watel I am the new mterceptO\ an I ' also h' I led to the houses of the t was '. " W ICl 'f' water drain. runnmg from the leal found that a SUI ace _ h . was th the main eomplamants ouse. , and benea '. 'f'ace \vater sewer without a ected to the mam SUI , '" :I I ,t' g trap or an inspection chamber ',1I1l t lat was backing up the ! ) the house via a defect in th.e dr,aIn, Ro,c _ mtl Is) f'()lllld to be missl\1g from tht: dl caps wele a ,l of other houses..

_ I' '\ b' the Unfortunately. sllPT .. II local authority originally lmhcated that tIlL . .\ t'he houses \vere connected to lhttlllnt station am TI fll' II and this delayed solving the pr.obl.en,l. 1 1\11,=station is mm in order and the Authollt \ s Ul1lLll n ( \ II the number of faults found in site have been brought to the (111 C0111P<l11\ S atkntH1n in writing:.

Spotlight on Spotlights

A quartz-halogen lamp positioned in the wrong place was the probable cause of a vent-pipe fire that occurred. The spotlights were 2 from the vent-pipes and sited below the dIscharge pomt.

It appeared that whilst filling the tank an explosIve mixture of air and vapour accumulated and the heat from the lamp caused ignition.

No ignition or damages were sustamed and the situation was brought immediately under control due to the prompt action of the proprietor.

The incident raised the potentlally hazardous locatIOn of these spotlights and the matter was consequently discussed with regard to increasing safety distances on such sites.

Dream Causes Nightmare

A propane heater being used by the driver of a box van parked in a lorry park, was knocked over whilst he was sleeping in his cab. 95% of the van was burnt out, but problems really arose for the fire-fighters, as next to the van was a supposedly empty liquefied petroleum gas tank wagon, belonging to Shell UK Ltd.

The heat from the fire in the van started to affect the LPG road tanker and vapour was seen to eminate from the pressure and vent valve.

The tank wagon was kept cool and the Fire Brigade managed ;:0 move it to safety. 13 nearby houses were, however. evacuated as a precaution.

LEAKS, SUSPECTED LEAKS, SPILLAGES ETC.

There were 75 such investigations during this period.

Defective tanks 8

Defective pipework 10

Defective pumps 14

Spillages on delivery 7

Leaking fuel tanks 3

No leak incident closed 17 Still under investigation 16

Flash in the Plan

After meetings had taken place between the various Inspectors and the petrol co. this site was closed pending re-development.

Work had commenced on a tank; the fill pipe had been removed and the manlid plugged. At the time of the incident the suction pipe was being hacksawed Approximately 8 metres away. a disc-cutter was m use and a flash occurred in the manhole of the tank, to be caused by a spark from the discIgnttmg vapour in the manhole, despite the between the equipment and tank, and the prevallmg weather conditions.

. the contractor received only miner to hIS hands. The manhole was seen to be Th.e previous Owners of the site had removed all flre-flghtmg equipment and the contractors were not carrying fire extinguishers.

The contractors were reminded of the need to observe the HSE sa.fety conditions and generally exercise extreme cautIon When carrying out this sort of work.

Tank cutting causes explosion

A site that had been previously used to store 12,000 gallons of petroleum spirit in twelve 1,000. gallon tanks, being redeveloped to make way for offIces, was the scene of an explosion.

The petroleum spirit storage area had been abandoned in 1983/84 and 2 tanks solid filled, the remaining 10 tanks water filled and associated pipework made safe.

At the time of the explosion the tanks were being excavated by mechanical diggers. The explosion occurred when a tank was placed on top of the ground the water had drained away due to punctures, probably made during excavation.

The Petroleum Inspector noted that: (1) a bonfire was buring only 15 metres away from the excavation (2) 2 operatives were smoking (3) no fire fighting equipment was available (4) 1 tank had already been excavated and cut up, using an oxy-acetylene torch, close to other tanks (5) no notification had been made to the factory Inspectorate, Petroleum Section, or the Fire Brigade, of the excavation

The Petroleum Inspector ordered that work on site be suspended until: (1) a water supply was laid on to limit the risk of ignition (2) the factory Inspectorate had been informed. He also informed the contractors that there should be no smoking on site, at all times. That no more tanks were to be cut up on site, but removed intact; drainage; all openings sealed, the tanks should be marked "Danger Petrol Tank" and transported to a safe site.

I was too busy taking the money

. A motorcyclist was refuelling when a fire broke out. The console operator used the emergency button to cut off fuel supplies and the fire was put out using foam extinguishers

I.t that the motor cyclist was filling the tank whilst hIS engme was still running. The operator was unable to see from his console position and knew of the problem only when he saw flames.

The fire was relatively minor but could have been pot.entially dangerous had it not been for the prompt actIOn by th.e operator shutting down the power supply and the action of a salesman in fighting the fire with the right equipment.,

This .h.ig.h.lights the need for proper supervision and good VISIbIlity from the console position.

Smoke gets in your eyes

In a licensed underground car park with several levels of residential accommodation for the elderly, a car was parked within an unsecurred double parking bay, 2/3rds of the way into the garage.

The car caught fire. the engine was burnt out, the fuel cap off and the car totally destroyed. There was extensive smoke damage within the garage and smoke had entered the vent louvres of a residential flat and filled the kitchen and living room. causing some concern to the tenants.

It was later found that the car was stolen.

Open Forum Seminar October '86

Forum chaired by B. Mincher, South Yorkshire County Fire Service

Questions answered by Mr. A.F. Levett, Warwickshire County Council

Mr. C.J. Ensor, B.P. oil Ltd

Mr. R.R. Watson, Health and Safety Executive

Q. The Questioner, addressing Mr. Levett, pointed out that the new code on Can and Drum Stores produced by the APEA suggests the bund capacity of category 'A' storage cabinets is to contain all the contents of stored containers whereas, traditionally, the bund merely required a capacity for the storage of the contents of the largest container. Was this a change of policy?

A. The reply from Mr. Levett was that his understanding of the bund or well capacity of category 'A' cabinet stores should contain the total capacity of the storage.

Q. questioner went on to say that in his opinion thIS was a backward step. In larger stores a six inch sill is accepted, why then the distinction between the two?

A. Mr. .Levett answered by agreeing with the questIOner that he had a valid point and went on to state that in writing the relevant section of the code, the committee had perhaps not differentiated between a cabinet and a bin which obviously, by design, would contain all the storage capacity.

Q. A questioner addressing his questions to Mr. Ensor, asked him how he saw his company's policy with regards to self service. Did he see development towards "fast lane" principles and also what was his company policy towards convenience stores, did he see this as a market to develop?

A. As far as unattended self service sales are Mr. Ensor felt these were ancillary rather than malO thrust. Perhaps during close down of a site they could be useful. Mr. Ensor felt that an unattended site may be in the form of a satelite site situated a few miles away from a manned main site. Another aspect would be the development of the technology. If the technology was available and matched safety requirements, then he could see sites developing further. A further factor m unattended s't b . . I es not econung malO thrust IS that profits on petrol . " are around 4% gross marg1l1 whereas profits 111 the shop could b t 18°1 d ° e ween 10 an 25 Yo makes a large difference on a low volume site.

Mr. felt there was an application for "fast lane . At the moment there existed a limited "card" base hut that could develop quite rapidly. He felt that there would be no safety difficulties with this system as indeed with note acceptors although the technology With those needed improvement.

Regarding convenience stores Mr. Ensor related that his company had a declared policy. 'C stores would not simply become extensions of filling station, that is by building bigger shops. Premises would be purpose built for 'C stores. It is his company's intention to have two pay points, one predominently serving the fuel and the other predominentIy the goods.

Q. Mr. Ensor was then asked how his company see driver controlled deliveries and also if he saw conflict between the desire to attract people into the shops and the use of ambitron and similar kinds of equipment.

A. In reply Mr. Ensor stated that apparently dramatic savings can be made by using driver controlled deliveries. The logic being that orders can be determined automatically and remotely rather than relying on the retailer suddenly deciding he needs more fuel. Therefore a route and a load can be computed from the depot thus gaining maximum benefit from 'fleet' movement and investments in rolling stock etc. The technology is now available and B.P. are hoping to begin experiments in the near future to prove that fuel can be delivered safely. The requirements for accurate measurement of deliveries is in the interest of both B.P. and the retailer for economic reasons and the interests of the enforcement authorities for safety reasons. The overall effect is to reduce the cost of motoring to the public.

As far as the logic of pre-payment self service is concerned whereby the motorist pays at the island and then leaves the site without entering the shop, then Mr. Ensor agreed that this was a conflict of interests and this is why it has not developed as fast as it might have done. This could also be reason for the demise of note acceptors. He went on to say that in certain limited applications he could sce the justification and his company could cater for them although he did not see the wholesale development of pre-paid self-service.

Q. A questioner asked Mr. Ensor if he felt that the sale of diesel would rearch a peak and then fall tlff and also how B.P. saw the ckvelopment of L.P.(,. as a vehicle fuel.

A. In reply Mr. Fnsnr stated that it helief that the sales of diesel would l'ontinue to for a significant numher of years. This trend \\as reflected in the of hringing thl' diesel "under the C<lI1tlj1'''.

As far as L.P.G. was concerned that product remained cheap while the tax was low. Should the product become more popular then the tax. would inevitably rise and that fact, together wIth the vehicle installation costs, couldm ake the use of L.P. G. unattractive. Also the cost of an at a filling station was very high therefore he dId not see the same trend as for diesel.

Q. Mr. Watson was asked if he agreed that the level of knowledge amongst small transport operators regarding the transporation of explosiv.es was low. Secondly why was there no mformatIOn available to hand out to transport contractors relating to the legal requirements for the transportation.

A. Mr. Watson related that there were problems regarding the carrier who transported general goods throughout the year and then suddenly found himself transporting fireworks during October. Understandably he could not afford to spend a lot of money re-adapting his fleet and training his crews. The H.S.E. has to judge what level of expertise can be reasonably expected from crews and a balance is trying to be struck m the new road regulations. As far as carrying ammunition is concerned it is reasonable to expect the Ministry of Defence to take quite strong precautions to make sure there is competence.

The M.O.D. has for many years placarded its ammunition vehicles. Commercial explosives have not been placarded but this will be in the new regulations.

In the new regulations it is hoped there will be a requirement for the routestaken by transporters. to be discussed well in advance with the local polIce chiefs. The regular routes from which a may be chosen on any particular journey wIll be discussed in advance thus giving local authOrItIes who have policies regarding the passage of explosives through urban areas the chance for discussion. The Department of Transport feel that, at this time, it is inappropriate to lay an.y guidelines for the selection of routes. They thmk It is a matter for local authorities.

Along with the new regulations Mr. Watson hoped that there would be issued more readable guidance notes which would give information to those requiring it.

Q. Mr. Levett, as chairman, and his committee wre congratulated for the production of a code of Model COnstruction Requirements for Can and Drum

The questioner went on to say he was mmdtul that although flimsy roofs on can and drum stores were favourable, what was the opinion of Mr. Levett regarding the roof construction on large internal stores sited within the building?

A. Mr. Levett stated that roof construction had been a very contentious point during the long discussions appertaining to contents of the code. In other words what should be done to allow explosion relief to stores inside a building. The H.S.E. had been asked their opinion and they felt the wall should be of light construction in order to blow a panel out. Unfortunately the members of the committee could not agree on this issue therefore this was omitted from the code and no recommendation was given regarding explosion relief. The code as it stands makes no requirement in this area and will remain a subject of discussion for some time to come.

Q. What is the programme for the consolidation of the explosives legislation and secondly how is hazard risk analysis assessed?

A. Mr. Watson said that in the replacing of the Explosive Act the modes of transport are being dealt with first. The Government has already dealt with sea and air transport, British Rail H.Q. have nearly finished their new By Laws for explosives and they are expected soon. Road transport will be the last because that has had to go through H.S.E. sub committees. It is hoped that these regulations will be produced by next summer, the H.S.E. being the sole enforcing authorities, using the police and local authorities as "eyes and ears". This has been agreed with the central association.

In reply to the questioners second point Mr. Watson stated that hazard risk analysis was to some extent based on "structured inspired guesswork". Mr. Watson went on to say that the problem with explosives is that when collating data, one has to ask how often in history has a certain component failed? The answer is, it never has. This then makes the whole thinkg weak and subjective. The fact that there have been no incidents in so many man hours of operation is better than having no data at all. You can give a threshold value, although there is not a lot of confidence in that value and does not carry much conviction with senior administrators and politicians. A great deal of explosives work is on a very broad band of lack of confidence. At the end of the day if all that is achieved is a ranking of probabilities of various events it makes managements realise the situation.

Q. Mr. Levett was asked firstly if he had any comments regarding the absence of the requirement for gauze to be fitted over vents in can and drum stores as detailed in the new A.P.E.A. code and secondly is there any intention to bring out any further codes?

A. Mr. Levett replied by stating that any future code would probably be for electrical certificates requirements for petroleum installations. As for first part of the question Mr. Levett went on to say as far as the gauze is concerned the APEA no consider the provision to be of any benefit and That therefore have omitted any reference to It. does not preclude the situations where gauze ft ' d' ete mto he necessary to prevent the entry () ')if S ., the store.

19 PLASHET GROVE, LONDON. E6 1AD Telephone: 01-4726627/8

MODEL 109

The superb, new HYTEK 109 pump represents the last word in commercial fuel dispensing, It has been specifically designed to meet the rigorous day to day needs of a wide range of transport operators including:- Hauliers, Farmers , Parcel carriers, Taxi & vehicle rental operators, local authorities and public utilities,

The pump switches on automatically when the nozzle is removed and switches off when it is replaced. This greatly eases operation and

eliminates possible abuse or damage of the

separate onloff handle found on some commercial pumps

It is available in 50 or 70 litres per minute, which means that the right pump for the job can be selected whether you are fuelling small cars or the largest lorries,

A unique front loading nozzle makes the HYTEK 109 simple to use and particularly suitable for locating in confined spaces , It can be supplied with either a manual or automatic shut off nozzle and also features a locking bar which may be padlocked to prevent removal of the nozzle,

The front of the cabinet is fitted with a hose hanger whe re the hose can be hung when not in use, therby preventing unnecessary scuffing and "run over" damage ,

The all steel cabinet is thoroughl y etched and primed prior to a finishing coat of baked , petrol resistant enamel The final high quality, high gloss treatment presents a clean, smart and professional commerc ial pump, well up t o if s t asks ,

Explosives Legislation

By R R Watson C Phys., MlnstP,DCT

Reg Watson is one of HM Inspectors of Explosives. He works in the London HQ of the HSE and is head of a small section responsible for policy on explosives safety and the updating of the Explosives Act 1975 etc. The views are not necessarily those of the HSE.

The APEA understandably deals mainly with petroleum matters but some of the members have responsibilities for enforcement of explosives legislation. The objective of this presentation is to redress the balance and give an overall perspective on what the HSE is doing about updating the Explosives Act.

The strategy is to replace all the old legislation, comprising 122 sections in the Act and a further 80 statutory instruments dating from 1875 to 1977, by a series of separate but co-ordinated regulations made under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Each set of regulations will deal with one aspect of control such as one mode of transport (see diagram below). The system of classification recommdeded by the Un!ted. Nations is being implemented where approprIate In order to facilitate international trade. The 1983 regulations provided a framework for the subsequent regulations.

The consultative procedure of the Health and Safety Commission helps ensure that regulations are not made unless the need and likely benefits are real. Accidental explosions are comparatively rare and the memory of the public and media is often short. However when explosions do occur they can be devastating.

(The speaker showed photographs he took after the detonation of 19 tonnes blasting explosives when a lorry

caught fire near Limoges, France in May 1986. A picture of Roseburg, Oregon, USA when a similar explosion happened in a city centre in August 1959 indicated the importance of avoiding densely populated areas as far as possible and the need for adequate training of crews in emergency procedures. The worst disasters have happened in ports and a diagram showed that fatalities were comparable with those in the recent chemical catastrophe in Bhopal.)

Once the case for making or maintaining regulations to control explosives is accepted, the next problem is to achieve a sensible balance between the restrictions which tend to reduce the probability of an accident and/or the gravity of the consequences of any that do occur and, on the other hand, the indrance to commerce and the liberty of the individual. Society cannot have the benefits of explosives without some risk. Here there has to be a political input to the decision making process. Extensive consultation and more open government make it easier to determine such matters but there remain some difficult issues.

It is unlikely that the regulations which directly concern APEA members (registration of premises and licensing of stores for explosives) will be updated for at least two years. There will be informal and formal consultation by HSE and the HSC respectively, so members wi1l be able to influence the outcome.

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The pump incorporates a positive displacement, rotary gear type, pumping unit with inbuilt bypass valve and air separator, together with a remote air separation chamber incorporating "drain line elimination". In its standard fonn it is capable of delivering fuel at 45 litres per minute, there being a high flow version also with a delivery rate of 70 litres per minute. The meter unit incorporated is of the positive displacement type, with all materials of either stainless steel or aluminium for internal corrosion resistance, and positive stop type micro adjustment of measure is possible with increments as small as 0.08 per cent.

The automatic nozzle, INCORPORATED AS STANDARD, is the world renowned ZVA type. The pump is manufactured using a structural rolled steel angle frame with heavy section side plates and base for rigidity, the whole chassis being cross braced and finished in a petrol resistant paint. The flexible suction connector, also INCORPORATED AS STANDARD, is set high in the base for ease of installation. The cladding is in light-weight architectural plastic coated and passivated rustproofed steel sheeting in either red or green. The pump is also available with integral, top mounted, TIMEPLAN system 300 fuel monitoring, providing a total security and management package. The system will accept up to 100 keys, the basic system being supplied with 25, and provides vehicle reports and tank stock management reports via the integral 20 character liquid crystal display. Alternatively a printer can be incorporated to provide more detailed management reports in printed hard copy fonn. An MPG computing facility is also available for use with driver entered odometer readings, thus providing a total fleet and servicing management tool.

Each unit is supplied completely wired internally and only needs connection to a single phase electrical supply, intstallation costs are therefore kept to a minimum.

Illustrated

The

Illustrated

Once floated on the oil / water surface the bucket filter allows oil into the cOI-' lection chamber by gravity feed Water cannot pass through the filter and therefore only water free, reusable or resalable oil is collected. Thus saving on expensive tanker cleaning , and eliminating the possibility of oil overspill into neighbouring watercourses.

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With forecourt safety in mind , the Lafon Filling Limiters ensure no overfills, no pollution or environmental damage.

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Tanker driver couples up to offset fill or direct. After lim iter closes , driver shuts valve , waits one minute and can drain line

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