The Bulletin Magazine - September 2004 by apeauk

The Bulletin Journal of the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration

September 2004

Editorial

Contents Regulars

Tony Jenner

Chairman’s Report

Editor

Editor’s Report

Cameron Forecourt Ltd

Business Manager’s Report

Platts Common Ind Estate

Letters to the Editor

Barnsley

New APEA Members

South Yorkshire S74 9SE

News

Press Releases E&S Pump & Forecourt Services acquisition of Tank-Tek 2000

SIRA appoints new manager

Terry Smith joins Cameron Forecourt Ltd

tel:

01226 742441

fax:

01226 747441

mob:

07715 375140

e-mail:

tonyjenner@cameronforecourt.com

PEI board of directors support marketer’s efforts regarding underground tank legislation

OPW introduces ‘UK Specification’ LPG Refuelling nozzle

Dresser Inc announces purchase of Nuovo Pignone

Deaths

Jamie Thompson Publishing Chairman 70 Wangford Road Reydon Southwold

Articles

Suffolk

APEA Conference, Exhibition and Dinner 2004

Wet Stock Management - The importance of maintenance

eXess® - State of the art safety for petrol stations

Be Afraid!! Be very afraid, microbial influenced corrosion is about

The APEA’s updated web presence

email:

People are one of the greatest sources of static electricity

jamiethompson@ukonline.co.uk

Suffolk trading standards linking with local companies to ensure safety

Branches

IP18 6NX

Tel/fax:

01502 722999

Mobile:

07770 625851

Jane Mardell Business Manager

Training

(including Bulletin Advertising and

2004 course dates

Production)

Training in Waterford, Ireland

PO Box 106

DSEAR - The new UK legislation for petrol filling stations

Saffron Walden

APEA Training Course - County Cork, Ireland

Essex CB11 3XT

Northampton to Nicosia! - Spotlight on APEA training

Course sponsors

Membership application form

Tel/fax:

01799 502929

Mobile:

07815 055514

email:

admin@apea.org.uk

Front Cover - Delegates from the recent training courses in Cyprus

Published by the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration A company Limited by Guarantee registered in England No. 2261600 Opinions expressed in this Journal are not necessarily the views of the Association.

Chairman’s Report At the time of preparing this report we are in the middle of a heat wave and the month of June is living up to it's name as Flaming June. I am also packing my bags to fly out to Nicosia, Cyprus for yet another APEA Training Course being held outside of the UK. This time 4 courses are being held over a 5 day period for the Hellenic Petroleum Company who in early 2003 bought 70 sites from BP Cyprus. My report on this adventure appears elsewhere in this issue together with our training exploits in Ireland. Turning now to matters at home, we are starting to see the implementation of the Dangerous Substances & Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) and here Shell UK seem to be leading the way with the introduction of their site specific DSEAR Risk Assessments. It is already causing confusion amongst Operators and Regulators alike but in my opinion, we will see petroleum licensing disappear

Editor’s Report It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I begin work as Honorary Editor for the APEA, and I would like to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to do so. Since joining the Association many years ago I have always enjoyed reading the Bulletin, the blend of technical information, industry news and topical opinions have always appeared to be the very thing that sets the Bulletin apart from other trade publications. Whilst other magazines represent a single opinion or adopt a commercial stance, the Bulletin has always maintained a middle of the road approach and has successfully combined and reported the opinions of regulators, manufacturers, contractors and other sectors of our industry. The reason that the Bulletin is held in such high esteem within the industry is because we have, and stick to this winning formula! So, if "it isn't broke - don't fix it"! Believe me I do not intend to mess about with a recipe, the ingredients of which have given us a publication of which we can be extremely proud and that is the envy of others. However,

in the coming years and risk control will be entrusted to Operators. It seems bizarre but we are fast approaching our Annual Conference and Exhibition for which you will see details in this issue and I am looking forward to seeing many of you there at this well-supported event. Please forgive me if I cannot put a name to the face but in recent years, particularly since I became involved with Council I have met hundreds of people, especially through our training activity. Talking of the Bulletin, Jane has done a tremendous job and we now have every issue packed with interesting articles, but do not relent, keep your articles and comments coming - we try not turn anything appropriate and newsworthy away! Our new Web Site has been met with approval and although we are still building the various sections, the appearance is so different and much more professional. Here we thank Fairbanks Environmental for undertaking the huge task of re-building what we hope will become the most

those of you who know me will understand that I can't help myself from just making a few minor adjustments! Let's be generous and call it "fine tuning". It would be nice to see more participation from our members. When we look back over past issues it's the same people who seem to regularly submit material for publication (and our sincere thanks to them - keep it coming, please)! If any member thinks that they may have some news, then please share it with us. Don't worry if you feel unable to submit it in a form ready for publication, submit a draft which we will be pleased to edit and return to you for approval before publication. Go on, give it a go, it will give you quite a buzz to see your name in print alongside an article in a highly respected journal! Manufacturers and service providers are also encouraged to submit topical news items. Thinly veiled advertisements will promptly find their way into the bin, but genuine newsy articles giving details of new techniques, products and services are all welcomed. One of the prime functions of the Association is to provide it's members with up to date news on technological advancement, so please, if it's genuine news share it with us.

practical tool for our Industry. The art of a good manager is not necessarily to know all there is to know - but where to find the answers. Let us hope the APEA have provided our members with those answers. I look forward to seeing you all at Birmingham for our Conference and Dinner on 7th October, meanwhile if you need to contact myself or any other council member please be assured we will be delighted to hear from you. Brian Baker (Chairman)

When sending supporting photographs, it is helpful if these are submitted in the highest resolution possible, this allows us to enlarge them properly, therefore, illustrating and identifying your product to maximum effect. In conclusion, the Bulletin belongs to us all. Every member of the APEA has an equal stake in it, it is unique, valuable and represents everything that the Association stands for. Please give your willing support to help us to make it an even more progressive and respected publication. Tony Jenner (Honorary Editor)

Business Manager’s Report Again the last few months have been a busy period. By the time you receive this issue hopefully I will have taken some holiday and be refreshed. Annual Conference/Exhibition and Dinner 2004 Included with this issue is an invitation letter to invite you to attend the APEA annual Conference, Exhibition and Dinner being held at the Hilton Metropole at the NEC on Thursday 7th October 2004. If you wish to book an exhibition stand and/or dinner table/place please complete the booking form attached to the invitation letter and send it to me at the APEA office. We have had a lot of interest in the event and there are only around 100 dinner places left out of 400 so please send in your forms promptly if you wish to make a booking to avoid disappointment. Further information can also be found on our website at www.apea.org.uk

Website You should have all now received your log on details for the new website, I hope you will agree it is much improved. An article about the website is included in this issue of the Bulletin on page 35.

Yearbook The Yearbook has now been printed and should be with you during the first week of October.

Publications The APEA currently have the two guides that can be purchased from the office, these are: The guidance for the design, construction and maintenance of petrol filling stations APEA members £30.00 plus p+p Non APEA members £90.00 plus p+p Code of Practice for Ground floor, multi storey and underground car parks APEA Members £10.00 plus p+p Non APEA Members £20.00 plus p+p 6

If you wish to purchase a copy please contact me at the APEA office.

New APEA Logo The APEA now has a new logo as shown on the front of this issue of the Bulletin, if you are a ‘Corporate’ member you are entitled to use the logo on your business stationary etc. If you have not already received the logo by email from me please contact me by phone or at admin@apea.org.uk Bulletin Thank you to all of you that have contributed to this issue of The Bulletin. Please send me any news items, press releases or articles for the December 2004 issue and I will pass them onto our Editor for approval.

Bulletin Advertising All advertising enquiries should be directed to me. If you would like to book advertising for 2004/2005 please call me on 01799 502929. I will be sending out advertising invitation letters, for 2005, during November to all existing advertisers. We offer 25% discount on advertising in all four issues, however, we can also offer discounts on advertising should you book in more than one issue during the year. You can find our advertising rates detailed on our website at www.apea.org.uk/bulletin, just click on the link to the advertising rates.

Training As usual the Training team and myself have been busy organising and teaching at our different courses. Thanks go out to all our trainers who often travel long distances to provide their valuable services. Brian Baker, Jamie Thompson and Bob Conlin have recently completed a weeks course of training in Cyprus for Hellenic Petroleum Co Ltd in Nicosia. Find out what they got up to on page 55. We have also run bespoke courses in County Cork and Waterford and details about these courses can also be found in the Training section of this issue. If you are interested in hosting a bespoke course for your company please do not hesitate to contact me. We can offer discounted rates for these courses.

You can download a booking form from our website training page, just click on the course you are interested in and the course details and form are displayed or please contact me by email or by phone and I can email you a copy or you can simply book online from the website. Course dates are listed on page 43 and further dates will be added as we progress through the year. You can now view the up to date list on the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk/training

Membership To date there are 941 APEA members with approximately 35 members joining during April, May and June. You can find details of new members on page 10. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone but it will be membership renewal time soon and I will be sending out renewal letters with the December issue of the Bulletin. To make life easier you can now renew your membership via the website. Should you also have any other changes to your contact details please log onto the website www.apea.org.uk and you will be able to amend your contact details. If you are unable to remember your logon id and password please call me and I will be able to give you the details.

General Assistance Finally if any of you need any assistance with industry matters, please do not hesitate to contact me on 01799 502929 and I will endeavor to help. I look forward to hearing from you.

Jane

Letters to the Editor

Tesco Stores Ltd -v- Brent LBC [1993 2 All ER 718]

Dear Sir Re: Manufacture and storage of explosives (MSER) regulations delayed I am writing to advise you that a number of unexpected legal issues have been raised that need to be resolved before the proposed regulations can be finalised. We are unlikely to be able to resolve these issues before the end of June. This in turn has meant that it is increasingly unlikely that we would be able to bring the new regulations into force in sufficient time for the fireworks season. Introducing the new legislation in the immediate run-up to the fireworks season would be disruptive both for local authorities and for retailers and their suppliers. We have therefore decided to put back the planned coming into force date to the 1 January 2005. I am conscious that this delay will be disappointing. HSE has been working to move these regulations forward as quickly as possible, however we were also conscious that the continuing uncertainty over the coming into force date for the new regulations has been making it very difficult for retailers and fireworks suppliers to plan for the coming fireworks season. We therefore felt that it would be better to formally announce the postponement of the coming into force date in order to end that uncertainty.

Hereford and Worcester County Council -v- T&S Stores PLC [93 LGR 98] London Borough of Ealing -vWoolworth's PLC [1995 Crim LR 58] R -v- Looseley and Attorney General's Reference (No 3 of 2000) [2001 UKHL 53] make it very clear that the use of covert test purchases is a legitimate and legal way to test whether the law is being complied with. Second, Mr Wheeler suggests the activity is unsafe. Unlike some of the public who Mr Wheeler acknowledges are '…unsure what is an acceptable container…', enforcement officers are very aware of both the law and safe practice. Which is perhaps why no petroleum sprit was dispensed by Suffolk's officers once it was obvious the pump had been switched on by the attendant. As the exercise appears to have been used not to drag businesses to court but to raise awareness and educate both the public and licensees, I struggle to understand why Mr Wheeler believes it has deepened suspicion and portrayed enforcement officers as only out to prosecute. Novel and creative ways to publicise vital safety messages, if carried out safely and responsibly as this exercise was, should be applauded.

Your faithfully

Yours faithfully

Andy Miller HSE

Phil Thomas Trading Standards Manager Hampshire County Council

Dear Sir Dear Sir I wonder if Rex Wheeler has perhaps allowed his 'absolute amazement' to cloud his objectivity (Letters June 2004). Two points need to be made clear. First, the action of an enforcement officer carrying out a test purchase while masquerading as a member of the public is NOT entrapment. The cases of:

I was both surprised and disappointed by the lack of understanding and unconfirmed assertions about the work of this department in uncovering widespread failure to comply with legal requirements concerning inappropriate containers made by Rex Wheeler in the

June edition of The Bulletin. Firstly, he suggests the way in which the checks were carried out was unsafe. The checks were carefully planned and carried out to high standards of safety and professionalism by our officers all of whom have been independently assessed as competent to undertake their duties on petrol forecourts. The containers used complied in all respects other than marking with relevant legal requirements. These were intentionally hidden within large plastic bags precisely to check the diligence of forecourt staff in complying with legal requirements on inappropriate containers. The suggestion that we should have targeted our actions on those about to fill illegal containers seems to ignore the point that it is the responsibility of the licensee to comply with licence conditions on this issue! Secondly, Mr Wheeler suggests our approach was 'entrapment'. I would be happy to provide him with details of the powers given to local authorities in respect of the storage of petroleum together with a list of cases which make it clear that the exercise of those powers by officers purporting to act as members of the public is not 'entrapment'. I am however, surprised bearing in mind Mr Wheelers profession that he appears to be unaware of these. Finally, the photograph Mr Wheeler refers to was 'staged' subsequent to our checks at a closed site undergoing redevelopment, hence the contractor's equipment appearing in it. In the circumstances it is appropriate to respond to Mr Wheeler through the pages of your magazine, however, I suggest that he and others who may have concerns or queries with local authorities about why or how they do what they do, initially raise the issue with them direct rather than apparently seeking to undermine their reputation and work through inappropriate use of the press. Yours faithfully

Roger Hopkins Assistant County Trading Standards Officer, Suffolk County Council 9

New APEA Members Detailed below are new members that have recently joined the APEA during April, May and June 2004. April Dave Mathias Environment Agency Rio House Waterside Drive, Aztec West Almondsbury Bristol BS32 4UD Joe Maerz 84 Keene Way Galleywood Chelmsford Essex CM2 8NR Melanie Jenkins Virosafe Ltd 4e Sherwood Road Aston Fields Industrial Estate Bromsgrove Worcester B60 3DR Rikki Cooper Highpoint Garage Ltd 1016 Yardley Wood Road Birmingham B14 4BW Tony McCarthy Waterford County Fire & Rescue Service Fire Station HQ Kilrush, Dungarven Co Waterford May Chris Harvey Triumph Motorcycles Normandy Way Hinckley Leicester Leicestershire LE10 3BZ Darren Wood Gilbarco Veeder Root Crompton Close Basildon Essex SS14 3BA Derran Williams Liquid Cargo Management Ltd Unit 1 Langlands Business Park Uffculme Devon EX15 3DA James Mundy FISP Consultancy Ltd 13 Castle Street Buckingham Bucks MK18 1BP Jeffrey Rutherford 94 Bury Street Ruislip Middlesex HA4 7TG Jim Lye 24 Romilly Park Road Barry Vale of Glam CF62 6RQ Kathryn Bal

George Gregoras P.O. Box 22441 Nicosia Cyprus 1521

For Vale Engineering Ltd Parkfield Works Brunswick Street Nelson Lancashire BB9 0SG Les Ryan Ryan Electrical Services & Sons Ltd 11c Gothenburg Way Stockholm Road Sutton Fields Ind Estate Kingston Upon Hull East Yorkshire HU7 0YD Paul Gavin 9 Gerretts Close Bishopston Swansea South Wales SA3 3HF

Jonathan Davies 29 Southleigh Drive Rhosddu Wrexham LL11 2HZ Mark Spooner 41 The Close Brandon Suffolk IP27 0RT

Ross Shute BP Global Alliance Witan Gate House 500-600 Witan Gate Milton Keynes MK9 1ES

Stuart Morgan 17 Ashwood Avenue Oakdale Blackburn Lancashire BB2 4JD William Kinnear 18 Kirkhill Avenue Cambuslang Glasgow G72 8EW June Andrew Murch Liquid Cargo Management Ltd Unit 1 Langlands Business Park Uffculme Devon EX15 3DA Celina Barrett Fire Services and Emergency Planning Section, Customs House Dublin 1 Derek Brannan 11 Armstrong Crescent Uddingston Glasgow G71 6TF

Gary Vick Bryn Ogwen Conway Old Road Penmaenmawr Conwy LL34 6YE

Helen Dawtrey 44 Merivale Road Harrow Middlsex HA1 4BH Ian Pogson Bridge Street Mills Slaithwaite Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD7 5JN

Peter Walker Nottingham City Council Trading Standards Lawrence House Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5NT

Steve Evans CNC (Supplies) Ltd Acer Court Cross Hands Business Park Cross Hands Carmarthenshire SA14 6RE

Glen Davies 16 Louvain Way Garston Herts WD25 7ER

Martin Trainor Cavan County Council Cavan Fire Brigade Drumnavanagh Co Cavan Michael Ambrose Car Wash UK Ltd Unit 9 Hikers Way Long Crendon Business Park Long Crendon HP18 9RW Michael Doyle Cavan County Council Cavan fire Brigade Drumnavanagh Co Cavan Paul Mason Environmental Construction Solutions Ltd 21 Keilder Road South Wellfield Whitley Bay NE25 9QW Paul Rava Clovemead Stephenson House Howley Lane Warrington WA1 2DN Pete Smart Techelec (Brighton) Ltd A5 Enterprise Estate Crowhurst Road BRIGHTON East Sussex BN1 8AF Simon Lintott 1 The Finches Sittingbourne Kent ME104PY

News

UK, London, June 30 2004, Drug-user admits stealing tanker A man who admitted stealing a petrol tanker while high on drugs has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Michael Lawrence, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, stole the tanker from a Wellingborough supermarket in Northants in November, spilling fuel as he went. Other motorists used their cars to force the tanker to a stop on the A509, Northampton Crown Court heard. Judge Thomas Corrie sectioned Lawrence, 27, with a restriction that he can be recalled to hospital at any time. The court heard the tanker shed 10,000 litres of fuel across the road. As Lawrence drove away from the Sainsbury's supermarket, delivery pipes were ripped out, spilling thousands of litres onto the station forecourt and causing £180,000 of damage. Jonathan Kirk, prosecuting, said: "Lawrence was noticed to be behaving oddly by saying things like 'They're going to get me' and he asked the driver if he could get in the truck." Tanker driver Kevin Dalton was kicked in the chest when he tried to persuade Lawrence to leave the vehicle. The court heard Lawrence was expected to be discharged from the intensive psychiatric unit at St Mary's Hospital within the next six months. Judge Corrie said: "I hope you now understand that you put other people and property at very serious risk. It is only thanks to the courage of members of the public, including an off-duty policeman, you were stopped on your dangerous journey." Lawrence admitted criminal damage, endangering life, driving while disqualified, while unfit through drugs and without insurance, aggravated vehicle taking and assaulting the tanker driver. He was disqualified from driving for five years and will have to take an extended driving test. Katya Saudek, defending, asked the judge to follow the recommendation of two psychiatrists to treat Lawrence in a mental hospital rather than send him to prison.

UK, Huddersfield, April 29 2004, Petrol blaze in kitchen A man was lucky to escape serious injury when petrol ignited in his kitchen and set it on fire this morning. The middle aged man parks his scooter in the hallway of his home at Ravensknowle Road, Moldgreen. At 5.45am, he realised the petrol tank had expanded and he tried to dispose of some of the fuel in the kitchen. But the oven ring was on and heat from it ignited the vapours, setting the kitchen on fire. Leading firefighter Warren Ellison, of Huddersfield fire station, said: "The kitchen was badly damaged and the house was filled with smoke, but the man was very lucky not to be burned. Petrol is exceptionally dangerous as the liquid is surrounded by vapours which can easily be ignited." The incident came on the day fire chiefs urged people never to use petrol while tackling jobs in the garden. In the last two weeks fire crews have attended several incidents in West Yorkshire caused by people using petrol to burn garden rubbish.

UK, Water in Tank Speeds Biodiesel Fuel Degradation Fuel handling guidelines developed in 2001 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory warn that water in storage tanks poses an extraordinary threat to biodiesel, a fuel derived from soybean oil. As pressure increases for the use of cleaner-burning fuels in metropolitan areas, the renewable energy laboratory report underscores the need for tanksystem maintenance to keep water out of stored product and preserve fuel integrity. "Biodiesel degrades about four times faster than petroleum diesel," say the guidelines, which were authored by K. Shaine Tyson. "Within 28 days, pure biodiesel degrades 85 percent to 88 percent in water." Biodiesel, an oxygenated fuel, burns

cleaner than petroleum diesel by reducing emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, according to The Heartland Institute. However, the most popular form of biodiesel is a 20-percent blend of biodiesel combined with 80-percent standard diesel. For vehicles using biodiesel, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires at least a 20-percent blend. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory guidelines also say: "Biodiesel can be stored in standard diesel storage tanks." Because copper, brass, zinc, lead and tin parts can oxidize diesel and biodiesel fuels, any system components containing those metals should be replaced with aluminum or steel, according to the guidelines. The complete document is available at http://www.afdc.doe.gov/pdfs/5845.pdf

UK, London, July 5 2004, apprentice ‘died after tank blast’ Ben Pinkham died six days after suffering burns. An apprentice died after suffering severe burns when a storage tank he was cleaning exploded, a court has heard. Ben Pinkham, 21, was using solvents on the resin tank at Princess Yachts, Plymouth, in February last year. His boss, Alan Mark, 45, of Burleigh Manor, Plymouth, Devon, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. Mr Mark's company, Plymouth-based Nationwide Heating Systems Ltd, also denied the same charge at Exeter Crown Court. Explosive atmosphere Mr Pinkham, of Saltash, Cornwall, died in hospital six days after the explosion. He had not been warned about the dangers of using acetone solvents in a confined space, the court heard. It was also alleged he had been given a lamp not designed for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere. Paul Dunkells QC, prosecuting, read out Nationwide's "commendable" health and safety policy statement, signed by Mr Mark, the small firm's managing director, in July 2000. But he added: 13

News "As you will hear in the circumstances of this case, both Nationwide and Mr Mark fell well short of the words set out in the policy statement." The case continues.

UK, Environment Agency News Control of Pollution (oil storage, England, Regulations 2001 Every year more than 5000 oil incidents are reported to the Environment Agency. In 2002 there were 5217 pollution incidents affecting the environment where oil was involved, that's 14 every day!. Most incidents were caused by oil leaking from tanks either during storage or delivery. The Oil Storage Regulations will help us to stop these incidents by requiring tank owners to provide a secondary containment facility, such as a bund or drip tray to prevent oil escaping into the water environment. Anyone storing oil in containers greater than 200 litres, above ground at an industrial,commercial or institutional site, or more than 3500 litres at a domestic site will be affected by these regulations. They cover factories, shops, offices, hotels, schools, churches, village halls, public sector buildings and hospitals. At the present time these regulations apply only in England, but Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are likely to bring in regulations setting similar standards in due course. Which types of oil are covered? All types of oil, with the exception of waste mineral oil, are covered by these regulations including petrol, diesel, vegetable, synthetic and mineral oil. Waste mineral oil is covered by the Waste Management Licensing Regulations. It is important to note that in the case of flammable liquids, such as petrol, additional health and safety requirements may also apply. What are the standards? • Tanks, drums or other containers must be strong enough to hold the oil without leaking or bursting. 14

• If possible, the oil container must be positioned away from any vehicle traffic to avoid damage from collision. • A bund or drip tray must be provided to catch any oil leaking from the container or its ancillary pipework and equipment. • The bund must be sufficient to contain 110% of the maximum contents of the oil container. • Where more than one container is stored, the bund should be capable of storing 110% of the largest tank or 25% of the total storage capacity, whichever is the greater. • The bund base and walls must be impermeable to water and oil and checked regularly for leaks. • Any valve, filter, sight gauge, vent pipe or other ancillary equipment must be kept within the bund when not in use. • No drainage valve may be fitted to the bund for the purpose of draining out rainwater. • Above-ground pipework should be properly supported. • Underground pipework should be protected from physical damage secondarily contained and have adequate leakage detection. If mechanical joints must be used, they should be readily accessible for inspection. • A number of other detailed requirements are included in the regulations, such as the positioning of sight gauges, fill points, vent pipes and other ancillary equipment. When do the regulations come into effect? • New oil stores should have to complied since 1st March 2002. • Existing oil stores "at significant risk" should have complied since 1st September 2003. • All remaining existing oil stores must comply from 1st September 2005.

• In general, an oil store will be considered to be at "significant risk" if it is located within 10 metres of a watercourse or 50 metres of a well or borehole. Introduction The terms "double skinned", "integrally bunded", "twin walled" and "bunded" plastic and steel tanks are often used in relation to oil storage. This note attempts to clear up any possible confusion with the use of the above terms, in particular regarding the requirements for The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001. Double Skinned Tanks A Double Skinned Tank is just that - a primary tank with another "skin" placed around it with a very small gap (interstitial space) between the two; none of the pipework or ancillary equipment is contained. The risk of oil being lost from ancillary equipment and pipework is high; the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage)(England) Regulations 2001recognise this fact and require that tanks have all ancillary equipment such as sight tubes, taps and valves retained within a secondary containment system. Double skinned tanks are not compliant with the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage)(England) Regulations 2001 unless additional secondary containment is provided for the tank and ancillary equipment, such as an in-situ constructed bund (see Environment Agency/CIRIA Guidance notes on Masonry and Concrete bund construction). Double Skinned Tanks are required for underground storage of oil/petrol etc because the interstitial space between the tank skins can be monitored for leaks. Underground installations should also have twin walled, non-corrosive pipework specified. See PPG27 for more information. Proprietary Tank Systems Proprietary Tank Systems come in a huge range of designs and are produced by many different manufacturers who may make certain claims about the environmental performance of their products. Proprietary Tank System or just Tank System is the preferred generic term for tanks often referred to as integrally

News bunded or twin walled, to prevent the confusion described above. Some tanks systems may have adequate secondary containment to comply with the Oil Storage Regulation requirements. Are drums and mobile containers covered? Yes. The regulations apply to drums greater than 200 litres and to mobile bowsers. Many self -bunded bowsers are now available. Bowsers that are not bunded will need to be kept in a bunded area of 110% capacity when in use. For single drums, a drip tray with a capacity of 25% is acceptable. How are the regulations enforced? The Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing these regulations throughout England. Should your oil storage facilities be inadequate, the Agency will provide advice and guidance to assist you with compliance. However, if you fail to act, the Agency may serve a notice requiring that the facilities be brought up to standard. Failure to comply with a notice is a criminal offence and may result in prosecution. The regulations do not apply: • at premises used wholly or mainly as a single private dwelling storing less than 3500 litres. (but Building Regulations do apply for new and replacement domestic tanks); • at premises used for refining oil or its onward distribution; • any oil stored in a building or wholly underground; • to agricultural use of oil on farms - the storage of agricultural fuel oil is subject to the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations, 1991; • to waste mineral oil. Do you need further advice? The Environment Agency publishes Pollution Prevention Guidance notes on oil storage, PPG2 and PPG26, that provide practical advice, which, if followed, will ensure compliance with the regulations.

UK, User guide on role of staffing in safety The Energy Institute in London has published a user guide to accompany a British Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on the role of assessing the safety of staffing arrangements for process operations in the chemical and allied industries. The HSE guide in question is a contract research report entitled CRR348/2001: Assessing the Safety of Staffing Arrangements for Process Operations in the Chemical and Allied Industries and the Energy Institute found that whilst the methodology employed in CRR248 was widely used, there was a need for guidance setting out a best practice approach to the methodology, that captures learnings from its use. In addition, a need was identified for additional guidance on how best to apply it to automated plant and equipment and it is these aspects which the Energy Institute's new user guide focuses on. The Energy Institute says that it anticipates that the user guide will assist those with responsibility for human factor issues. According to the Institute, much improved safety performance over the last 20 years has been achieved by enhanced engineering design and equipment, and latterly through safety management systems. However, the Institute says there is less scope for further improvement in those areas such that safety performance is reaching a plateau. Therefore, human factors is attracting increasing interest as it offers the possibility for delivering the next step change in improved safety performance.

carried out on petrol filling stations located on groundwater source protection zones. It became evident from the inspections that many of the sites did not have adequate leak detection systems in place and some sites were doing no wetstock reconciliation at all. The guide is an introduction to wetstock reconciliation for site operators. It describes the theory of wetstock reconciliation and shows some worked examples of the mathematics. It explains many of the causes of variance affecting wetstock reconciliation and how to generate a normal operating pattern for the site. It also covers what to do in the event of a deviation from the normal operating pattern. Wetstock Reconciliation at Fuel Storage Facilities: An Operators Guide can be ordered from the Environment Agency, by contacting: Jo Bradley e-mail: jo.bradley@environmentagency.gov.uk or writing to: Jo Bradley, Environment Agency, Lutra House, PO Box 519, South Preston, Lancashire, PR5 6XE.

Ireland, Five tankers of illegal fuel seized in Belfast Five tankers and more than 13,000 litres of illegal fuel have been seized by customs officers in Belfast, it emerged today. Police were also involved in the raid centred on an oil distribution company in the city. Officials are now examining the firm’s books in a bid to assess the scale of the fraud involved. With road fuel duty evasion in Northern Ireland contributing to a £340

UK, Guide on fuel leakage

million tax loss in 2002, other rogue

The Environment Agency has published a guide to detecting leakage at fuel storage facilities, known technically as "wetstock reconciliation". The guide has been written by a project team from the North West after inspections of petrol filling stations were

detection, said: "It is no longer the case

operators were warned there would be no let up. Colin McAllister, Customs head of that using illegal fuel is worth the risk. All companies who have commercial vehicles detected will face audit and could be liable to heavier fines in respect of previous misuse." Two fuel tankers were detected running on an 17

News illegal

kerosene/derv

mix

during

roadside checks yesterday. Another three vehicles were seized in a followup operation at premises in the Greater Belfast area. Tests on an overground storage tank at the site led to 13,300 litres of contaminated fuel being taken. Although Customs estimate the seizure to be worth £8,000 in revenue, sources stressed the full amount could be huge. Other companies targeted have resulted in assessments of up to £250,000. One source vowed: "We will go back months and years into their full purchase

receipts.

We’ve

had

significant audits in previous companies and we’ll just have to wait and see what turns up."

Ireland, Dublin, June 27 2004, Dublin fuel fire under control The fire at Dublin fuel port has been brought under control. Eight units of the fire brigade battled to control the flames that could be seen all over Dublin Bay. Fire officers say the situation is still the same at Irish Shell tar in Dublin Port. Emergency services including eight units of the fire brigade are still at the scene. The cause of the fire, which broke out at around 3 o'clock this afternoon, is still unknown but it is believed it may have come from an oil jetty.

Fire

officials

say

extensive

damage has been caused to the fuel depot but there are no reports of any injuries.

Ireland, Belfast, April 9 2004, Petrol station fire was arson Limavady rocked as 20 are left jobless A huge fire which destroyed a Limavady petrol station, injured a firefighter and left 20 people without a job, was started deliberately, police said today. Detectives today returned to the scene of the blaze at the Roe Valley 18

petrol station to hunt for clues in a bid to identify those who started the fire. The owner of the business said the bill for the arsonists' handiwork was likely to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. The massive fire, which raged for five hours yesterday, gutted the petrol station and the adjoining Costcutters store. A PSNI spokesman today appealed for anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the early hours of yesterday morning in Catherine Street to come forward. He said: "Following a forensic investigation of the scene, police are now treating the incident as arson. "The fire is believed to have been started outside the main building." A total of 20 people lost their jobs as a result of the fire which took hold shortly after 2.30am yesterday. It took firefighters five hours to bring the blaze under control after gas canisters at the station exploded throughout the night. The owner of the petrol station and adjacent Costcutters, Shaun Clarke, said he was stunned to learn that the fire had been started deliberately. "It is a shock to think somebody would do that," said Mr Clarke. "We are all devastated by this and I still want to get the business back up and running but it has been a difficult time for me and my staff." Mr Clarke said the entire business would now have to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. He said he hopes to have a portable cabin up and running at the site within weeks. Meanwhile, a Derry-based fire officer who broke two toes after his foot got trapped in a ladder while tackling the blaze, was today recovering at home. East Londonderry DUP Assemblyman, George Robinson, said everyone in Limavady had been stunned by the scale of the fire, and the amount of damage it has caused. "It has been absolutely catastrophic," said Mr Robinson. "In a relatively small town like ours, such a fire is a devastating

blow to the local economy. "Everybody is very, very sorry for the distress this will cause to the workers affected. "I just hope the business and the centre can get back up and running before too long."

Ireland, Overfill of Underground Tank Causes Problems for Irish Filling Station Owner The spillage of Unleaded petrol happened during the bulk delivery of a sealed parcel of 5000 litres. During the product drop an'overflow' occurred. The delivery was abandoned. The owner tried to restore ullage by using the dispenser to transfer product from one unleaded tank to another. After the incident the owner produced a signed delivery schedule form. One theory is that the owner in fact did not dip his tank

and calculated his ullage from the dispenser's electromechanical counter. In this particular instance the heavily silted slotted drainage held most of the product that otherwise would have made it to the storm water drain as the

News lower portion was below the fall into the interceptor. The contaminated silt was removed in quite a number of 45 gallon drums by a specialist waste contractor and exported abroad for further processing as hazardous waste. Relative to the throughput, this was a very expensive cleanup bill than was borne by the owner. (He would have been also charged for the services of the Fire Brigade, typically actually cost of the man-hours of the retained crew plus 50% overhead).

Scotland May 17 2004, Camper van thief siphons off raw sewage instead of diesel

New European Standard for Petrol Pumps Published

Denmark, No petrol without a fingerprint

The new European Standard for petrol dispensers has been published it is BS EN 13617-1 and is called Part1 Safety requirements for construction and performance of metering pumps, dispensers and remote pumping units. This will mean that BS 7117 part 1 will eventually be withdrawn and pumps will be manufactured to this new standard. BS 7117 Parts 2 (installation) and Part 3 (maintenance) remain in use but BSI will be seeking a review of these standards. The standard can be obtained from BSI +44 (0) 208996 9001 standards are also available from the BSI web site http//www.bsi-global.com

A bungling thief tried to siphon diesel from a camper van but got a mouthful of raw sewage. The would-be raider missed the fuel tank in the dark and put a tube into the van's septic tank by mistake. And after sucking up the foulsmelling waste, he threw up on the spot and fled. Pensioner John O'Hare found a puddle of vomit and an abandoned petrol container when he stepped out of the van in the morning. And last night he smiled: 'I hope the thief has learned from his experience and given up his evil ways.' John, 73, and wife May, 69 of Arden, Glasgow had spent a week touring Scotland before stopping off for the final night of their holiday in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire. John said: 'We made sure everything was safe and secure and settled down for the night. The following morning we were disgusted to find that under the cover of darkness a thief had attempted to siphon off diesel from the fuel tank. 'But fortunately for us, he was left with a nasty taste in his mouth.' John found a plastic siphon tube and an empty fuel container next to their camper. The contents of the septic tank had been drained and lay on the ground next to a pool of the thief's vomit. John said: 'We hope this thief will give up robbing visitors and tourists seeking a peaceful and pleasant holiday after what happened to him.'

US GRP Tank Manufacturers join up

Norway, German helicoptors tank up in Norway Admittedly it's not every day a helicopter lands in front of your petrol station. But six? That's what Erling Boland of Hatlestrand south of the Norwegian west coast city of Bergen experienced, the newspaper Bergens Tidende reported. First one helicopter landed, then another, finally there were six in all, Boland

said,

newspaper's

according online

the

edition.

The

unexpected "invasion" turned out to be a group of German tourists on a tour of the west coast. When one of the six helicopters ran short of fuel, the pilot decided to land and refuel. How do you fill up a helicopter at an ordinary petrol station? "It was really neat. They folded the rotor blades so that they did not take up so much space. Then they put wheels on the helicopter's landing gear and pushed the helicopter to the pumps," Boland said, adding that he sold them 250 litres of regular petrol. After

refuelling,

the

helicopters

continued on their planned route. The emergency pit stop naturally attracted a lot of curious onlookers.

Danish petrol stations have become so tired of the amount of people who drive off without paying for their petrol that they are investigating the legality behind introducing fingerprint screening. According to the Director of Denmark's Petrol Vendors Association, Helge Busk, it is only a question of when and not if, petrol stations will introduce fingerprint checks at their pumps. The idea is that before a customer is able to fill up their tank, they must first place their thumb on a scanner, which can check if they have previously driven off with out paying. If this is the case, they will not be able to use the pump until the old bill is paid.

Xerxes, LLC was formed June 1, 2004. The new business entity, which will be headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will include certain assets of Xerxes Corporation and Containment Solutions, Inc. Xerxes, LLC will begin operations on August 2, 2004, and will supply fiberglass underground and aboveground storage tanks, Hoover steel aboveground storage tanks, and provide an extensive field service operation to its customers. The Xerxes, LLC underground storage tank product line will utilize the Xerxes Corporation's technology. Manufacturing will continue at the four facilities currently operated by Xerxes Corporation: Hagerstown, Maryland; Anaheim, California; Tipton, Iowa; and Seguin, Texas. Containment Solutions will continue as a subsidiary of Denali and will fulfill its warranty obligations. The CSI field service organization will be part of Xerxes, LLC. Containment Solutions will close its plants in Bakersfield, California, and Mt. Union, Pennsylvania, but will continue to manufacture manholes and wet wells for the municipal sewer market in Conroe, Texas. 21

News

US, STI publishes new booklet on water monitoring and removal The Steel Tank Institute has released a new document that summarizes key issues on the proper maintenance of storage systems, especially as it concerns the monitoring and removal of water from fuel storage and handling systems. The booklet describes how water gets into a storage system, preventive operations and maintenance practices tank owners can use, and the economic impact of water in the storage and handling system. The 12-page document, Keeping Water Out of Your Storage System, is available at www.steeltank.com

we look forward to fulfilling their testing requirements in the future." E&S Pump & Forecourt Services Unit 14, Viscount Court Industrial Estate, Brize Norton, Oxon OX18 3QQ Tel: 01993 772451 Fax: 01993 852152 Email: info@eandspumps.co.uk Web: www.eandspumps.co.uk

SIRA appoints new certification manager Sira's Safety Compliance business has appointed Wayne Thomas as its new Certification Manager to run the Product and Production Quality Assurance operation of the company, relevant to equipment intended for use in Hazardous Areas.

Press Releases E&S Pump & Forecourt Services acquisition of TankTek 2000 As a leading tank, line and VR testing company, E&S Pump & Forecourt Services are pleased to announce the acquisition of the customer base of Tank-Tek 2000. Maurice Higham and Graham Newman concluded that a company with equally high professional standards, technical competence and commitment to service would best serve their customers. Nobby Clarke of E&S said "we are delighted to continue to provide our core testing services to all Tank-Tek's former customers. As a family based company we take pride in providing old fashioned values of reliability, integrity and commitment to excellence with a strong customer first -can do ethos." "E&S are the UK licensee of the world renowned MassTech testing system used by leading petroleum companies and others in over 60 countries globally. Tank-Tek customers can be assured of a warm welcome to our company and 22

international certification bodies has given me a good understanding of the processes involved, and the importance of complying with directives. Sira is a forward-looking organisation pushing into new areas; therefore it presents exciting prospects. Not only is Sira a friendly place to work, but also working amongst highly qualified and experienced professional engineers, providing a good service and forging ahead with new ideas, makes it an exciting environment in which to develop my career." Wayne, who lives near Chester, has a University of Wales Bachelor of Engineering degree with honours. In addition, he is a Chartered Electrical Engineer (C.Eng), a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (I.E.E) and a registered auditor. Sira is an independent Notified Body accredited by UKAS for its test and certification activities, heavily committed to providing manufacturers with an informed and flexible route to area classification and certification. For more information on the area classification and certification services offered by Sira, please contact Sira's Safety Compliance business on 01244 670900 or email exhazard@siratc.co.uk

Terry Smith joins Cameron Forecourt Ltd As the new Certification Manager, Wayne will work directly with manufacturers implementing mandatory assessments of facilities, systems and products to ensure compliance with relevant directives. Wayne will be managing and carrying out these activities with Sira's team of experienced engineers and auditors. Wayne brings to Sira almost 20 years of engineering and management experience including design and development responsibilities within and outside the UK for Sharp Electronics. In this role he dealt with certification bodies and had to consider the implications of directives when designing and developing products and systems. Commenting on his appointment, Wayne says: "My experiences in design, manufacture and working with

Terry Smith has joined Cameron Forecourt on a term contract as Special Projects Leader after 22 years service

News as Technical Director with Roncol Ltd. Terry brings new and valuable skills with him and has been charged with developing and expanding some key areas of the business. He has always been highly respected within the industry for his commitment to customer care and quality and it is this commitment which fits so well with the Cameron Forecourt philosophy of customer care. Terry is extremely enthusiastic about his new role, in his own words he said " I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into this. I like the idea of working with a progressive team who will give me their full support in developing services and products aimed at meeting our customer's specific requirements" The directors and staff of Cameron Forecourt are equally enthusiastic about Terry's appointment. Director, Barry Jenner, who has developed an excellent working relationship with Terry over many years said " I have always had the utmost respect for Terry and the way in which he conducts his business, I'm confident that he will prove to be a valuable addition to our team and add strength in the areas we wish to improve and develop".

PEI board of directors support marketer’s efforts regarding underground tank legislation TULSA, OKLA, APR. 22, 2004 - The PEI Board of Directors today announced their support of the efforts of the various petroleum marketer trade associations in their work with Congress to enact comprehensive underground storage tank reform legislation. Until such comprehensive federal legislation is enacted, the PEI Board of Directors encourages its members to notify their customers in writing of the importance of inspecting and maintaining their underground storage tank systems to prevent equipment malfunctions that could possibly result in a release of petroleum product into the environment. PEI notes that the best underground

storage tank systems will not function as intended unless they are properly designed, installed, correctly programmed, well maintained and responded to when an alarm is triggered or something goes wrong. PEI is the international trade association for distributors, manufacturers and installers of equipment used in petroleum marketing and liquid-handling operations. Users of the equipment include service station and convenience store owners, terminals, bulk plants and airport refueling operations. PEI is comprised of more than 1,661 companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of equipment used in petroleum marketing operations. Members are located in 50 states and 81 countries. The Institute's headquarters are located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

OPW Introduces 'UK Specification' LPG Refuelling Nozzle OPW have re-launched its LPG refuelling Nozzle to the UK market. Subsidiary Brevetti Netuno, one of the largest manufacturers of LPG

fuelling equipment in the world, has based the new nozzle on the original one-handed operating NM5 nozzle. After customer testing of the original nozzle the nozzle was redesigned to address two safety concerns customers had expressed. Firstly instead of having a trigger release mounted on the front of the nozzle a 'push button' release has now been incorporated in the rear of the nozzle. This ensures that the operator's hand is not in the vicinity of the gas discharge during disconnection thereby reducing any potential for cold burn. Second improvement was to extend the reach of the nozzle to allow more room

to operate the trigger and also provide easier connection to recessed receptacles. Retained from the original design is the rubber gas deflector, which also prevents gas discharge onto the operator during disconnection. The nozzle incorporates a built in swivel to reduce hose drag making using the nozzle a definite one-handed operation. One other benefit of the changes in the design has been that the new nozzle fits most existing nozzle boots. Complementing the introduction of the new NM5 are LPG breakaway couplings, hose kits and service valves. To find out more about the NM5 nozzle contact Paul Reyner on: Tel: 01858 433 365. email: preyner@opwfms.com

Dresser Inc announces purchase of Nuovo Pignone Dresser, Inc. has completed the purchase of the distribution businesses of Nuovo Pignone, S.p.A., a subsidiary of General Electric. The businesses included in the purchase are the retail fueling systems business, comprised of gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas dispenser products and services, and a business that manufactures and markets natural gas meters. The businesses purchased will become part of Dresser Wayne, a business unit of Dresser, Inc. The purchase price was approximately $170 million.

Deaths Laura McKinney, manager of the Vapour Recovery Certification Section of the California Air Resources Board, died in her sleep at home on May 24 of lung cancer. She began her career at CARB in 1981 as a student assistant. She worked for many years as a senior air pollution specialist and was well respected for her contributions to the industry and expertise in California's vapour recovery program. She had a reputation of being a fair, honest, trustworthy and dependable person. 25

Articles

APEA Conference/Exhibition and Dinner 2004 By Tony Jenner Plans are now finalised for the 2004 APEA Annual Dinner, Conference and Exhibition at the conveniently located Metropole Hotel, Birmingham. The date for this exciting event is October 7th 2004 so please make sure that you mark this important day clearly in your APEA Yearbook! For this event it has been decided to make the exhibition more modest than in previous years! Those of you who can remember the old days when we used to meet in Dunstable will be familiar with the format, small exhibition stands arranged around the perimeter of the conference hall where attendees can meet suppliers during quiet periods, prior to and between the conference sessions. Your events committee selected this format because we felt that the industry has grown somewhat tired of large and expensive exhibitions. Analysing the attendance figures from previous exhibitions it seemed obvious that there was little justification for staging a multiday event, so by combining the Annual Dinner, Conference and Exhibition we are confident that we can provide a single focused day for everybody's enjoyment. Exhibition stand space is limited to

approximately 6 square metres per exhibitor, invitations have been sent out to those companies who have previously supported the APEA, there is a booking form enclosed with this issue of the Bulletin. As the number of exhibitors we can accommodate is strictly limited I recommend reserving space as soon as possible. Obviously, because of the modest stand sizes and single day format, the cost of stand space is very much reduced from what we have previously had to charge, therefore, making this year's exhibition commercially very attractive. Whilst the conference is in session exhibitors will be required to "shut down" their stands, giving them the opportunity to attend and enjoy the lively conference for which the theme has now been set: "As it Was - As it Is - How it Will Be" Each speaker will give an enlightening insight into their individual sector of the industry, beginning about 25 years ago through to the modern day and then giving their opinions as to how they see things developing in years to come. As we all know, the APEA Annual Dinner has become an industry landmark where friends, colleagues, suppliers and their customers can get

together for a thoroughly enjoyable evening! Last year almost 400 diners enjoyed the entertainment, and judging by the comments we received it was an evening regarded as successful by all. We anticipate that this year's dinner will be equally well subscribed and as spaces are strictly limited I recommend you make your booking immediately. Once again, invitations and details have been sent out to those who have previously supported the association. We have provisionally reserved 400 hotel rooms at the Metrolpole at preferential rates, a single room is £90.00 and a twin room £120.00 plus VAT. Obviously, to enjoy this discount it will be necessary to confirm your booking directly with the hotel at least 6 weeks prior to the event. When booking, please confirm that you are with the APEA and the discount should be automatically applied. The direct contact telephone number for the Metropole is: 0121 780 4242. The entire APEA Council look forward to seeing you in Birmingham on 7th October for what promises to be an informative day followed by a fun evening.

Wet Stock Management - The importance of Maintenance By Luck Beeson, Aquasentry A new device aimed at determining the depth of oil and the build up of silt within an oil separator (interceptor), is now available for use in the petrol retail industry The Separator Inspector is a simple, yet effective device that has the potential to offer savings by preventing the unnecessary scheduled emptying of separators. The potential environmental control benefits of the product are clear to see. According to the manufacturers, the device enables operators to gauge the effectiveness of their separators by taking a sample showing both the build up of hydrocarbon and the level of other 26

contaminates within the separator. Although the separator is a new product, AquaSentry (the manufacturers) are not new to this field. For the past 10 years, they have been manufacturing and fitting automatic alarm systems in oil separators. The company has always worked closely with the Environmental Authorities, and know that as well as saving costs, compliance with environmental legislation and codes of practice must come top of the list. Separators, commonly in use on Petrol Retail Forecourts are also used in many other environments such as transport depots, factories, motorway networks and at large car parks. Many operators responsible for the maintenance of these separators sign contracts for periodic emptying of the separator whether it needs it or not. The

Separator Inspector is easy to use and, according to AquaSentry, shows clearly the depth of oils and the build up of silt which will determine whether or not there is a need to have the separator emptied. With the PPG3 guidelines from the Environment Agency currently being updated to include a regular inspection and maintenance regime for oil separators, AquaSentry, feel that their product may prove vital to site operators, as by using the Separator Inspector correctly they should be able to provide hard evidence of compliance with the new regulations.

For further information please contact Luke Beeson on 01274 307266, or for a catalogue call 01625 585 685.

Articles

State of the Art Safety for Petrol Stations By Armin G. Leibundgut, Sales & Marketing Director, eXess Produktions AG company

environmental interests that often bear

Therefore one of the main fields of

specialised in providing breakthrough

eXess

Swiss

the collateral fallout when security fails.

application eXess has specialised in are

solutions to prevent explosions in tank

Application depending, eXess® comes

Petrol Stations.

and reservoir held combustibles.

in the shape of either network rolls or Petrol Stations

network cylinders. The Company

Petrol fumes are heavier than air.

eXess was established in June 2001

Whereas with classical explosion

with the aim to produce and market a

prevention measurements only the

manhole

new outstanding product in the field of

symptoms

are

installations, they can gather within the

human and environmental protection.

addressed

ventilation

shafts situated below level. It is to be

Its

systems etc.), with eXess® the causes

noted,

Produktions AG - offices and production

encountered

overpressure within the various storage

and shipping - is headquartered in

effectively and sustainable. The secret

tanks, explosive petrol fumes can

Heimberg near Thun, a medium sized

to this effect is to be found in the

escape into the chambers by way of

town some 30 km south of Bern,

characteristics

leaks or by way of the dipstick entry.

Switzerland.

structure typical for eXess®.

operating

division,

eXess

explosion

(sprinklers,

explosions

are

the

honeycomb

Coming from the outside by way of chambers

furthermore,

and

that

other

due

Another exposure is given when filling or overfilling storage tanks. Therefore

eXess’ initial focus is primarily petrochemical

applications.

This structure allows eXess® to lower

the presence of explosive gas-/air

Its

the upper explosion limit in a tank or

mixture

technology is critical to protecting petrol

container through heat dissipation so

completely.

stations, chemical plants, refineries,

much that an explosion is prevented.

and offshore platforms. The company

And all this with a loss of volume of only

also recognizes opportunities present

1.5%!

can

never

ruled

out

As a protection measure manhole chambers

and

shafts

are

and is working to expand into other key

protected against explosive gas-/air

markets and industries to deploy

mixtures with a special filling material.

solutions to safeguard combustibles for

Only solid, non-combustible and easy to

the automotive, aviation, rail and de-

remove materials are to be used as

fence sectors.

filling material. The aluminium network cylinders from eXess have proven to be

The Product

an excellent filling and protection

eXess® is an innovative state-of-the-

material. eXess® is already used at

art explosion prevention system in the

many

shape of a fine structured network

Europe.

petrol

stations

throughout

made from aluminium. eXess® offers unsurpassed and reliable safety not only for the products and facilities it

Fig 2. eXess® network cylinders

protects, but also for the human and Main Application As

already

mentioned

the

use of eXess® is p r i m a r i l y focused

onto

preventing explosions

Fig 1. eXess® network rolls

Fig 3. Possible example of a man hole chamber

tank

and

In order to effectively encounter the

reservoir

held

potential danger coming from man hole

combustibles.

chambers eXess has been doing 27

Articles research for years into a product system

explosions.

sustainable There

are

prevent various

application methods to choose from which, however, do vary in respect to the degree of safety they offer. As the application of eXess® mainly depends upon the on site situation and the specific customer needs, only one method be presented here as an example. Inertisation To achieve a 100% proof protection from explosions, eXess recommends an "Inertisation" of manhole chambers. To succeed in doing so, the manhole chambers are completely filled with eXess®, sparing space around all

Fig 5. Manhole chambered inerted with eXess® cylinders

installations atop that require free and unlimited access/view at any time

protected with eXess®. The application

(dipstick cap screw fitting, product label

method for these areas usually does not

etc.). Unlike with ignition barriers, an

change greatly, turning the refitting

application also available from eXess ,

process for a petrol station into a

explosions caused by an internal or an

surprisingly cost effective matter.

external ignition source are absolutely impossible with this system. Depending upon the design of the chamber and the layout of the installations mounted therein eXess® can be applied in various configurations to meet the customer's specific needs.

movements of liquid cargo • eXess® prevents electrostatic charges • eXess® protects from

Additional Benefits

electromagnetic disturbances

But eXess® not only does an

(EMD)

impressive job when it comes to preventing explosions at petrol stations.

• eXess® is reusable and recyclable

eXess® comes with a package of additional benefits of which some do apply to petrol stations too but also make it suitable for many other fields of application, where ever combustible liquids

are

processed,

handled,

transported and stored such as over ground storage tanks, vehicle fuel tanks, spare canisters to name but a few.

eXess®; it's Up To You! The potential dangers arising from the discovery of natural wealth are considerable.

handle

these

resources in a responsible manner is one of the greatest challenges of our times. The risk of accidents is ever present when combustible or gaseous material is being used or transported. Keeping these risks to an absolute

• eXess® reduces smoke development dramatically in case of fire

minimum is the fundamental concept behind the development of eXess®. The times demand ecological and economical

• eXess® facilitates fire extinguishing

Fig 4. Example of a man hole chamber inerted with eXess®

solutions

and

new

technologies. Discover the powerful potential of eXess® on these pages

• eXess® increases the crash Although the main focus at petrol

resistance of tanks and containers

stations are the manhole chambers there are additional hazardous areas such as manifolds, shafts, impounding

fumes 28

and

should

therefore

at info@exess.ch. You'll be amazed, what eXess® does and what it can do

• eXess® reduces evaporation of hydrocarbons

basins beneath the petrol pumps etc. which are exposed to explosive petrol

www.exess.ch or simply contact eXess

for you. eXess Produktions AG Bernstrasse 229A

• eXess® reduces sloshing

CH-3627 Heimberg / Switzerland

Articles

Be Afraid!! Be Very Afraid, Microbial Influenced Corrosion is about!!! By Raymond King, King Tanktechnic We would like to report on a phenomenon which is now coming to the fore in our industry. There are many owners of above and underground storage tanks walking about feeling confident that they have no corrosion related problems because they have recently installed NEW tanks! This equally applies whether the tanks are used for storage of petrol or diesel, and in the case of diesel whether or not the tank has been installed above or below ground! Our experience is that their confidence may be misplaced! The following report concerns our opinion of a double skinned tank installed as recently as 1997, which failed as a result of corrosion! At Kingtanktechnic Ltd, we have over many years carried out remedial works to leaking underground storage tanks (L.U.S.T.), some only five years old, these tanks have been manufactured by various companies and the remedial work has been carried out for a variety of oil companies, therefore leading us to the conclusion that the problem is not specific to any single supply chain. L.U.S.T. IN LONDON, KENT The tank in question was reported leaking as a result of the tank gauging system giving a water alarm. The fuel stock was uplifted LRP (Lead Replacement Petrol) and transferred to another location, the tank was cleaned, gas freed and inspected. As you will see from the accompanying photographs the tank bottom was perforated. I will not labour

the fact that the tank was found to be of double compartment configuration and the adjoining compartment remained operational. This came about because the interstitial space monitoring system, which also controlled the interstitial space on the L.U.S.T. failed to raise the alarm! Sufficient to say that the inhibitor header tank had become dislodged from its mountings and was lying at the bottom of the tank manchamber, its contents being constantly replenished by the accumulated surface water contained within the manway chamber, therefore effectively overriding the alarm, hence allowing water ingress into a double skin tank! The oil company employed an independent inspection and their conclusion was that the tank had been

attacked by Microbial Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Briefly MIC is a result of the formation of Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB.) These microbes are formed by the combination of a number of factors: Contamination of the delivered fuel Nutrients derived from the fuel additives and contaminating water. Water is the key requirement for microbial growth. The subject is lengthy and shall be addressed in a future paper with expert input. Microbial Influenced Corrosion MIC has recently come to the fore but its presence has been known for a long time. It always was considered a problem within diesel and kerosene tanks but it is now known to be non selective and can affect nearly all storage tanks that hold product and can be adversely affected by the presence of water. Initial growth occurs at the fuel/water interface. As the microbes feed off this interface the result of which is the production of weak organic acids which, once formed, will produce the corrosion pattern shown on the photos. It is our opinion that there are a number of myths and fables circulating the industry about MIC or SRB. a. Tank lining will not solve the problem. b. Once within the tank SRB cannot be cured. 33

Articles c. Experience has shown the majority of corrosion found in single wall tanks has been external. All the above are wrong Our Answers a. Tank lining will not solve the problem. This is correct in relationship to the formation of SRB microbes. These will be formed in any tank whether lined or unlined, whether single skin or double skin given that the conditions are correct for the growth to develop. However, tank lining will protect the tank fabric from any further corrosion and in our opinion is the most effective route to remediate the tank be it leaking or severely corroded. The fuel storage systems for aviation fuel are all lined. This is to protect the tank. Fuel requires dewatering by filtration prior to loading. The tank lining used by KTL-ADISA is epoxy resin based and has been used throughout Europe for the last 20 years. Its quality is paramount to its success and, in this period, we have not had to revisit any tank because SRB has damaged the lining, and it certainly stops MIC gobbling up your tank. The epoxy system has chemical resistance to the weak organic acids or the hydrochloric acids which are formed in the SRB waste by-product. b. Once the problem manifests itself, a good indication of this is cloudy fuel pump filters blocking, customer complaints etc.

The tanks referred to, and pictured in this paper have all been successfully remediated and put back into service by KTL. The solution was to remove the SRB from the tank and its pipework infrastructure. During this operation it was essential to decontaminate the tank by thorough cleaning and removal of all sludges, water and interfaced fuel. Biocidal treatment of the tanks was carried out after recommissioning the tank with clean fuel. Keeping the water out of tanks (we all know the ingress routes) is of paramount importance Regular water testing and if necessary removal should be carried out as SRB and MIC will only occur if there is water in the tank and

the conditions are right for supporting and encouraging their production. It has been said that tanks with a high throughput of fuel will not be as likely to be affected. In our experience this is not strictly true as we have visited tanks at Motorway Services Areas with massive throughputs of fuel that have suffered leaks. It is our opinion that this is because the bottom sludges which hold the SRB are not disturbed by turbulence during fuel deliveries but are moved to the tank ends. Unwelded striker plates have also proved to be a major source of MIC for the same reason. On completion of the tank cleaning process a report was prepared indicating the tank status and detailing a programme of planned remediation. c. Our experience has shown that 90% of L.U.S.T. occurs from the inside of the tank. The tankage industry has improved its coating and installation techniques over the years, which has virtually eliminated external leaks or corrosion. The photos show the L.U.S.T. in London Kent and our latest job with massive MIC in Ross-on-Wye. You can see the problem. BE AWARE!!

Ground water spurting into the tank following microbial perforation

This information is provided Raymond Norman King Director of King Tanktechnic Ltd Tel: 0161-371-5333

Articles

The APEA’s Updated Web Presence By Steve Jones, Fairbanks Environmental Ltd

Background One of the driving forces behind the update to the APEA web site was the

• Find that a relevant article or

at-a-view, defaulting to the current

document is not already stored in the

month and with the option of displaying

Resource Centre

other months, both past and future.

change of emphasis of the Association to include the environmental aspects of

Within each day's box, the event's

Contact Information

the industry within its remit. The new

At the time of the original web site's

title appears as a link which, when

APEA logo was designed to reflect this

development the means of updating

clicked, directs the user to further

change of emphasis and it was agreed

information was fairly cumbersome and

details.

at National Council that this new image

required

should be used as the basis of a fresh

technical expertise. This meant that the

Events can be submitted by members

and highly functional web site that

Business Manager was required to

using the 'Content' tab within the 'My

would help to confirm the Association as

keep a number of contact management

APEA' area. These events are then

the definitive point of reference for all

databases 'off-line'. With advances in

approved for publication by the APEA

parties

web accessibility it was decided that

Business Manager or an authorised

wherever possible the web site should

National Council Officer.

involved

with

petroleum

installations.

significant

amount

host these databases to allow for Your Association's Web Site Needs

updates to be applied by any authorised

It is possible to submit NEWS items

YOU!

users. Once a member has logged on

and TECHNICAL ARTICLES in the

to the web site the 'My APEA' facility

same manner.

You will read below about three new features

Contact

allows them to update their own contact

Information, Events Calendar and the

the

site;

information whilst members of the

Resource Centre. These will only act

Training and Publications committees,

Training days, Association events and

as your primary sources of information if

and National Council Officers can also

Association publications, in addition to

you, the members, keep them up-to-

apply updates to the relevant areas of

Membership fees, can all now be

date.

the web site through a simple menu

processed through the on-line payment

driven process.

system. Casual visitors to the site can

Much work has already been

done to populate the database but is recognised that there are gaps and this is where you can help. So please log on and submit details if: • You change your own contact details • You know of any relevant event not listed

On-Line Payments

even join the Association on-line if they Events Calendar An integral part of the web site update

choose. With every member having a membership

record

'on-line'

the

is to provide a web site calendar, used

membership discounts available are

to provide such information as industry

automatically applied. In its first month

events, branch events and training

the site is taking orders with an average

days. The calendar displays a month-

value of £93 per day, which is likely to

Articles increase

with

members

reserving

intrusive, low volume mailing list -

places for the APEA dinner and

perhaps two to three e-mails per month

At the time of writing the web site had

renewing their membership.

with the APEA's Business Manager

been 'live' for just under a month. A few

sending e-mail out via this mailing list,

of the statistics available make quite

making

interesting reading. The table below

Resource Centre The Resource Centre is a repository

one-way

means

communication.

shows

of information that can be drawn upon by Association Members.

Spreading the Word - Far and Wide

how

many

people

have

accessed the site in the first month, and Initially, all members who have

where were they at the time.

supplied their e-mail address to the There are many references in the

APEA have been subscribed to this

United Kingdom

1511

bibliographies of technical documents

Announcements mailing list. Should

United States

243

and it is envisaged that the Resource

you wish to unsubscribe simply use the

Ireland

Centre's 'Reference' section will point

'Unsubscribe' instructions on each e-

Australia

members to these additional sources of

mail you receive.

Spain

China

South Africa

information. We are aware that there are

implications

publishing

In addition to this Announcements

documents that are subject to copyright,

mailing list other 'Topic' related mailing

Norway

so the reference section entry may

lists have been created to facilitate

Ethiopia

provide a downloadable file or might

discussion

France

simply re-direct the member to an area

information. These are two-way mailing

New Zealand

where the original document can be

lists where questions can be asked and

Italy

obtained.

answered by anyone subscribed to the

Portugal

list.

Germany

Thailand

and

the

exchange

The search facility allows for easy access to reference documents, be they

Members

internal APEA articles (e.g. from The

unsubscribe

Bulletin) or external sources such as BSI or HSE. Publications

can

and

Turkey

the

Saudi Arabia

discussion mailing lists as they wish.

Canada

There is an untold wealth of industry

Netherlands

experience within the Association and it

Mexico

themselves

is unlikely that any questions posed

APEA publications (e.g. The Blue

through the discussion groups will

Book) can be ordered on-line and as a

remain unanswered for very long!

The information on the Association's

benefit of membership members can

Discussion groups are currently defined

web site will only continue to be of value

access The Bulletin on-line too. The

for:

if it is kept up-to-date. As members we

search facility allows members to find

are all encouraged to submit news

articles from The Bulletin archives, or

Forecourt Drainage

articles, events and publications for

simply keep up-to-date with the latest

Forecourt Electrical Installations

inclusion within the web site. The

industry news.

Underground Storage Tanks

'Contributor's Guide' is available from

Pipe work Systems

the 'Help' screen once you have logged

Vapour Recovery Systems

into the site; so please ensure you have

DSEAR Risk Assessments

a copy handy for when you come

mailing lists, to which any members with

Pumps and Dispensers

across something that is worth sharing

an e-mail address can subscribe, has

Wetstock Control

with your industry colleagues.

made contacting members, be it at

Pollution Remediation

Online Discussions The creation of a number of APEA

National, Branch or via registered Interest Groups, far more accessible. The primary mailing list is used to

The Future

The Members

are

encouraged

most

important

thing

remember is that, although the web site

subscribe and share information with

is accessible across the globe, it has

the industry.

primarily been developed for the benefit

send APEA notifications, such as

of the Association's members. If you

announcements

forthcoming

have any suggestions for further

meetings, council member updates, etc.

development then please don't keep

It is anticipated that this will be a non-

them to yourself.

Articles

People are one of the greatest sources of static electricity By Scott Johnston, DirectCast Ltd It's true! As we move about we constantly touch and move objects around us - particularly when driving. This continual contact and separation with objects leaves a charge on the objects and us. Static charge generated by contact and separation is called tribocharging. A good example of tribocharging involves walking across a carpet. As we walk our shoes constantly separate and make contact with the carpet. Charge effectively accumulates on our bodies and when you touch a grounded object with a different charge level an electrostatic discharge occurs. By grounding people, their static charges are recombined with opposite charges from the earth. In the universe there are equal amounts of negative electrical charge (electrons) and positive charge (protons). These generally try to stay in balance of equal amounts at every location. However, when two materials are in contact, some of the charges redistribute by moving from one material to the other. This leaves an excess of positive charge on one material and an equal negative charge on the other. When the materials move apart, each takes its charge with it. One material becomes charged positively, and the other negatively. If the materials are able to conduct electricity away the charges will dissipate and eventually recombine. In this case, static electricity effects may be too small to be noticed. However, if the charges are separated faster than the material can dissipate them, the amount of electrostatic charge builds up. Eventually a high voltage is created and the effects of static electricity may be noticed. So what does all this have to do with petrol station forecourts? Many people experience shocks when they get out of their car. Often they believe that the car is charged - but this is not normally so. Sitting in the car, electrostatic charges are generated on the car seat and the person's body, due to contact and movement between their clothes and the seat. When the person leaves the seat, they take half of this charge with them. As they get out of the vehicle, their body voltage rises due to this charge - a voltage of 10,000 Volts is not unusual. When they reach to touch the vehicle door, the electrostatic discharge and shock occurs as their hand approaches the metal door. In the last few years there has been an increase in reported fires on forecourts across Europe, the States and in the Asia Pacific regions that have been attributed to static electricity. There are campaigns led by the PEI (Petroleum Equipment Institute) and the API (American

Petroleum Institute) to raise retailer awareness to the dangers of customer static on forecourts. The 'Stop Static' campaigns have been successful in raising awareness with some retailers but more is required to be done to make refuelling a safer activity. The number of static incidents has increased recently and this is mainly been attributed to the greater use of synthetic materials in vehicle seats and the increased use of plastics in vehicle construction. Tyre manufacturers have also reduced the use of 'carbon black' in tyre construction (to improve a tyres performance -the rolling resistance) and this has assisted static generation. This, together with modern clothing fabrics that are worn on a daily basis by most people, means, that static electricity is generated inadvertently by drivers and passengers. Some vehicles are also far worse at generating static than others. In Germany it is known that one particular model of car has been linked to the cause of a number of static ignited fires. Pump units on petrol station forecourts are of course grounded but it is the explosive fuel vapour that remains in and around the nozzle area that is of the most concern to safety officers - particularly when customers leave the nozzle in their car fillers and return to the car's interior to pick up their wallet or bag - and then return back to the nozzle - which has just been dispensing fuel. By returning to the car's interior the customer can recharge themselves and when they then go to touch the fuel nozzle again - an explosion can occur. The other spate of static fires has been caused by customer static when refuelling jerry cans and containers in the back of their vehicles. Fuel cans and jerry cans should of course be placed on the ground first and not refuelled inside the vehicle Recently Exxon installed new advisory and warning notices onto their forecourts across the UK and Europe. The warning signs highlight the dangers of static and advise customers to discharge their static by touching something metal on the car before approaching the nozzle. Touching something metal on the car is fine…..but it often hurts - as the energy rapidly discharges in the form of a visible spark. Most people go out of their way not to touch any metal because they know they may receive a sharp shock! The move by Exxon is a first by an oil major to highlight the dangers of static. How much longer before other oil majors seize the initiative and more publicly and proactively involve their customers to the hazards of static? One very simple solution to the static issue on forecourts is to have a static

discharge pad - that carefully and effectively discharges any static from the customer - without causing any sparks or painful static zaps. The Pads are fitted to the pump housing close to the nozzle banks (or on the canopy uprights) so those customers can easily see the Pads and touch them prior to picking up the nozzle. By touching the Pad the customer safely and comfortably discharges any static they may have. The unique material was designed from the outset to be a non-complex solution to static problems out in the field. With over 3 years in the making the material has been developed in the Electro Static Discharge (ESD) industry. It exceeds all current ESD certification. One vital feature of the material is its ability to be overprinted, so that advisory messages and reminders to use for customers can be placed onto each Pad. Corporate branding can also be printed onto each Pad. By having visible signs around the forecourt clearly demonstrates a major commitment to customer safety. The Pads are long lasting and easy to fit, durable, visible and can easily be checked for their performance on a regular basis by a simple test method to confirm their effectiveness. By having the Pads out on the forecourt it not only reduces the risk of fire, property damage and personal injury, it also reduces the retailers liability as well. The Pads called Staticbuster Statouch Discharge Pads are available from Directcast Ltd based in the UK. Contact: Tel: +44 8700 777 575 Fax: +44 8700 777 474 web: +www.dcm.uk.com NB; In a recent incident in Tennessee USA, where the pump, canopy and vehicle were damaged in a fire, the Fire Marshal fined the driver 500 dollars for not complying with the warning and advisory signs which were on display on the pump…….!

Articles

Suffolk Trading Standards linking with local companies to ensure safety By Adrian Winter, Principal Trading Standards Officer Officers from Suffolk Trading Standards have teamed up with local businesses to ensure that environmental safety is paramount when constructing new petroleum sites in the Newmarket area. 6x 80,000 litre tanks have been installed at BP sites either side of the busy A14 in Newmarket and 3x 60,000 litre tanks have been installed at another site in Newmarket town centre. The sites, each costing around £5 million to redevelop are the first big redevelopment projects that have happened in Suffolk in over 5 years. In keeping with modern service station design shopping and café facilities have also been introduced. By working closely with BP and tank manufacturer Cookson and Zinn, Suffolk Trading Standards are confident that the enproduct will guarantee environmentally safe, 'state of the art' sites in Suffolk. In keeping with modern practice all the tanks are double skinned which is a big step towards ensuring a safer and pollution free environment. With a double skinned tank there is a two-layer defence that the petrol would have to get through before being able to escape into the surrounding environment. The space

between the two skins, the "interstice" is filled with an inhibiting fluid that is constantly monitored. Any significant change in its level is immediately detected and an alarm is triggered to prompt an investigation before a crisis situation develops. This is extremely important when you consider that 80% of Suffolk's water comes from boreholes. If there was a leak of petroleum into one of these boreholes it would put it out of action for over 50 years, causing unacceptable disruption to water supplies.

quite possibly be law for all sites by 2010. Trading Standards are forming and consolidating links with local businesses such as Cookson and Zinn to ensure that they are actively involved in the whole process of any relevant work. It is felt important that businesses can feel they are able to involve Trading Standards to gain specialist advice and support. Trading Standards have been involved with these redevelopments from the early planning stage when they advised on safety and environmental issues. A continuous dialogue has been maintained throughout the entire project to ensure that when it comes to commissioning the site Trading Standards are confident that safety standards have been met and a petroleum license can be issued.

All three garages are equipped with stage 2 vapour recovery equipment. This technology allows for the recovery of the saturated petroleum vapours that are displaced from the vehicle fuel tank when filling with petrol. The vapours are recovered by a carefully controlled vacuum pump situated within the dispenser housing, the vapour return path being via a special nozzle and a concentric hose assembly. These measures are required by law in all new developments and will

This isn't the end of Trading Standards involvement. Appropriate checks are made throughout the lifetime of all stations to ensure safety for all. Trading Standards are also involved in checking quality systems of companies to ensure that the products being supplied have been made to the correct standards and they are 'fit for purpose'. For example, Cookson and Zinn hold a file for each job they undertake, which includes the individual specifications for the job and the checking process to ensure all tanks have been made to the highest quality. This is a good way for Trading Standards to be able to check that all standards are being met.

Branches Eastern See APEA website for details of events in September. All Eastern branch members are welcome to visit the ELAFLEX stand at Automechanika in September Midlands Nothing to report at present North East Nothing to report at present North West See APEA website for details Scotland The AGM in April saw a change of the office bearers following the resignations of Ian Hillier as chairman and Ruth Sutherland as secretary/treasurer. The new chairman is Gareth Bourhill, the Maintenance Manager with DH Morris. The branch has in recent years comprised largely of enforcement officers in it's membership and it is a refreshing change to have someone from industry involved with the running of the branch. The secretary is Peter Lennon, a Senior Trading Standards officer with Angus Council. The treasurer's responsibilities will be split between the chair and secretary. There is continuity within the running of the branch as Ian Hillier remains as the Branch Rep and Alan Hamilton and George MacNeil continue as committee members. The next branch meeting will be at Viewforth Offices in Stirling in September with guest speakers from the NICEIC and SELECT the Scottish electrical contractors association. We also hope to have a speaker on the latest developments on the Firework scene. Gareth and myself would like to thank both Ruth and Ian on behalf of the members for the work and dedication they have shown for the Scottish branch over the past years. Without their efforts the branch would not exist in it's present form. Peter Lennon Branch Representative Southern Southern branch held its Summer event on the 30th June and as usual combined an interesting seminar with a visit to a place of interest. This year the 42

event was held at the Royal Naval Air Services base at Yeovilton in Somerset, which is an active air base and has in its grounds the museum of naval aviation covering aircraft developments throughout the period of naval aviation. The museum was open to APEA attendees at no extra cost of attendance at the meeting and included an excellent lunch. The seminar was held in the museum auditorium which offered good facilities and the seminar covered the following interesting subjects

Branch Representative Contact Details

1. Above ground storage tanks. Kevin Powell of Ledbury welding gave a presentation which covered Oil Storage Regulations and their requirements and an overview of the recent development of above ground petrol storage for a supermarket site in Kent

Richard Quarmby - Midlands 28 Franklin Way Whestone Leicester LE8 6QY

2. Storing used fuels after end of life vehicle processing. Paul Owen of Rozone, makers of facilities for this activity, spoke to members about the risks associated with the activity and the relevant legislation which applies. 3. Practical issues surrounding the End of Life Vehicle Directive. Derek Wilkins of EMR gave an interesting talk on the main requirements and in particular the metal recycling aspect of the whole activity. 4. After an enjoyable lunch, Graham Mottram Director of the museum, gave an interesting presentation about the history of the museum as it covers naval aviation. The event was attended by forty three members who expressed their appreciation for an enjoyable and informative day. The Southern Branch committee met on the 5th July to carry out branch business and planning for future events. Amongst other items the committee considered supporting the charity BEN, which has five care homes for people previously engaged in the motor or related industries. It is hoped to hold the Autumn branch meeting at the Ascot home on the 13th October. Phil Monger Branch Representative Yorkshire & Humberside Nothing to report at present

Ian Taylor - Eastern Hytek (GB) Ltd, Delta House, Green Street, Elsenham, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM22 6DS Tel: 01279 815600 Fax: 01279 812978 iantaylor@hytekgb.com

Tel: 01787 220730 Fax: 01878 220044 rjq@quarmby.com Mike Silmon - North East W O Silmon Ltd Industry Road, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear. NE6 5XB. Tel: 0191 224 0777 Fax: 0191 224 0707 associationtreasurer@apea.org.uk Geoff Oldham - North West Suresite Ltd, Slaters Barn, Whittingham Lane, Goosnargh, Preston. PR3 2JJ Tel: 01772 861400 Fax: 01772 861600 geoff.oldham@suresite.co.uk Ian Hillier - Scottish Inverclyde Council Inverclyde Council Trading Standards, 40 West Stewart Street, Greenock, Renfrewshire, PA15 1YA. Tel: 01475 714200 Fax: 01475 714221 ian.hiller@inverclyde.gov.uk Philip Monger - Southern Petrol Retailers Association Meadowside, West End, Sherbourne St John, Basingstoke, Hants. RG24 9LE. Tel: 01256 850164 Fax: 01256 851273 philmongerpra@ukonline.co.uk Clive Evers Yorkshire & Humberside City of York Council Trading Standards Service, Exhibition Square, York. YO1 7EH. Tel: 01904 613161 Fax: 01904 551511 clive.evers@york.gov.uk

Training

2004 Course Dates Petrol Filling Stations Audit and Inspection 12/13 Oct 16/17 Nov

LPG Installations (Autogas)

7 Oct

Swindon

20 Sept

14 Oct

Derby

21 Oct

Bournemouth

28 Oct

Manchester

4 Nov

Sheffield

11 Nov

Dundee

18 Nov

Canterbury

25 Nov

Cardiff

2 Dec

Glasgow

9 Dec

Durham

16 Dec

Birmingham

Swindon

Southampton Chester

Explosives and Fireworks 8 Sept

Crawley

Electrical Installations An Awareness

15 Sept

Ipswich

22 Sept

Sheffield

15 Sept

Manchester

29 Sept

Swindon

13 Oct

Huntingdon

6 Oct

Chester

11 Nov

Dundee

DSEAR

15 Dec

Newcastle

30 Sept

Milton Keynes

Courses will be designed around the new TCB Document, Guidance for Design, Construction, Modification and Maintenance of Petrol Filling Stations.

Non-members can purchase copies through either the APEA Business Manager, via the APEA website www.apea.org.uk or at course venues at £90.00 each or £30.00 each to APEA members, plus £6.00 p+p (UK) if posted. It is strongly recommended that attendees have access to this document during courses.

Bespoke courses can be made available provided the minimum number of Delegates is 8. This offers a discount. For details of this and any other training enquiry, please contact: Jane Mardell - Training Coordinator, (contact details on page 3) or Brian Humm, Training Chairman 84 Dunblane Road, Eltham, London SE9 6RT

Mobile: 07818 097141

e-mail: brian.humm@lineone.net

Jamie Thompson Independent Consultant

Gareth Bourhill Senior Incorporated Electrical Engineer The DH Morris Group

John Hills Project Engineer BP Bovis Alliance

Paul Craven Petroleum Officer Suffolk County Council

John Dallimore Independent Consulting Engineer John Dallimore &Partners

Bob Conlin Director Fairbanks Environmental

Brian Humm Petroleum Officer LFEPA

Richard Wigfull Consulting Engineer J. Wigfull & Son

Tom Armstrong Senior Project Engineer

Brian Baker Fire Safety & Petroleum Officer Milton Keynes Council

Phil Lambeth Senior Engineer BP Global Alliance

Eddie Furniss Independent Trading Standards Consultant

APEA Training Team

Training

Training in Waterford, Ireland By Jamie Thompson The third training course in Ireland was well attended by 20 personnel from the Irish Fire Brigades who came from Cork, Waterford CC, and Waterford City, Kilkenny, Wexford, Clare, Limerick, South Tipperary and Waterford City, North Tipperary and the Department of the Environment. In the excellent equipped council chambers of Waterford County Council in Dungarven a pretty coastal town to the North East of Cork, the elements of experience

owned site had double wall tanks and

for the groups

pipes, good drainage, records and little

and

could be found at fault with the other a

caused u

discussion on the return to the

Council

Chambers. O

dealer owned site being the complete opposite. Old single wall tanks and lines with separate fills, dip openings reinstated as the gauges were broken and a piece

of 2"x1" wood acting as a "dip stick"

company

soon had the participants making long

risk assessment and the mysteries of petrol station audit and inspection were explored. The active participation by the delegates helped the course keep up a healthy pace and on the morning of the second day two separate groups attended two separate filling stations to carry out the inspection. The two filling stations could not have been more different in both construction and the way they were run, the two extremes of the sites proved excellent

lists. The stock records being in the "operators head" did little to inspire the inspectors

with

confidence.

The

occupant who had just taken over with no experience in retailing petroleum had much to learn and with the large number of inspectors it must have been daunting for him, and he seemed pleased when we left. The principals of inspection and also 44

Training

dealing with the differing situations

improving its operation procedures to

cufflinks and tie pin to the two trainers

proved useful and encouraging remarks

improve safety at the site.

Brian Humm and Jamie Thompson.

from the participants at the end of the

At the end of the course when the

course was rewarding. We have since

certificates

learnt that the site is in the process of

Waterford

were Chief

presented kindly

the

presented

The APEA records a special thanks to Killian Hennessy who organised and set up the training at this venue.

Training

DSEAR - The new UK legistlation for petrol filling stations By Brian Baker On 5th December, the UK saw the Dangerous Substances & Explosive Atmospheres 2002 (S.I. 2776:2002) (DSEAR) came into effect that provide a parallel to the existing legislative controls on Petrol Filling Stations. More recently, LACORS have revised standard petroleum licensing conditions that have reduced many of the former conditions that provides more functional requirements than prescriptive ones. It is expected that these new licensing condition will have a limited life span. Consequently the Association for Petroleum & Explosives Administration (APEA) have been looking to introduce a new one course specifically to cover these new regulations. I am pleased to announce that details are almost complete and a list of dates and locations are published in this issue of The Bulletin

where DSEAR has come from and why, what each of the 17 Regulations and 7 Schedules mean, its application to a petrol filing station, the types and methods of risk assessment and a practical desk top study is then applied. This provides for 6 hours Continued Professional Development (CPD) and Course Certificates issued

21 October 2004 Bournemouth 28 October 2004 Manchester 4 November 2004 Sheffield 11 November 2004

It is expected demand will be heavy for this course so why not book now. Contact Jane Mardell, APEA Business Manager on 01799 502929 or even book on line. Discounts available on bespoke courses.

Dundee 18 November 2004 Canterbury 25 November 2004 Cardiff

Petrol Filling Stations and DSEAR 30 September 2004 Milton Keynes

2 December 2004 Glasgow 9 December 2004

The course is aimed at Regulators, Enforcers, Auditors, Contractors, Oil Companies in fact anyone that is impacted by DSEAR. Of one day duration, the course takes you through

7 October 2004 Swindon 14 October 2004 Derby

Durham 16 December 2004 Birmingham

APEA Training Course - County Cork, Ireland By Brian Baker The second in the series of training courses being held in Ireland took place on 1st & 2nd of June 2004, this time in Ballincollig near the beautiful City of Cork. Some 20 delegates from County Cork Fire Service attended the course which was and held in their superb County Council Training Facility. The course was the ever popular Petrol

Filling

Inspection.

Stations Ireland

- Audit

controlling

legislation stems from the Dangerous Substances Act 1972 for which the Statutory Instrument S.I. 311 The 48

County Cork delegates

Training It is clear that there is much work to be done by the Petroleum Licensing Authorities in Ireland as they have their five part Code of Practice still in Draft form. However, I suspect that with the knowledge gained

they by

have their

attendance at the APEA training courses they, will soon

implement

inspections

and

their issue

Licences in advance of this code!

General view of the forecourt

Petroleum (Retail & Domestic Storage) Regulations 1979 provides for the licensing of such storage. In addition to the lecture room activities,

this

course

provides

delegates with the opportunity to visit a local Filling Station for the practical purpose of carrying out a simulated inspection. Once again we are grateful to Statoil (Ireland) for providing this facility. The site was located at Bishopstown, just a few miles form Ballincollig and it was interesting to see a Console central to the glazed front windows that maximised vision and control of the Forecourt.

Statoil’s Fareplay Convenience Store

Assisted by Paul Craven, it was an extremely pleasant visit and I cannot stress too much, the warm Irish reception and hospitality of our hosts.

My sincere thanks are extended to: Chief Fire Officer Malone, Co.Cork Fire Service, Keelin Cronin, Co Cork Fire Service, Michael Nyland and Steve Pease of Statoil Engineering and to Keith Ryan, Site Manager of Statoil (Bishopstown)

for

his

extensive

knowledge and dealing with 20 PO's at once! Incident Board

Training

Northampton To Nicosia! - Spotlight on APEA Training By Brian Baker and Jamie Thompson In April 2002, the APEA commenced

courses covered Petrol Filling

their portfolio of training courses at

Stations

Northampton and now 2 years on, we

Environmental Awareness, Audit &

are providing training in Ireland and

Inspection, Wet Stock Monitoring

have now delivered 4 courses in

and a bespoke course specific

Nicosia,

Hellenic

designed for Site Operators. The

Petroleum Company. It echoes what

courses which were conducted

Brian Baker said at his inaugural

over 5 days were attended by

address

Cyprus

for

the

Chairman

the

Construction

engineering

staff,

Association's Annual General Meeting

Managers,

contractors

in May that the APEA could offer

dealers. At the end of the courses

training far beyond the UK as his theme

the attendees successfully sat a

whilst in the Chair was "To Inform and

series

Educate" So here is an account of the

resulted in 70 certificates of

Cyprus adventure that illustrates just

training being issued. This was

what

indeed an achievement for all

the

can

offer

from

test

Retail

papers

and

which

concerned as English is not their

Northampton to Nicosia

f i r s t language. There a

Bob Conlin checking dip sticks for the Cyprus Course

around

especially for the British, and tourism 250

Petrol Stations in Cyprus that supply

Cyprus a new EC member On 1st May, Cyprus became a member of the European Union that now

sees

enlarged

Europe

consisting of 25 countries. As part of this

process,

Cyprus

have

now

accepted all European Directives of which a number are of particular significance where the Retail Petrol Filling Station industry are concerned. Recently,

the

Association

for

Petroleum & Explosives Administration were invited to undertake a series of training

courses

for

the

Hellenic

Petroleum Company of Cyprus, who operates their EKO brand of Petrol Filling Stations on the island. These 52

An Agip station

to the island. There are 5 petroleum suppliers

across Cyprus - Petrolina, Luk Oil

r e s i d e n t

(Russia) Agip (Italy) Esso and the

population

Hellenic Petroleum Company who have

around 750,000

acquired 70 sites from BP Cyprus early

people.

in 2003. Hellenic is based in Athens and

course, Cyprus

has a large number of stations in

is a favourite

Greece with interests in neighbouring

h o l i d a y

countries.

destination,

Inspecting in Nicosia

brings a further 2 million visitors a year

The authorities in Cyprus issue

Training used single wall steel tanks and pipe work for their early installations. They suffered from the usual corrosion problems and have for some time now been using plastic pipe work and double wall steel tanks with leak detection in the interstitial space. Vapour recovery at the filling station is installed but currently not in use as the existing road tanker fleet is to be replaced by vehicles compatible with bottom loading and the terminal vapour recovery installation is still to be completed. It is anticipated that these issues will have been addressed by December 2004. Offset fills are common but most installations have a separate dip pipe, EKO service Station

which

the

trainers

felt

little

permits and licences to operate but currently there is very little inspection of sites. Other than the Fire Brigade making visits to check the emergency box which is provided for unattended self service there are very few other inspections made, other than regular Weights and Measures visits. Most sites operate on an Attended Service basis although there are a few Attended Self Service sites but there has been little incentive to change as all prices have until now been regulated. However, unlike other parts of Europe, most sites in Cyprus close around 7 o' clock every evening and at weekends, when most revert to an Unattended Self Service mode with the use of note and credit card payment with limitations on the amount of fuel that can be

Checking Drainage

dispensed. Petrol prices until last month had been regulated and the island waits

uncomfortable with, especially with

with interest to see if price change and

vapour recovery on the way! The

operating procedures will alter in the

companies will be exploring what

light of deregulation. More significantly is that all

sites

are

Company

Owned and Dealer Operated (CODO's) that creates a different trading relationship than most of Europe.

Standards and Installations As with other European Petroleum Inspector in Nicosia

countries, Cyprus originally

Note and Credit Card unit for unattended service

Training It was interesting to note that the larger C stores operating in other European countries have yet to make their debut on the Island. Additionally many sites have their own 9,000 litre Oil Tankers that deliver Heating Oil and Kerosene to local businesses and homes as depicted in the photos. To summarise, there is now much work for service station operators in Cyprus to undertake. This includes understanding the requirements of European Directives, the use and application drawing

Risk

Assessment,

standards

and

An above ground tank suitably decorated

alternatives

they

have

either

equipment or management tools to ensure this operation continues in a safe manner. At the time of our visit it was apparent that there are very few sites equipped with tank gauges. There are also a number of pressure systems in use and most new sites appear to use this technology, although many have mechanical leak detection valves fitted little else has been provided for detecting potential leaks. Dispensers are similar to those used everywhere in Europe and most had a BS 7117 notification plate on the dispenser. Different designs for station layout

Checking dispensers

generally reflect the personality of their previous owners, as both Mobil Oil and BP had influenced the construction of

the Hellenic sites. Re-imaging has

specifications

taken place in recent years although

development of retail activity on the

there are planning restrictions in force.

Forecourt in order to bring their

for

the

eventual

operations in line with the rest of Europe. The dealers will also be required to change their thinking as the derestriction of the market continues and they will have to adapt to the changes to survive in what will become a more competitive market. We believe the APEA training courses have provided them with excellent foundations and we welcome the commitment shown by the Hellenic petroleum Company, that by training with us they live up to their mission statement "We aim to be the best in what we do!" Road Tanker Delivery

Training Training Course Sponsors The APEA would like to thank the following companies that have added to the ever growing list by choosing to send delegates to APEA training courses. To all our sponsors, thank you for your support without which it could not have been possible. A Aberdeenshire District Council Allday Stores Ltd Angus Council Antrim Council (N.I.) Ards Council (.I.) Armagh City & District Council Avon Fire & Rescue Service B Bapco (Bahrain) Banbridge Council (N.I.) Ballymena Council (N.I.) Ballymoney Council (N.I.) Bedfordshire County Counci Belfast City Council (N.I.) Birmingham City Council Blackburn & Darwin Council Blackpool Borough Council Bournemouth Borough Council BP Bovis B & P Electrical & Data Services Buckinghamshire County Council C Cambridgeshire County Council Carmarthenshire County Council Cameron Forecourt Ltd Cardiff City Council Caerphilly Council Cardiganshire Council Carrickfergus Borough CounciL Castlereagh Council (N.I.) Cavan County Council City of Edinburgh Council Clare County Council Coleraine Borough Council (N.I.) Conwy County Council Cookson & Zinn Ltd Co-op Stores Ltd Cork City Council Cork County Council Cornwall County Fire Brigade Coteba Ltd D David Fear Electrical David McLean Ltd Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service Derbyshire City Council Derbyshire County CounciL Dresser Wayne Ltd Derry City Council Devon County Counci Diamond Construction Dorset County Council Dresser Wayne Dublin City Fire Brigade Dundee City Council Dungannon & South Tyrone Council Durham & Darlington Fire Service E East Ayrshire Council East Dunbartonshire Council East Renfrewshire Council East Riding Council East Sussex Fire Brigade Ecotech Electrical Services & Projects Ltd Essex County Council F Fairbanks Environmental Ltd

Falkirk CollegeFife Council Forecourt Dimensions Ltd (Eire) Flintshire County CounciL Forecourt Engineering Ltd Fort Vale AD G Geodelft Environmental Ltd Glasgow City Council Global Alliance Gloucestershire County Council Greater Manchester Fire Service H H Forster & Son Halliford Construction Ltd Halton Borough Council Hampshire County Council Health & Safety Executive Hellenic Petroleum Company Herefordshire County Council Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Highland Council HLM Design Hydro Contracting I Ideal Tanks & Pumps Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service J James Hall & Co Southport K Kent County Council Kilkenny City and County Council L Lancashire County Council Larne Council (N.I.) Leicester City Council Leicestershire County Council Limavady Borough Council Limerick County Council Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Service Lisburn City Council Longcross Group Lotus Cars Ltd M M & H Associates Magherafelt Council (N.I.) Martindale Associates Mayo County Council Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Michael O'Kane Associates Milton Keynes Council Middlesbrough Council Moyle District Council (N.I.) Moray Council Mowlem Environmental Sciences Group N New Shell Kasese Newry & Mourne Council (N.I.) Newtownabbey Borough Council North Ayrshire Council North Down Council (N.I.) North East Lincolnshire Council North Lanarkshire Council North Lincolnshire Council North Tipperary County Council Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service North Yorkshire Fire Service Northumberland Fire Service Nottingham City Council Nottinghamshire County Council O Orkney Islands Council Owen Williams Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

P PPS (Ayrshire) Ltd Paisley CounciL Pembrokeshire County Council Peterborough Borough Council Petrol Express Ltd Plymouth City Council Power Plan (Malta) Ltd Powys County Council Pump & Pipe Work Services Ltd R R.D Kurnow Electrical Reading Borough Council Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Renfrewshire Council Rhondda Cynon Council Roncol Ltd Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Mail S Sainsbury's Plc Salotex Oy Service Group International Scottish Borders Council Shell UK Ltd Shetland Isles Council Shropshire County Council Sidmount Ltd Slough Borough Council Somerset Fire Brigade South Ayrshire Council South Tipperary Riding County Council South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service Staffordshire County Council States of Jersey Fire Service Statoil (Ireland) Ltd Strabane Council (N.I.) Surrey County Council Suffolk County Council Swindon Borough Council Suresite Ltd T TQ IPS Ltd Tay Side Police Taylor Woodrow Ltd Telford & Wrekin Council Tesco Stores Ltd Texaco (Ireland) Ltd Tokheim IPS Ltd Total GB Ltd Toureen Contractors Trident Engineering Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service U United Cooperatives Ltd University of Wolverhampton V Van Gaver Electrical Co Ltd VecTec Ltd Veeder Root Ltd W Waterford County Council Warwickshire County Council Welcome Break Ltd West Berkshire Council West Dunbartonshire Council West Midlands Fire Service West Lothian Council West Sussex County Council West Yorkshire Fire Service Wexford County Council William Skinner & Son Wiltshire County Council Wokingham District Council Wyatt Engineering

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