The Bulletin Magazine - September 2009

The Bulletin

Journal of the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration

September 2009

Chairman’s Report

4

Brian Baker

Editor’s Report

7

Editor

Letters to the Editor

7

52 Milton Grove Bletchley

Business Manager’s Report

8

New APEA Members

9

Press Releases

tel:

+44 (0) 1908 252332

fax:

+44 (0) 1908 252319

mob:

+44 (0) 7932 785166

13 26

e-mail: Bakerb4@sky.com

Jamie Thompson

Articles APEA 2009 Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner

MK3 5BH

30

Publishing Chairman 70 Wangford Road

APEA Abbreviated accounts for the year ended December 2008

39

History of Petrol Filling Stations Part 11 - Canopies

42

Southwold

“A Day in the Life”

44

Suffolk

LPG Leak and Explosion Darwen

48

Managing the Fuel Requirements of a Local Authority by “Greener” Thinking

51

Unattended Self Service - Have we got it right?

55

email:

APEA Training in Bahrain

59

Jamiethompson@ukonline.co.uk

Temporary Petrol Filling Station, a Success…

60

Interview with John Boudry, PetroTechnik Ltd

63

Reydon

IP18 6NX Tel/fax: +44 (0) 1502 722999 Mobile: +44 (0) 7770 625851

Jane Mardell Business Manager PO Box 106 Saffron Walden

Branches Branch reports

65

Essex CB11 3XT United Kingdom Tel/fax: +44 (0) 845 603 5507

Training 2009 course dates and booking details

Mobile: +44 (0) 7815 055514

70

email: admin@apea.org.uk

Front Cover - Sainsbury's Canopy, Bath UK, courtesy of GSI Global Solutions

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.

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CONTENTS AND EDITORIAL

News

Milton Keynes

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Welcome to another edition of The Bulletin which I hope you will find packed full of interesting stories and articles. By the time this edition is dropping through member’s letter boxes our summer vacations will just be a distant memory but hopefully those memories will last a lot longer than the suntan!

All of us on National Council and the Associations various Committees have been very busy over the last few months. In particular the Events Committee headed up by our past Chairman Bob Conlin, has been working hard with our events organisers OpenRoom Events to ensure that APEA 2009 which for the first time will be held at the RICOH Arena is our biggest and best event yet. I will not mention in great detail here what has been organised this year, as there are various articles further in this edition about our event. All I would ask is you support your Association and if you can come to the Conference, Exhibition or the Dinner or ideally join us for all three, you will play your part in making the event a continued success, there is something of interest for individuals or companies either from industry or the regulator and enforcement authorities. I personally look forward to meeting and welcoming you on the 15th October. We listened to feedback last year and have altered the voting and judging for our industry awards, so if you haven’t nominated somebody already or even nominated yourself or your company, its very easy to do on- line by following the links on the APEA website or by requesting an an entry form from the APEA office, just remember the closing date of the 7th September.

I would also like to thank all our sponsors for APEA 2009 and Exhibitors your support is very much appreciated.

I have now been your Chairman for nearly a year now and it seems each “Chair” tries to leave their own particular contribution to the Association. I can safely say my predecessor Bob Conlin 4

undoubtedly resurrected the annual conference, exhibition and dinner and established it as the premier industry event for those involved in petrol filling stations and put the event within the filling station industry as a “Must” for people to attend.

My own thoughts and targets? I would like to see the APEA taking on a more International role. Yes we are based in the UK and the majority of Branches and members are UK based but we also have regular international members who contribute and use the Associations facilities or networking links on a regular basis plus of course we have a few Branches overseas. At a recent AGM for one of the Associations Aims we removed the word “Europe” for the formation of Branches and replaced it with “and other countries”.

Over the last couple of years I have travelled to and worked in Cyprus, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Philippines and at the beginning of next year Argentina.

No matter where I go everybody wants their copy of the “Blue Book” and wants to know about what we do in the UK. Despite the economic climate we are in just now, there are other markets that are growing and they very much look to the UK for best practice and standards. I think I can be fairly safe in saying that everybody sees the “Blue Book” as the practice to follow. Given this we welcome applications from individuals and companies in other countries and National Council and our other Committees will give every assistance in advising those individuals or if their are sufficient numbers then a formation of a overseas Branch. The world is getting smaller and sharing of ideas and best practice amongst like minded people should be encouraged. So if you do happen to be reading this copy of The Bulletin in some far flung corner of the world, then please get in touch, we would like to hear from you or join as a member or of you think you have enough people and organisations to form a Branch then

please get in touch with myself or our Business Manager.

One recent example of this is in May I was kindly invited whilst in Qatar to meet with The Petrol Station Executive Committee.

This Committee has been formed to look after the Health and Safety and Environmental impact of all the filling stations in The State of Qatar.

The Members of the Committee present were Mr Hassan Al-Qasmi; Assistant Director of Technical Affairs for the Ministry of the Environment and Mr. Hassan Al-Masri; Distribution Manager of Qatar Fuel - WOQOD plus Mr Malcolm Strachan, Assistant Manager Technical Safety & Loss Prevention, Qatar Petroleum. During our meeting we discussed the role of the APEA and the filling station industry in general and various technical subjects which were important to Qatar and had of course been subject of discussion in the UK previously. We had a very good meeting and the time just flew by what was fully agreed is people and organisations in The State of Qatar are doing their very best to follow International standards and I was delighted that I could present to them a copy of our “Blue Book”. I would also, through this report, give thanks to The Chairman of the Petrol Station Executive Committee Mr. Saad Al-Kubaisi, for allowing this meeting to take place at short notice and the very kind hospitality shown to me.

Please enjoy this issue of The Bulletin and I look forward to seeing you on the 15th October and to the very lucky people even perhaps presenting you with an Award.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

UK I was delighted to be one of many APEA delegates to visit Germany in May to visit both the Elaflex and Hiby Factories to see raw materials received, moulded and fashioned to make precision made nozzles. A truly fascinating visit spearheaded by Anton Martiniussen, a great stalwart of the Association.

The momentum continues to build for APEA 2009 and OpenRoom Events, our organisers, are hard at it bringing us all together for what is now the highlight of the downstream industry, annually reuniting friends and colleagues. I love the event and it makes me proud to be involved with such a spectacle.

The topics and theme of “What’s Coming Next” is no accident. The slogan really does illustrate what we are about to experience in terms of challenges, frustrations and reward.

Please come to the Ricoh Arena and specifically to my regulatory colleagues; you will not be disappointed and bear in mind it is a Continued Professional Development (CPD) event.

The interviewee this time is John Boudry, Chief Executive of PetroTechnik. John has been an immense supporter of the Association for many years and whilst he is not the easiest of people to track down, at least I was lucky in July to do so.

I was surprised to receive a visitor

Brian Just a note to say many thanks for the support and planning for the training courses held at Sheffield in June. All went well and all students, experienced and inexperienced learnt from the three modules and to Jane thank you for the time you spent organising the instructors and certificates for the course at Sheffield last week.

Thank you Terry Guthrie South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service

2009) where short measure petrol was delivered to customers over a period of 9 months. One has to wonder why wetstock reconciliation at the site did not appear to highlight what were, I understand, fairly considerable deficiencies in measure. My training in petroleum enforcement (thanks Brian) taught me that wetstock gains could possibly indicate water somehow seeping into the tank and that further investigation is necessary.

Should we have the confidence that the site would pick up wetstock losses?

The matter was actually discovered by a routine weight and measure inspection which goes to show the

Sir I read with interest the article concerning the Ystrad Mynach Tesco filling station (The Bulletin June

to our shores from Australia recently, Reed Leighton of Leighton & O’Brien whom I gave a whistle stop tour of Milton Keynes and an explanation of Regulatory Enforcement here in England. Mind you much of the discussion centred on who will win “The Ashes” as at the time of writing the

Australian

Cricket

Team

is

touring England. That always proved a competitive contest – bit like our market I guess. I have to say that he did enquire about my potatoes and fuchsias – a comment I made last time in my party piece so at least one person reads this column.

Enjoy the issue and pleased to hear from anyone.

Until the next time Regards Brian

continuing need for independent testing of petrol dispensers, something which protects both consumer and trader. As a soon to be retired Weights and Measures Inspector with over 35 years experience I consider it disappointing that more and more local authorities regard such inspections as low priority. When one considers that petrol is a high priced, high throughput product both trader and consumer need confidence in the dispensers.

Andrew Tilley Principal Trading Standards Officer Wiltshire County Council

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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EDITOR’S REPORT/LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hi everyone and another three months has passed and it seems to me as one issue finishes another immediately starts and without realising it, lots of things are constantly occurring throughout the industry.

Now before prompting thought or even controversy I have got to say what a smart looking issue we have this time and that is down to Jane’s skills who is our Business Manager and recognise that the Bulletin looks more user friendly.

Another topic is the recent campaign on inspections of unattended sites here in the UK and the worrying findings that have since been found. A fuller article from me is elsewhere in this edition but we need to think of the wider, European picture as the “Unattended” method of operating is the norm.

Maybe our inner concerns are the behaviour of customers and the public at large having access to what is pretty dangerous equipment. I do believe that those Operators here in the UK together with my Regulator colleagues will move to close any shortfall in this way of dispensing.

Our training service continues to attract interest from beyond the UK and the most recent trip was to return to Bahrain in June. It was very hot but the four of us survived I am pleased to say.

On the subject of trips outside the

The last few months have been very busy compiling the 2010 Yearbook and this issue of the Bulletin.

Arrangements are also well under way too for APEA 2009, details of which can be found below and in this issue of the Bulletin on page 30.

It looks to be a very exciting event at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

2010 Yearbook

BUSINESS MANAGER’S REPORT

Thanks to all of you that returned your Registration forms for the 2010 Yearbook and also those of you who booked advertising. The artwork is now at the printers and the Yearbooks will be distributed on 1st October.

If you have not received your copy by the end of October please let me know and I will chase up your delivery. We will be sending all Yearbooks by Royal Mail recorded delivery and by courier so that we can follow up any non deliveries.

2009 AGM, Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner Following the success of APEA 2008 we will be repeating the format for APEA 2009 but at a new venue in Coventry.

It brings together equipment suppliers, service providers, oil companies, independent retailers, supermarkets and regulators for a day of conference debate, new technology and product display, networking and industry recognition.

APEA 2009 takes place on 15th October at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

The event takes place in a dedicated conference and function centre, boasting top class facilities.

Anyone wishing to book for the Conference, Exhibition or Awards Dinner should contact Hannah Guppy at OpenRoom Events on + 44 (0)20 8222 8837 or at hannah@openroomevents.com If you would like to enter any of the awards you can now enter online from the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk go to the Home page and click on the linked box to the Awards Entry page, or please contact me for an entry form at admin@apea.org.uk. Please specify which award you wish to enter so 8

that the appropriate form can be emailed to you. Details about the awards can be found on page 33.

I will be managing the AGM part of the event and information and nomination forms will be posted to all members eligible to vote, with this issue of the Bulletin.

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 2009 issue and I will pass them onto our Editor for approval.

We are always pleased to receive contributions from our members and it ensures that the Bulletin remains an interesting and informative read.

This can be purchased and downloaded directly from the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk.

APEA Members £10.00 plus p+p Non APEA Members £20.00 plus p+p

Training Bulletin Advertising Thanks to all the companies that booked advertising in the 2009 issues of the Bulletin.

If you book in all four issues you receive a 25% discount and we are able to offer discounts for those of you that wish to book for more than one issue but less than four issues too.

The advertising rates remain unchanged for 2009 and are listed on our website on the ‘Publications’ page at www.apea.org.uk If you would like to book advertising in the Bulletin for 2009, please call me on 0845 603 5507 or email me at admin@apea.org.uk for a booking form.

I will be sending out the advertising renewal notice letters and booking forms for 2010 advertising, in October. As advert positioning is based on a first come first served basis, please do not hesitate to return your booking form so that you can secure the best placement for your adverts.

Publications The Blue Book is available at the discounted rate of £40 to APEA members.

If you wish to purchase a copy please contact me on 0845 603 5507 and I will be able to provide you with details on obtaining a copy.

We also publish the Code of Practice for Ground floor, multi storey and underground car parks.

Thanks to all of you that have booked on the APEA training courses, the last few months have been busy with bookings.

The 2009 dates are detailed on page 70 of this issue of the Bulletin and are also on the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk where you can book online or download a booking form.

I am arranging bespoke courses for various companies which enables members to receive training at a discounted rate and at a time and location suitable to them.

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 if you are able to provide a venue and catering.

Thanks go out to all our trainers who often travel long distances to provide their valuable services.

You can book online from the Training page on the APEA website or 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.

New Members There have been 52 new members joining during April, May and June, details can be found on pages 9 and 10.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

The website continues to be a useful site for information and to make online bookings and payments. I am glad so many of you are using it.

If you wish to contribute anything to the site please feel free to log on and go to the APEA Resource Centre where you can submit your

Detailed below are new members that have recently joined the APEA during April, May and June.

April Richard Moor Seymour & Castle Ltd Tattershall Way Fairfield Industrial Estate Louth Lincolnshire LN11 0YZ Andrew Jones Powys County Council Trading Standards County Hall Llandrindod Wells LD1 5LG David Thompson 59 Claremount Road Wallasey Merseyside CH45 6UA Alison Dugan 29 Turmennan Road Crossgar Downpatrick Down BT30 9ES Julie-Anne Caughey Ards Borough Council 2 Church Street Newtownards Newtownards Down BT23 4AP Flo Hunter HSENI 83 Ladas Drive Belfast BT39 9GG Louise Nelson HSENI 83 Ladas Drive Belfast Antrim BT6 9FR

article for approval.

There is a ‘Help’ pull down menu if you need some assistance. If you need any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

You can also use the website to change your contact details, just logon and you will be able to access your record. If you cannot remember your logon details please contact me.

Brian Ritchie Lisburn City Council Island Civic Centre The Island Lisburn Antrim BT27 4RL Richard Charlton F.S.L.E Legal and Safety Services FOURWAYS 36 West Street Aspatria Wigton Cumbria CA7 3HQ Fiona Murray 2 Dairyvale Limavady Derry BT49 0DZ Julie Parkinson Larne Borough Council Smiley Buildings Victoria Road Larne Co. Antrim BT40 1RU Esmee Coffey Gaelite Signs 3A 4A Threerock Road Sandyford Industrial Estate Dublin 18 Ireland Michalis Heraclides Hellenic Petroleum Cyprus Ltd 1 Erectheiou Str Engomi Nicosia 2413 Cyprus Gregory Ramsbottom Topaz Energy Beech Hill Clonskeagh Dublin 4 Ireland

General Assistance Finally if any of you need any assistance with general or technical matters, please do not hesitate to contact me on 0845 603 5507 and I will endeavour to help.

Regards Jane

Melanie Patterson Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council Council Offices Circular Road Dungannon Tyrone BT71 6DT

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/NEW APEA MEMBERS

Website

Andrew Mitchell Elec-Check Ltd 10 Ickworth Court Felixstowe IP11 2XL Terry Moody Triple Echo, Camel Green Road Alderholt Fordingbridge Hampshire SP63AT Timothy Morgan T G Morgan Electrical Green Pastures Medlam Lane, Carrington Boston Lincs PE227LU John Irwin Cardiff County Council Cardiff Trading Standards Room 120 County Hall Atlantic Wharf Cardiff CF10 4UW Brian Mallon 3 Beresford Court Armagh City County Armagh BT7 1AY

May Oliver Bateson Larne Borough Council 17 Shelton Meadow Loughgiel, Ballymena Antrim BT44 9JX Peter McMahon McMahon Associates Dobbin Street Armagh Co Armagh BT617QQ

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Sean Corr 5 Elmfield Park Glengomley Antrim BT36 6EA Richard Cameron Bailey Maintenance Ltd 7 Brown Lane West Leeds West Yorkshire LS12 6EH Glyn Yu Seaoil Philippines Inc. 22nd Floor, The Taipan Place F. Ortigas Jr. Road Ortigas Center, Pasig City Manila 1605 Philippines Carl Denby Duquesa Business Centre PO Box 157 Sabinillas Manilva 29692 Spain

NEW APEA MEMBERS

Ryan Anderson BP Oil UK Limited Witan Gate House 500-600 Witan Gate Milton Keynes MK13 9DQ Eoin O'Dowd Carlow Fire & Rescue Green Lane Carlow Ireland Ian Hodge Complete Tank Solutions Ltd Unit 2 Woodfield House Gravel Lane Banks Preston Lancs PR9 8BY David Allen Coleraine Borough Council Cloonavin 66 Portstewart Road Coleraine Tyrone BT52 1EY Ian Greenhalgh MOD Defence Fuels Group (DFG) West Moors, Wimborne Dorset BH21 6QS Philip Prow 34 Redland Drive Loughton Milton Keynes Bucks MK5 8FB 10

Bob Cadman Servitech 2nd Floor Offices 32a Newgate Street Morpeth NE61 1BA

Catherine Cosgrove Energy Institute 61 New Cavendish Street London W1G 7AR

June Ian Poulter Ian Poulter Design Practice The Old House Plummer Lane Tenterden Kent TN30 6TU Angela Jones Cheshire West and Chester Council Trading Standards Backford Hall Backford Chester Cheshire CH1 6EA David Owen The Moray Council 232 High Street Elgin Moray IV30 1BA David Elsom 243 Mill Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB1 3BE Richard Souster Gosport Engineering Co Ltd 26 Lordship Lane London N17 8NS Lars Weidemeyer FAFNIR GmbH Bahrenfelder Straße 19 Hamburg 22765 Germany Peter Swallow Stirling Maynard Stirling House Rightwell, Bretton Peterborough Cambs PE3 8DJ Reed Leighton Leighton O'Brien Pty Ltd Suite 1, 96 Camberwell Rd Hawthorn East 3123 Australia Damien Flatley 19 Siskin Close Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 2EJ

Norman Mcmullan Magherafelt District Council 50 Ballyronan Road Magherafelt Londonderry BT45 6EN Billy Mckay South Ayrshire Council Trading Standards 5-7 River Terrace, Ayr Ayrshire KA8 0BJ Mike Lee Trading Standards and Regulatory Services North Yorkshire Council Unit 4/5 Block B Thornfield Business Park Standard Way Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 2XQ Francois Meersseman TCI Environment International NV Kontichsesteenweg 59 Unit 13 B-2630 Aartselaar Belgium Pauline Herbison Northern Group Systems Unit 1, Hugomont Business Park Hugomont Drive Ballymena BT43 6HN Cameron Gilmour APD Ltd, Newbie Annan Dumfriesshire DG12 5QJ Alan Howard 74 Broadstone Road Harpenden Herts AL5 1RE Jan Hinchliffe 49 Bowden Grove Dodworth Barnsley South Yorkshire S75 3TB Gareth Share KPW Architects 28 Great Central Street Leicester Leicestershire LE1 4JT

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

May 2009 - A family ran for their lives when their boat exploded.

Fire engulfed the 15ft craft when a man turned on the ignition on the River Avon at Eckington, near Tewkesbury.

Eye witnesses saw him leap to the bank with his hair on fire, shouting to his children to get away. A woman also had to jump to safety from the stricken vessel.

The boat broke its moorings, drifted down river, and set fire to another boat which also went adrift.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service watch manager Julian Jenkins said: "The man started revving the boat and there was an explosion, fortunately no-one else was in the cabin.

"He got out and the boat drifted 100 yards, and set fire to another boat, before carrying on a further 70 yards to nudge up against a bank.

"The fire burnt through the second boat's wooden jetty, it broke away and set off following the other boat very slowly. It was like a Viking funeral.

"We had some help from a cabin cruiser, which nudged both boats while still on fire towards the fire crews so we could finally attach them with lines and moor them safely.

"We believe a fault to the fuel line caused a petrol leak building up fumes in the engine compartment which ignited when the engines started."

Eyewitness Kyle Lovegrove, 14, of Davies Road, Evesham, said: "The man's hair caught fire but he put it out with his hands." The family in the first boat are believed to live in Longlevens.

UK, Suspended sentence for East Budleigh man over unsafe storage of fireworks June - AN East Budleigh man has been sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, after admitting storing fireworks unsafely at his home and a farm building in a case brought by Devon County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

Exeter Crown Court heard that the home of Nathan James Donovan in

East Budleigh, was searched by Devon Trading Standards officers accompanied by Police Officers and officers from Devon Fire & Rescue Service, in October 2007, acting on information they had received. They found large boxes of fireworks, some of which were opened, with fireworks being kept around the house he was occupying with his family, including in the living room and in the hallway at the foot of the stairs. The fireworks comprised of 80 rockets and a number of large selection boxes, some in opened transit containers.

When the officers subsequently went to farm buildings at Yettington, used by Mr Donovan, they found more boxes unsafely stored in an insecure barn. All of the fireworks were removed in order to make the properties safe.

Mr Donovan had pleaded guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. In addition to the suspended sentence, Mr Donovan, was also ordered to carry out 80 hours community service and told to pay £700 costs.

Peter Greene, Operations Manager for Devon County Council’s Trading Standards Service, said: “We were concerned to find fireworks being kept in this way in a domestic family home.

The consequences for Mr Donovan, his family and anyone living in neighbouring properties could have been very serious had any of the fireworks been accidentally ignited.”

Group Commander Mike White, of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It must be remembered that whilst fireworks are for entertainment they are still explosives. To have fireworks inappropriately stored, particularly in domestic premises, as in this case, could have catastrophic consequences. In a fire, the development would be accelerated, fire loading increased and the burn would be intensified.

This would reduce escape time and put the occupants and firefighters at serious risk.”

People wanting advice in relation to consumer goods and services can phone Consumer Direct on 08454 040506. Devon County Council Trading Standards Service has a business helpline on 01392 381381. You can also report illegal trading activity to Devon Trading Standards Service, anonymously if you wish, via their confidential

phone line ‘Trading Standards Confidential’ on 01392 381380.

For further information contact Peter Greene on 01392 382728 or 07890 540784 (mob).

Where people are considering buying fireworks for private use e.g. for anniversaries or other festivals, Devon County Council Trading Standards Service offers the following advice: • Only buy fireworks from reputable traders, never from car boot sales, door-to-door sellers or market stalls. It is illegal to sell fireworks in public places such as these.

• Buy them at the latest opportunity so they are stored in your home for as short a period as possible.

• Store fireworks in their original packaging inside a substantial container that will help to protect them from sources of ignition and delay the spread of fire, such as a solid wooden or metal container or cabinet.

• If there is a possibility of children or animals having access to the fireworks, the storage container or cabinet should be securely locked.

• The fireworks must be kept away from any sources of heat or ignition and people smoking.

• Do not store fireworks with any other flammable materials, especially things like petrol, oil or paint.

• The fireworks must be kept dry.

• If you store large quantities of fireworks you must be registered with your local authority.

UK, Blackpool. Petrol Station had corroded pumps A petrol station faced losing its licence after health and safety officers discovered a catalogue of failings. Defects uncovered at the Corton Beach filling station on Central Drive, Blackpool, included "significant corrosion" to the pumps, and delivery nozzles and hoses in a "poor state of repair". And one senior councillor admitted: "I was

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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NEWS

UK, Family flee Tewkesbury boat inferno

NEWS

concerned about the state of the place." But after hearing that most of the 20 issues raised by enforcement officers after a visit last October had since been addressed, the council agreed to renew the filling station's licence to store fuel.

But they have done so for a threemonth period only.

Blackpool Council's public protection subcommittee also called for the pumps to be replaced and ordered the owners of the petrol station back before them on May 7 to ensure the outstanding issues had been resolved. Chairman of public protection, Coun Henry Mitchell, said his priority was to ensure the safety of the public. He said: "I was concerned about the state of the place. "If you are dealing with petrol, you are dealing with people's lives. The outstanding issues must still be put right otherwise they will be shut down.

"I am now calling for all garages to be looked at as a priority to ensure this is not happening at other outlets." Mustak Adam, who has owned Corton Beach filling station for the past five years, said he had invested £25,000 in the premises already and had now ordered a new set of petrol pumps at a cost of £30,000. In addition he said that Esso was planning to invest another £40,000 in a general revamp of the site. Mr Adam said: "Everything has been done that was asked of us by the health and safety officers and I have ordered new pumps. "We employ seven or eight people so it is important we keep trading. "I think in the next two to three months this site will look very different." Anyone selling fuel on a commercial basis must be licensed annually by the council. Until recently, inspections were carried out after the new licence was granted but now they will be done before the licence is agreed.

UK, Man suffers burns as his bonfire sets light to shed June 2009 - A man suffered burns to his face after putting petrol on a bonfire in a wheelbarrow in the back garden of his Newton Abbot home.

Up to 11 firefighters were called to Twickenham Road after the abandoned bonfire spread to a summer house, shed and trees.

Officers were forced to throw a cordon around the area after 14

discovering gas cylinders were also involved in the fire.

Incident commander Scott Leaman, based at Newton Abbot fire station, warned accelerants should never be used on bonfires.

"The man was very lucky, it could have been a lot worse", he said.

The man, who has not been named, refused to comment.

The alarm was raised by neighbours after flames were seen billowing from the back garden.

The man had sustained the burns when his petrol can went up in flames.

The blaze then took hold in the garden shed and summer house while the couple were at Torbay Hospital where the man was being treated for his injuries.

Both left the house believing they had doused the flames.

Neighbour Eric Beer, 79, was letting his dog out when he saw the flames.

"They were roaring up," he said.

"When I went back in another neighbour was out the front.

"He said he had called the fire brigade. I didn't realise they were not in, otherwise I would have called 999 myself.

"There were two fire engines outside. I stayed up and was relieved when I saw their van outside later on."

On-scene firefighters quickly established there were four propane, five butane and one compressed air diving cylinder near the fire.

Fearing an explosion, they threw up a 200-metre cordon and told neighbours peering over their garden hedges and walls to keep away.

Mr Leaman said: "We advised people to go to the front of their homes for safety reasons.

"We set up a ground monitor hose to put out the flames and crews withdrew to a safe distance.

"Fortunately the safety valves on the cylinders did their job.

"Only one exploded and that was the air diving cylinder."

C r e w s remained on the scene until 1am, he said.

He added: "In the closing stages of the incident the home owner and his wife

returned and were horrified by what had happened.

"He had been having a small bonfire in a wheelbarrow and applied petrol to the fire before putting the can down.

"He picked it up and, as he turned around, the can ignited and went up in a fireball.

"He sustained nasty burns to his face and hands.

"They thought the flames had gone out and went to Torbay Hospital to treat him. He had a cooling gel applied on the burns."

The man revisited the hospital, Mr Leaman said.

He added: "He was very lucky.

"Our advice is always the same: never use an accelerant on a fire.

"It is the vapour from petrol which ignites.

"Here, vapour was pouring out from the can and it found the naked flame."

UK, A48 Incident May 2009 - The A48 reopened following a serious fire at Chaxhill Garage. Traffic was flowing freely although there were slight delays close to the garage itself.

Firefighters are now keeping a watching brief on the site.

The blaze affected the shop, garage and workshop, which were severely alight when the service arrived.

Two crews from Cinderford and two from Gloucester attended as well as the aerial appliance and the water carrier. Two crews remained on the scene.

Firefighters discovered an acetylene (gas) cylinder in the workshop, and their efforts were concentrated on cooling the cylinder.

The A48 was closed off between Elton Corner and Chaxhill and nearby residents were evacuated

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

UK, Shell fined record sum for fire safety breaches Oil giant Shell International Limited has been fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £45,000 in costs after pleading guilty to three breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005 in England and Wales – the largest fine imposed under the legislation to date.

London Fire Brigade prosecuted Shell following two small fires in the space of three weeks at its office complex in Central London. In the first incident, on 19 December 2006, 40 people evacuated the building and some 20 fire-fighters attended.

In the second incident, on 5 January 2007, cutting equipment set fire to insulation material.

An inspection carried out by the Brigade in January 2007 identified extensive breaches, including blocked escape routes and Fire Exits, defective Fire Doors and excessive Fire Loading. The Fire Loading had been dramatically increased because of refurbishments taking place on upper floors.

The Brigade served a Prohibition Notice on the Company, restricting

public and staff access to the Shell Tower and Basement Levels of the complex. The Notice was lifted three days later after the company remedied the fire safety failings.

It also found that Shell’s fire risk assessment for the site had not been reviewed or updated since March 2003.

In mitigation, Shell apologised for the shortcomings and said it had taken action to put things right. An independent review of fire safety plans and the condition of the building had also been carried out, it said.

UK, Wiltshire. Police staggered after man tries to torch petrol station An explosion at a petrol station was narrowly averted by quickacting police officers in Warminster after a pump containing gallons of unleaded fuel was set alight. Police were called to the Esso Garage in East Street by a dog walker who saw the fire being started.

Warminster inspector Dave Minty called it one of the most reckless acts he has ever seen and said the potential results could have been devastating. Only the actions of police officers, including Andy Lee, who were first on the scene and put the small fire out, prevented a tragedy.

Insp Minty said: “You don‘t need to be a brain surgeon to realise the damage it could have caused.

“They were very lucky that we got there as soon as we did. It clearly could have been considerably worse than what happened. “It has got to be one of the most reckless acts I have seen and it doesn‘t take a genius to work out that if it had gone up in flames the impact on the local community would have been huge.”

A spokesman for Esso confirmed the incident had taken place and said: “The police attended the scene just as an Esso sales assistant was reporting for duty.” Following the correct procedure for any incident at the site, she immediately alerted her manager, who went to the site as soon as possible. The pump, which has a burnt nozzle, has been sealed off to the public while the garage waits for contractors to fix it.

Warminster firefighters were called to the scene later to carry out a health and safety check.

Warminster retained fire station manager Chris Trimby said: ”It was a flammable liquid, the most flammable in fact, and had their been a fire there it would have been devastating. “It would probably have closed the station and the surrounding areas for several hours, I would have thought. “I would have hoped that it would have been confined to the forecourt area but obviously there are safety precautions that would have to be carried out.”

Neighbour Michael Porteous, of East End Avenue, said: “I did hear some noise over there. There was quite a lot of people around as well.

“I think it‘s quite scary but the question is, what security measures can they put in now to stop it happening again?” Tom Howlett, 17, of East End Avenue, added: “It would have been really bad, especially as we live so close to the petrol station. It‘s good the police managed to get there in time to stop it getting dangerous.” Simon White, 24, of George Street, Warminster, has been charged with arson. He has been released on conditional bail following an initial hearing at Chippenham Magistrates‘ Court. He will next appear at Swindon Crown Court on July 10.

UK, County Durham.

Motorist killed in pileup due to thick fog June - Fire fighters attending the accident described a scene of "absolute devastation". It is believed the first tanker braked in the dense mist and the car was shunted into the back of it by another tanker following behind, leaving the driver of the car fatally injured. With the car wedged between the tankers, one of which was leaking, paramedics and fire crews initially struggled to get close to the victim.

Durham Police said the incident began with a collision on the southbound carriageway of the A19, near Peterlee, shortly before 10.15pm. As police were dealing with the incident on the southbound carriageway a second series of collisions involving a further 18 vehicles took place on the northbound carriageway.

A third crash then took place on the Wellfield slip road involving three vehicles, one of which was a Vauxhall Astra police car involved in directing traffic.

A police

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NEWS

as a precaution.

Thirty-five people living at a nearby residential home were taken to Minsterworth Village Hall where volunteers from the WRVS were on hand to help.

Temporary accommodation was found.

The road remained closed for a considerable time, between 12 and 24 hours, as crews remained on the scene cooling the cylinder.

Drivers were advised to avoid the A48 entirely and use the A40 to get in and out of the Forest. Diversions inside the cordon area were along Goose Lane, Rodley Road and Stantway Lane.

Incident commander Derek Cross said: “We are now in a holding position as the fire is under control, but we will remain on the scene for some time.

“We have been cooling the acetylene cylinder for several hours, but we will need to continue doing this for anything between 12 and 24 hours.

“This is just a precaution, but we are not able to re-open the road or allow the residents back into their homes until we are sure that it is safe.”

NEWS

spokesman said there were not thought to be any casualties from these two subsequent incidents. He said: "Thick fog on the east coast is thought to have been a contributory factor in what happened and police are urging drivers to avoid the area." The spokesman said the officers on the scene reported that "too many motorists are failing to take heed of the conditions and are simply going too fast."

Fire fighters were quickly on the scene as crews at nearby Peterlee Fire Station heard the initial impacts.

Dave Turnbull, the fire officer in charge, told BBC Radio Newcastle: "My crews heard a series of loud bangs. "When they responded they found absolute devastation on the flyover adjacent to the fire station – 20 to 30 cars, a large number of HGVs, a petrol tanker and a large number of people trapped."

The North East Ambulance Service said a man, aged 47, suffered abdominal and shoulder injuries, while a 50-year-old man sustained head injuries. They were taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital, along with two other men in their late teens and two women with two children, who all suffered minor injuries. Two men aged 25 and 27 were taken to North Tees General Hospital with back and neck injuries.

Mr Turnbull, the on-call Group Manager for Durham and Darlington Fire Service, said: "It could have been a lot worse. When you have a scene like that, with so many vehicles involved, it's surprising more people weren't seriously hurt." The A19 was closed in both directions and is likely to remain closed for some time, police said. Officers from Durham are working with colleagues from Northumbria and Cleveland Police to investigate the series of crashes. Fire fighters were initially most concerned about an apparent leak from one of the tankers. A foam blanket was put down as a precaution but crews, with the help of the tanker drivers, soon realised the leak was from a short stretch of damaged pipe and amounted to only about 25 litres of fuel.

The officers said the crews had to cut away a 20m section of the central barrier of the dual carriageway so vehicles could be pulled away from the crush around the tankers. He said the cars and lorries had collided in a "concertina effect". Mr Turnbull said more than 50 fire fighters were called to the 18

scene, along with a series of specialist appliances. An operation to decant 60,000 litres of fuel from the two stricken tankers was mounted following the accident.

The officers said this stretch of the A19 was notoriously prone to poor visibility caused by fog rolling in from the sea.

UK, Shell opens it largest forecourt Shell’s largest UK Service Station recently opened at the new motorway services on the M40 at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, UK. With capacity to serve several hundred customers an hour and underground storage for 1.2mn litres of fuel, Shell Beaconsfield is reportedly the largest service station both in the Shell network and the UK overall.

The site has 36 forecourt pumps and 6 dedicated high-speed HGV Pumps totalling 152 nozzles. It forms part of the latest “Extra” motorway services facilities, which have been 16 years in the making and created 200 new jobs for people in the local area. The Service Station has been built with eco-friendly considerations, including the replanting of trees, waste reclaim units and foul water waste management and boasts a manmade lake, hotel complex and summer picnic area. Customers can expect to find outlets such as Starbucks, Marks & Spencer, WH Smith, McDonalds and the hotel Etap.

Greece, Athens. BP sells Greek assets to Hellenic Petroleum for US$500 million June Hellenic Petroleum Greece's biggest refiner, is set to bolster its leadership in the country's retail market after agreeing to buy petrol and storage assets from BP Plc for 359 million euros ($500 million).

The deal, which includes net debt of 40 million euros, gives Hellenic control over BP's 1,200 gas stations and oil storage facilities with a capacity of 170,000 cubic metres.

This would create a clear market leader in the fragmented retail fuel market, which consists of 21 companies, with none having a market share above 20 percent, according to figures by research institute IOVE. Hellenic chairman Efthymios

Christodoulou said the deal would also generate significant synergies.

"We have already secured financing through a bank loan," another company official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Hellenic's EKO unit is already market leader in Greece with a network of about 1,230 gas stations representing about 17 percent of the Greek market. Greece's overcrowded fuel retail market is heading for further consolidation. Royal Dutch Shell which controls about 13 percent, is also considering selling its gas station network in the country.

Hellenic Petroleum and Motor Oil Greece's second-biggest refiner, both expressed interest in Shell's assets last month. "After the BP deal, we're no longer interested in Shell," the Hellenic Petrol official said.

Under the deal with Hellenic, none of BP's about 400 workers in Greece will lose their jobs. BP will keep control of its jet fuel, lubricants and solar energy activities in the country.

The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval and other conditions, is expected to be completed toward the end of the year, BP said in a separate statement.

Bahrain, Manama.

Bapco to privatise 16 petrol stations Bapco's 16 petrol stations are to be privatised next year, Bahrain's Oil Minister has said. A joint stock company will be set up by the middle of next year as part of the programme, said Oil Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza. 'It will be listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange, and eventually offer shares to the public,' he told newspaper Gulf Daily News. 'The decision has been taken by the authority's board according to a study carried out by international consultancy firm, CRA. 'The study focused on assigning the management of the petrol stations to the new company.' CRA will also carry out the second stage of the study on the project capitalisation, he said. The privatisation is in line with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, he said. 'The Vision document calls for the private sector to take up a more active role in running vital projects.' There are 40 petrol stations of which 24 are owned by private businesses.

'However, Bapco supplies them with fuel and

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Bangladesh, Dhaka. 8 vehicles burnt as filling station catches fire A devastating fire swept through a city refuelling station, burning at least eight vehicles including an octaneladen lorry and injuring two people. The flames that rose up to 200 feet in the sky created severe panic among the commuters and eventually caused huge traffic congestion in the area. Reports of traffic jam came from Mohakhali and airport road when the report was being filed.

Eleven units of firefighters fought for around one and a half hours in life risk and doused the flames, which could be seen from distant localities. Refuelling station Amam Enterprise on Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani near Mohakhali interdistrict bus terminal caught fire around 5:00pm when the octaneladen lorry was unloading fuel to the underground reserved tank. The cause of the fire could not be known immediately as the lorry driver fled the scene.

Eyewitness Zobayer Hossain, manager of the station, told The Daily Star, "When octane was being unloaded from the lorry, I suddenly saw a fire in the pipeline and within seconds it engulfed the lorry." He said the lorry was loaded with 9,000 litres of octane, while there were 8,000 litres of diesel and around 3,000 litres of octane in the reserved tank.

Another witness Meer Akbar Hossain, owner of affected Akbar Motors-Workshops, said, "When the fire started someone drove the lorry away from the reserved tank. Fuel was still spewing from the lorry which spread in the area as the vehicle moved." "As the lorry was quickly driven away, the leaked fuel mainly fell on the road and flowed towards the slope," he added. "The burning fuel flowed through Satata Automobiles and Akbar Motors Workshop burning all the seven parked vehicles and other materials." Fire Service Deputy Director Abdur Rashid suspects the fire might have been originated from burning cigarette end. He said, "If the lorry was not driven away from the reserved tank, a huge explosion might have occurred causing a severer catastrophe in the area."

The witnesses said the firefighters fought hard to douse the flames in high risk as the octane-laden lorry could have exploded anytime. Fire service sources said they used fireextinguishing foam so that the flames could not spread. Four other refuelling stations and automobile centres in the area were shut down, while vehicular movement on the road from Mohakhali to Rainbow Crossing was halted completely.

As the road remained blocked, a severe traffic jam was created surrounding the roads till 7:00pm.

Moreover, thousands of curious people thronged the area hindering the activities of the firefighters.

Several hundred personnel from Rab and police had to struggle hard to control the curious people. Among the injured two, condition of Lokman, who was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, was stated to be critical, while the other could not be traced.

Australia, Sydney.

ExxonMobil to ditch 800 petrol stations ExxonMobil has placed its portfolio of 800 petrol stations on the market in a $500 million deal that would see the fuel giant leave the local petrol retailing market, according to The Australian Financial Review. The US based company has held talks with several interested parties, several of which have sought clearance from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and it is believed that the list of buyers has been cut down to a small number in recent weeks. The newspaper said it was not thought that ExxonMobil's sale would include Mobil's fuel refineries.

It is understood that ExxonMobil is running the sale process itself without external advisers. In late April, ExxonMobil, the world's largest publicly traded company, posted a 58 per cent drop in quarterly profit, missing Wall Street estimates, as the global recession sliced into demand for crude oil and depressed prices.

Exxon and other energy companies have seen oil and gas prices fall sharply from peaks last summer as consumption wanes and supplies swell. Crude oil in the first quarter averaged just over $US43 per barrel, down 56 per cent from the same quarter a year before, while the average price of natural gas in the United States slid 44 per cent. Still Exxon, unlike other peers that have

cut budgets or delayed big projects, is still spending more on oil and gas development. Exxon spent $US5.8 billion on exploration and development in the first quarter, up 5 per cent from a year earlier. "In spite of the dramatic changes to the global economic environment, Exxon Mobil is maintaining its longterm focus and disciplined approach to capital investment," Rex Tillerson, Exxon's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. Net profit in the firstquarter was $US4.55 billion, or 92 cents per share, compared with $US10.89 billion, or $US2.02 per share in the same quarter a year earlier.

Analysts on average had Exxon to report a profit of 95 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates. Oil and gas production in the quarter rose slightly from a year ago to 4.2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, in line with analysts' projections.

Upstream earnings slid 60 per cent to $US3.5 billion, while profit at the company's refining and marketing fell three per cent to $US1.13 billion.

NEWS

regulates their standards,' Dr Mirza added.

Finland, Helsinki.

Finnish retailer ST1 buys 198 Statoil stations April 2009 - Finnish fuel retailer St1 Oy confirmed that it had agreed to buy 198 unmanned filling stations in Sweden and Norway from Norwegian oil and gas producer StatoilHydro The deal, whose value was not revealed, envisages St1 purchasing 158 fuel distribution stations in Sweden, including 118 Hydro/Uno-X brand stations and 40 Jet-brand stations, as well as a further 40 Jet stations in Norway.

"The fuel distribution stations acquired in the Oslo region mark an important bridgehead for St1 on the Norwegian fuel market," St1 said in a statement.

"The company is exploring potential for expansion in Norway." St1 said the stations were well suited for its "practice of costefficient remote operations" and would up its fuels market share to 8 percent in Sweden and just under 5 percent in Norway. "Also, the net sales of the St1 Group will increase to about 1.5 billion euros ($1.98 billion)," it said.

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BOSS launches new website The British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) has unveiled its new website at www.bossuk.org.

PRESS RELEASES

The new site aims to provide BOSS’s police and petrol retail partners with a comprehensive information resource as well as informing visitors about the campaigning work that BOSS undertakes in order to combat crime on petrol station forecourts across Britain.

Kevin Eastwood, executive director of BOSS, said: “We are working hard to increase public awareness of BOSS and the work we carry out with our partners to combat forecourt crime. Our new website is an important part of that effort.”

For more information, please visit www.bossuk.org.

KPS launches nextgeneration pipe for LPG Market leading petrol pipe manufacturer KPS launches the firstever plastic pipe for LPG. The pipe will break new ground for the company, providing a world market potential valued at €3 million per annum.

KPS has brought its successful, ATEX-compliant pipe technology to the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fuel market. The LPG pipe, offering the same unique conductive properties as KPS’s petrol pipes, is set to be the new benchmark on the market.

The pipes presently used for LPG fuel are either made entirely from steel or from steel with a plastic coating, explains Fredrik Hellner, Sales & Marketing Director.

Corrosion, both external and internal, is a big problem and poses a significant risk for leakages and damage to cars and dispensers. Our 22

pipes are corrosion-free, and therefore offer considerable advantages in terms of both safety, durability and cost efficiency.

KPS’s LPG pipe is a 100 per cent plastic pipe with a permeation liner and a conductive inner layer.

Therefore, they are corrosion free and come at a very competitive price.

The semi-flexible pipes are easily rolled out on site from one end to the other, and no welding is needed.

“At a recent installation in France, the installation of our LPG pipes took less than one day, including pressure testing of the pipes”, Fredrik Hellner continues. This represents enormous savings in cost and time compared to other types of pipes.

Substantial growth opportunities Because of its green properties as a fuel, the market for LPG is growing at a rate of approximately 8 to 10 per cent per year. It is one of the most commonly used green fuels in Italy, Poland and Turkey, and is also on the rise in France, the United Kingdom and Germany – all key markets for KPS. LPG fuel is available at over 50 000 filling stations globally today, says Fredrik Hellner. Our new LPG pipe thus promises considerable growth opportunities and we estimate the market potential at €3 million per year.

The KPS LPG pipe will be presented at the Petrol Station 2009 exhibition in Warsaw between 6-8 of May and at AEGL in Vienna between 13-15 of May. For more information, please contact: Fredrik Hellner Sales & Marketing Director Fredrik.hellner@kpsystem.com Tel: +46 702 85 75 21

Janet Ashdown appointed president of UKPIA Janet Ashdown, head of UK Fuels for BP Oil UK, has been appointed President of the UK Petroleum Industry Association, the trade association representing the nine

main oil refiners in the UK. She succeeds the outgoing President Nick Thomas of ExxonMobil.

Janet joined BP as a graduate trainee in refining during the 1980s.

Since then she has undertaken a number of roles including product trading based in New York, London and Paris, and at BP's Corporate Headquarters in the Gas & Power and European Retail and Commercial Fuels Businesses.

Janet commented “I am delighted to be taking over as President in this the 30th anniversary year of UKPIA’s formation. I look forward to working with my fellow Council members and with the UKPIA Secretariat to address the big challenges facing the UK oil refining industry in continuing to provide the secure fuel supplies that we shall need in the future, as well as meeting the tough targets for greenhouse gas reduction under EU and UK laws.”

Petrol stations to install fume capture systems The harmful petrol vapour which escapes during the refuelling of cars at service stations will have to be captured according to a deal reached with the Council, which has been confirmed by the European Parliament. Petrol vapour contains benzene, which is known to cause cancer, and contributes to the formation of groundlevel ozone ('smog'), one of the air pollutants most damaging to human health and the environment.

The European Parliament confirmed a first-reading agreement reached in informal negotiations with Council which demands that stage II petrol vapour recovery technologies will become compulsory at new or renovated service stations with large throughput as of 1 January 2012.

Almost all service stations (small ones will be exempted) will be obliged to install these new technologies by 2018, 2 years earlier than proposed by the Commission.

An exception exists also for service stations used exclusively in association with the construction and delivery of new motor vehicles.

The Member States will draw drivers’ attention to the recovery systems by appropriate labelling of petrol pumps. They also have to lay down rules on effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties. According to Commission

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data, the EU numbers about 110,000 service stations that employ some 440,000 workers and have an annual turnover of some 250 billion euros.

The Commission will review the implementation of the directive by end 2014.

Background

PRESS RELEASES

Petrol contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that evaporate inside the fuel tank, filling the empty space in the tank above the fuel. As a vehicle is refuelled, these vapours are pushed out of the tank by the incoming fuel and, unless captured, escape into the atmosphere out of the top of the vehicle filler pipe. New technologies allow capturing this escaping vapour. This is done by creating a vacuum to suck back the vapour through the dispensing hose and nozzle, either to the station's underground storage tank or directly back to the fuel pump.

Petrol vapour recovery technologies are currently being introduced by several European countries.

An existing directive (1994/63) is already regulating the control of VOCs emissions from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations.

The report was adopted with 598 votes in favour, 13 against and 15 abstentions.

Contact : Constanze BECKERHOFF E-mail: envipress@europarl.europa.eu

Hytek launches new Alpha pump Hytek have launched a brand new version of their reliable Alpha fuel pump. The Alpha Mk2 incorporates over 13 improvements to the original Alpha design, whilst retaining the robust stainless steel cabinet design which has made Alpha fuel pumps so reliable since they were first launched in 2002.

Available in a choice of 50, 70 or 90 litres per minute pumping speed, Alpha Mk2 now comes with the option of a front nozzle holster which is ideal for use in tank cabinets, or where space is limited. Other improvements include a new aluminium nozzle holster, and a new nozzle switch that no longer needs a magnet in the nozzle trigger guard to operate. For safety, an optional built in hose retractor is also available.

Andy Seal, Sales Director for Hytek, explained the reasons for launching Alpha Mk2 by saying “over 1300 24

Alphas have been installed over the last 7 years, and with the new Mk2 version we have listened to customer feedback, and incorporated new design features which make the Alpha pump even easier to install and use.”

The backlit LCD display has a new opto-isolated relay to allow connection to all fuel management systems, and a reed relay option is still available. A new electronic calibration feature also means that the number of decimal places shown and pulse output type can be changed without having to draw a 20 litre measure to recalibrate.

For installers, Hytek has improved side and rear access with new panel mounts, and a new outlet pipe has been designed to take the strain away from the meter outlet. There is also easier access to both mains and pulser junction boxes with larger terminals allowing faster connection.

The Alpha is also available in a new B100 biodiesel version, and an Adblue version was also launched recently. Standard Alphas will pump diesel and up to B30 biodiesel, and there’s a resale model available too.

Nation’s First Class C UST operator training now on-Line Petroleum Training Solutions (PTS) announced another on-line training course for underground storage tank systems, this time for Class C

operators.

The course, called Fueling Station Safety is designed specifically for convenience store employees but is suited for anyone who may respond to an alarm or spill incident at a UST with fueling dispensers.

Class C operators are required to be trained in most states by August of 2012. In Oregon and California, that requirement is already in effect. By the end of 2009, Wyoming and Colorado Class C operators must be trained as well. Utah and New Mexico are looking to adopt earlier training deadline also.

A class C operator is anyone who is employed at a UST site whose duties may include identifying or responding to an alarm or emergency situation such as a spill or fire.

PTS created the course to fill the need for Class C training where UST owners needed a simple, standardized on-line solution. The course takes about 20 minutes and covers the basics of fueling hazards, and emergency and alarm response. Students answer a series of questions, interact with scenarios and take a quiz at the end. Those who pass can print a certificate of completion. User data and scores are maintained in the PTS on-line database.

The course retails for $12.99 per user. However, the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Associations (CWPMA) and the Oregon Petroleum Association (OPA) have teamed up with PTS to help sponsor the course in their states. Members of those groups get a 3-dollar per user discount. And PTS offers bulk discount for companies with large number of class C operators.

Mark Larson, executive director of CWPMA, said “Because of the turnover retailers experience with employees, the Class C operator training will be the most frequently utilized program. PTS understands this and has developed a comprehensive, yet simple… and almost entertaining…product that anyone can use anytime, day or night. Say “Goodbye” to any concerns you had about repetitive Class C operator training!”

Dave Dodson of Sheetz , Altoona,

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PRESS RELEASES

PA, said “The program is awesome. It is very accurate and covers all of the requirements in an easy to use format that is understandable for all types of store employees. The timing and pace is fine. I think you guy's hit a home run with this approach.”

Recently, Petroleum Training Solutions launched the nation’s first ever state-approved on-line operator training for Class A and B operators in Colorado. Instructor and PTS partner Ben Thomas led about 50 attendees through 8 hours worth course material May 5-6, 2009.

To learn more about the course, go to www.petroleumtrainingsolutions.co m/classc.html For more information about our webinars, call 001 866-301-8265 or email Ben@PetroleumTrainingSolutions.com

New scheme launched to drive down forecourt crime

committed to working in partnership with others to reduce crime and bring criminals to justice.

Fuel theft is not a victimless crime and has an impact on consumers, retailers and the police.

“Forecourt watch is the first operation in the county between police, BOSS and independent petrol retailers and will lead to positive changes in the way we manage forecourt crime – driving down fuel theft, increasing the number of detections and making this business environment a safer place for staff and customers alike.”

Between September 2007 and 2008, there were 499 recorded incidents of making off without payments – known as ‘bilkings’ – across Norfolk, with a key period for offences shown as late afternoon and early evening.

Research also shows that bilking offences are often linked to offenders or vehicles involved in other types of crime and to disqualified drivers, those without insurance, tax or MOT, or vehicles with false number plates.

BOSS Forecourt Watch documentation for the recording and notifying of ‘drive-offs’ and ‘no

means of payment’ incidents will be provided to staff at all forecourts taking part in the scheme. This enables petrol service stations to work in conjunction with police and BOSS to help bring offenders to justice.

High visibility stickers and posters on the forecourt itself will raise awareness among customers and potential thieves that Forecourt Watch is in operation and making off without payment is a criminal offence.

Service stations registered with the scheme will also benefit from sharing information with police and each other on suspects, vehicles and known offenders – to maximise disruption and detection of offences.

Tom Sterling, BOSS Regional Coordinator, says: “Drive-offs and No Means of Payment incidents cost the UK petrol industry approximately £30 million every year. By building successful partnerships with local police, petrol retailers and other agencies through initiatives such as the BOSS Forecourt Watch schemes, we are able to deter and prevent crime on petrol forecourts. Our aim is to maintain petrol stations as a safe environment for customers and staff.”

The scheme will be rolled out at stations identified by police analysis as vulnerable, either through location or recorded incidents.

For further information about BOSS please visit www.bossuk.org

Thieves who fill up and drive-off from petrol stations are the target of a new scheme launched by police and industry partners.

Norfolk Constabulary has joined forces with The British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) and independent retailers to introduce Forecourt Watch across the county.

The scheme creates a closer link between police, BOSS and retail staff to increase awareness, prevention and the reporting and recording of incidents.

The Norfolk Forecourt Watch scheme, being rolled out to more than 40 key stations across the county, is the latest addition to the 70 schemes already operating throughout the UK. Marking the launch of the scheme at Shell Sweet Briar petrol station in Norwich, Chief Superintendent Bob Scully said: “Norfolk Constabulary is 26

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

The directors of Cameron Forecourt Ltd are delighted to announce that Martyn Gent has joined their senior management team in the capacity of Sales and Marketing Manager.

fortunes of the company”.

For further details of the full range of products and services offered by Cameron Forecourt please contact:martyngent@cameronforecourt.co.uk www.cameron-forecourt.co.uk

Adler & Allan 2009 contract wins Adler and Allan, one of the UK’s oil and environmental service groups is delighted to announce three major customer contract renewals. This proves once again that ‘speed, service and environmental integrity’ are key to best customer practice and our on-going success.

IWJS, the water jetting and industrial cleansing division of the Adler and Allan Group were awarded the water jetting contract with Anglian Water continuing a 20 year relationship. National Grid awarded a 5 year contract to Adler and Allan for spill response and hazardous waste across the UK and BP Logistics awarded a 3 year contract for emergency response.

Henry Simpson, Commercial Director said: “This is very good news for us and reinforces our position in the market across a number of different sectors. This is what we are best at, providing a range of solutions and delivering compliant and efficient service.”

Henry added: “We were also delighted to win a term contract with Esso for Tier 2 response to UK terminals and pipelines and an extension to our Environment Agency Southern Region hazardous waste contract. And with a number of other potential contracts in the pipeline, we can expect a good 2009.”

Martyn, who will be known to many of you from his 22 years with Meggitt Petroleum Services as Business Development Director and more recently his service with Gilbarco Veeder Root as UK Commercial Manager brings much valuable experience to the company.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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PRESS RELEASES

Cameron Forecourt Ltd appoint Martyn Gent as Sales & Marketing Manager

C a m e r o n Forecourt offers a turnkey package of high quality design, installation and maintenance services to both the retail and commercial sectors of the i n d u s t r y .

M a n a g i n g Director, Tony Jenner, says “Our Company has always been lead from an engineering and q u a l i t y perspective, with sales and marketing being very much a secondary activity.

With Martyn on board we can adopt a progressive sales policy which will give the company the exposure that it deserves”.

Martyn is very enthusiastic about his new role, and explains “Having worked with large organisations I am really looking forward to the more flexible approach to business adopted by the team at Cameron Forecourt. The company, which employs approximately 50 staff, is just the right the size to be able to adapt to the ever changing requirements of its many customers.

I’m sure that by introducing and maintaining a focused approach to sales and marketing I will be able to make a real difference to the

15th October The Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK

The Ricoh Arena, Coventry, is set to open its doors to the APEA’s annual conference, exhibition and awards dinner on 15th October 2009. More than 300 delegates from oil companies, retailers, supermarkets, consultancies, contractors, regulators and suppliers are all signed up to take part in this year’s prestigious industry event.

event program..

0900 1000

Registration and exhibition opens Conference opens

conference What’s Coming Next?

Strategies for the Downstream Fuel Industry Opening Remarks Gareth Bourhill, APEA Chairman

ARTICLES

Developing the infrastructure for UK light vehicle electrification Andrew Haslett, Strategy Director, Energy Technologies Institute The European BioFuels Directive and its impact on filling stations Hugh Tucker, Technical Director, UKPIA BP and Biofuels: lessons learned so far Rex May, European Logistics Engineering Authority, BP UK Oil and groundwater don’t mix! Protecting groundwater from hydrocarbon storage Mark Morton, Policy Advisor, The Environment Agency Shop-Fabricated Aboveground Storage Tanks: The Florida Experience Marshall Mott-Smith, President, Mott-Smith Consulting Group, LLC The Above ground fuelling station Roger Wyatt, Terence Barker 1230 1300 1330 1600 1830 2000 0100

Conference Sponsored by Conference closes Lunch APEA AGM Exhibition closes Exhibition re-opens for Welcome Drinks around the exhibition stands Awards dinner Carriages

Book a delegate place online at www.openroomevents.com 30

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Exhibiting Companies ...

Abfad Adler & Allan ARID CSD Sealing Systems D. Berry & Co (PFS) D P Fuel Tank Services Dresser Wayne Durapipe ELAFLEX Energy Level Systems E&S Environmental Services Eurotank Environmental Fairbanks Franklin Fueling Systems Gilbarco Veeder-Root Graphite (UK) Hytek Inspectahire King Tanktechnic KPS LCM Environmental Ledbury Welding & Engineering Leighton O’Brien LIS (North Western) Nupigeco S.P.A. OAMPS Petrocom Petroman Environmental Services PetroTechnik PFS Pumptronics Risbridger Scheidt & Bachmann SLR Consulting Suresite Tanknology Terence Barker Tokheim Torex Toureen Mangan Urgent technologies

the conference...

With an ever-increasing demand for environmental solutions, this year’s conference kicks off with a presentation from Andrew Haslett of Energy Technologies Institute. Andrew will be discussing the challenges faced for UK light vehicle electrification, addressing the issue of “how to make battery vehicles and hybrids attractive to UK consumers” UKPIA’s Hugh Tucker will look at the supply of road fuels and the use of Biofuels over the next 10 years and the challenges this will bring to the downstream oil industry. Whilst Hugh looks into the future, our next speaker

Andrew Haslett Energy Technologies

Rex May of BP UK, will be assess the lessons learnt so far from Biofuels and whether being Green can ever be easy Mark Morton at The Environment Agency will draw our focus to protecting current sources from pollution, the risks to groundwater from hydrocarbon storage and how the Environment Agency is working with the industry.

Mark predicts that this may be a contentious issue with competing regulation and differing needs from a variety of sectors.

into the US experience of shop-fabricated tanks for emergency power generation while Roger Wyatt on behalf of Terence Barker will talk about

Roger Wyatt Terence Barker

the use of aboveground tank systems suitable for forecourts here in the UK.

new exhibitors for 2009...

The growth and popularity of the APEA exhibition is demonstrated this year by a raft of new exhibitors, proving that even in these economic times, this event is an important date on the industry calendar.

KPS is one of the leading manufacturers of flexible petrol pipes.

Based in Sweden, the company has offices and distributors across the globe and founded its UK operation in 1990. They will be exhibiting their full range of conductive single wall and double wall petrol piping, leak detection systems, and the world’s first LPG plastic pipe system. Stand B3 First-time exhibitors from Australia, Leighton O’Brien provide total tank management solutions for the global petroleum industry. They offer a unique consolidated service that allows clients to outsource the management of their storage tank network. Find out about their range of 4 interlocking services on stand B7.

ARID Technologies, based in the US, is recognised for its PREMEATOR unit which reduces gasoline evaporative losses from storage tanks.

It’s a “back-end” vapour containment system with an overall vapour recovery efficiency of 99.3% as confirmed by third-party testing.

View the system on stand C4.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Marshall Mott-Smith of Mott-smith Consulting Group will give us an insight

Petrocom (stand C8) will be launching some new services including a pipe line inspection system that can monitor the deterioration of a pipe from the inside, the dewatering of underground storage tanks and remote tank cleaning without the need to remove the tank lid. The environment is a key factor in the way the company operates and they are delighted to be sponsoring the Environment Award. “Retailers and contractors have a huge responsibility to protect the environment and sponsoring this award gives us the opportunity to recognise the tremendous effort made by companies large and small that often goes unnoticed” Louise Morgan, Petrocom.

your chance to enter the awards..

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Nominations for the APEA industry awards have kicked off to a good start, with the new online entry procedure making it even easier for your company to be recognised for its achievements. The Customer Care Award is sponsored by Torex: “As a supplier to the petroleum and convenience sector, we see the importance of customer service. Indeed, at the heart of our performance promise is the belief that the better the service our clients receive from us, the better the service their customers will receive from them. This award highlights how customer service impacts on the business, which in turn brings customer loyalty.” Richard Quarmby, Vice President Petroleum & Convenience The entry deadline is 7th September and entries can be submitted online at: www.apea.org.uk.

an evening of entertainment..

The welcome drinks, sponsored by Eurotank Environmental, will take place for the first time around the exhibition stands. This format allows the exhibitors access to around 600 dinner guests, providing “healthy networking opportunities” says Edward Wheeler, Managing Director, Eurotank.

PetroTechnik will again be sponsoring the post-dinner entertainment and this year they have personally selected the act, promising a fantastic evening. As a major sponsor, PetroTechnik will also be participating in the exhibition with a showcase of their complete liquid-tight underground fuel system. This includes their tank-top chambers which can be preinstalled, fitted out and tightness tested onto Cookson and Zinn tanks before arriving at site which reduces site downtimes and costs and eliminates the problem of flooded chambers.

where to stay...

Over 600 rooms of varying budget ranges have been reserved for APEA delegates within a 10minute drive of the conference centre. Booking your accommodation this year couldn’t be easier: go to www.conferencebookings.co.uk/delegate/CVNAPEA2009 or email Jackie on j.fallon@cvone.co.uk or call 02476 607 010 (quoting APEA).

To book your place at the event, visit www.openroomevents.com or email hannah@openroomevents.com 32

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

The prestigious APEA Awards, now in their fourth year, continue to recognise and reward those organisations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in their areas of expertise. However in response to your constructive feedback we are introducing some improvements this time around..

• Application on the web. This year there will be two ways to submit your application; in addition to completing the downloadable form as in previous years you will now be able to register online and complete your applications on the APEA website allowing you to save your work and return later to finish your submission. Our aim is to make the application process as straightforward as possible.

• APEA Award judged by APEA members. The APEA Award does belong to all members, so this year we are introducing a members voting system whereby you will be invited to select your favourite from the shortlist. This will take place in advance of the Awards event with individual members and corporate member nominated persons being eligible to vote by email or fax.

• Self nominate or be nominated. Several members have expressed their reluctance to promote themselves, but would gladly complete the application form if a 3rd party thought they were good enough and contacted the APEA to nominate them. We also feel that there are many worthy entries amongst our members which would otherwise remain unpublicised. So we will be encouraging all members who are customers, service users, other stakeholders or 3rd party observers to identify organisations, individuals, projects and initiatives which merit recognition and to simply nominate them. We will do the rest.

• Who are the Judges. We had an excellent response to our invitation to members to become Awards Judges to ensure a healthy turnover on the judging panel. There are 15 judges who each sit on 2 or 3 category panels; our process is highly transparent and judging entirely democratic.

Thank you to all of our judges who give freely of their time and expertise; they are: Louise Morgan (Petrocom) Daniel Nolan (Toreen Mangan) Peter Murfitt (Coteba) Anton Martinuissen (Elaflex) Richard Quarmby (Torex) Bryan Catcheside (Fire Risk Management) Steve Wenham (Environment Agency)

John Hazeldean (The HSE) Peter Brough (Manor Service Stations) Rob Tunnicliff (P.O & Environmental Health) Brian Baker (P.O. & Building Control) Phil Monger (PRA & PEIMF) Geoff Lee (Cookson & Zinn) Nobby Clarke (E&S Env Services) Mark J Orr (LCM Environmental).

“The panel was drawn from different branches of the industry so that we had a variety of opinions from regulators, manufacturers and retailers which led to a healthy debate and a balanced assessment of the submissions”.

“I have very much enjoyed being part of the judging panel for the APEA Awards and am glad that I have been able to make a practical contribution to the work of the organisation in this way”.

“To participate as a judge is a privilege as well as both challenging and rewarding”.

“As far as the judging panel is concerned, every application stands the same chance of success, irrespective of the size of the organisation involved but, crucially, final decisions are made on the depth of the information provided in support of the application. The scoring system, in combination with final round table discussion, provides both the focus and fairness necessary to determine the worthy winner”.

“The process has been very open with every judge having the time to express their opinion, and having it taken into account. I think the idea of giving marks out of, particularly fair and democratic with every judge’s views given precisely equal weight”.

The APEA’s Awards organiser, Bob Conlin, urges members to get involved. “Do play your part in ensuring that we identify, recognise and celebrate the best of the best in our industry”.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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• Increased coverage. All shortlisted entries will be featured in the Bulletin, on the website and throughout the Awards ceremony

Erskine - Chosen Charity for APEA 2009 Dinner-15th Oct

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Founded in 1916, Erskine is one of the largest ex-Service charities in the United Kingdom, with five care homes, four commercial businesses that provide employment to disabled veterans and 57 cottages.

Every year the charity cares for over 1350 veterans young and old covering a range of conflicts from WWII up to and including the current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Over the past 93 years more than 75,000 ex-Service personnel have been cared for.

As a charity they rely heavily on the voluntary support of individuals and business organisations to ensure that our ex-Service men and women receive the care they so richly deserve. As shown in the personal stories below, Erskine provides a haven for our heroes of the past and the present.

Stephen Keeling, RN, aged 88 Stephen Keeling’s wartime experiences are a testament to the courage and determination of our ex-Service men and women to fight for freedom at all costs. Now 88, Stephen began his naval career at the tender age of 15, joining up before the war in 1937. He became an Able Seaman on his eighteenth birthday.

When war broke out in 1939 his ship was lying in Alexandra Harbour and Stephen still thinks about it to this day. His first job was to paint the ship in camouflage and load supplies and food onto the ship before they set sail for Scotland and Northern Patrol.

The ship patrolled the area between Scotland and Iceland, stopping food and supplies going into Germany.

Stephen served as an Anti-Aircraft Gunner at this time and he remembers two very important missions amongst the convoy patrols 34

and escorts: bringing King Haakon to safety from Norway to Scotland after the German invasion and escorting Winston Churchill across the Atlantic.

After this the crew went back to Plymouth and received orders to intercept a German convoy.

Stephen said: “Our ship, which was named HMS Charybdis from Greek mythology, was hit by two torpedoes. It sunk and 500 men died as a result. I was one of the lucky ones who survived. I was picked up drifting in the water.”

Stephen was sent on survivors’ leave and in 1941 retrained as a diver in the Navy in Scotland. It was his job to go under water and free wires that had been tangled up in the screws of ships.

After his spell in Scotland, Stephen was sent to the port at Colombo, Ceylon, which came under attack from the Japanese and was heavily bombed. Stephen and his fellow divers were involved in a rescue mission to salvage a sunken Hectors ship blocking the entrance to the harbour.

When the atom bombs were dropped on Japan, Stephen was on HMS Glenairn. He said: “This event signalled the end of the war. We sailed to the port of Kure which was approximately one kilometre from Hiroshima. We were unaware that the fallout of the atom bomb was dangerous and during this time I surveyed the sunken Japanese ships that had been bombed.”

Now living at the Edinburgh Erskine Home, Gilmerton, Stephen enjoys the camaraderie of the ex-Service community. He said: “There is a common bond between us. We don’t speak much of our experiences but we’ll always remember doing our bit and serving our country. It’s a far cry from the life of young people today.”

Joanna Martin, RAuxAF (retired), former resident Flight Lieutenant Joanna Martin PMRAFNS (RAuxAF) (retired) was a member of 612 (County of Aberdeenshire) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force for 9 years.

Initially she joined the Squadron as a Staff Nurse, Specialising in Intensive Care Nursing, then following her commission, became a Nursing Officer.

In 2003 she was “called up” to active service (Deployed) as part of Operation TELIC 1 (2nd Gulf War) and served in Kuwait and Iraq for 3 months. In her civilian career, Flt Lt Martin was a senior nurse manager in the ICU Department of the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank. Joanna was a keen and loyal member of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and was due to be “called up” again for further service in Iraq in Dec 2005.

However, in December 2005 she sustained an accident during military training, the severity of which resulted in her confinement to a wheelchair. A very fit and sports loving person before her accident, Joanna has carried this on since and her current training and fitness regime is much admired and an example to all!

Joanna has been an inspiration to everyone who knows her, by the resolute and determined manner in which she has fought back from her injury with the greatest of courage and fortitude. She remained a member of the Squadron until her discharge on medical grounds in January 2007 and in March 2007 she was formally “Dined out” by the 612 Squadron Officers at their dinner in the Officers Mess at RAF Leuchars, where she was presented with a miniature medal and a Squadron Plaque. 612 Squadron fundraising efforts, spearheaded by Cpl Steve Stewart (Medical Assistant – 612 Sqn) culminated in the presentation of a cheque to Joanna.

Joanna, who spent two years rehabilitating at The Erskine Home, Bishopton, now leads an independent lifestyle within her own specially-adapted home. She also continues to work with Erskine in a voluntary capacity as well as supporting its efforts to care for exService men and women.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

THE ASSOCIATION FOR PETROLEUM AND EXPLOSIVES ADMINISTRATION

Company Number: 2261660

ABBREVIATED ACCOUNTS

For the year ended 31 December 2008

I N D E X (page 1) Page No: 1

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE COMPANY

2

ABBREVIATED BALANCE SHEET

3/4

NOTES TO THE ABBREVIATED ACCOUNTS

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR PETROLEUM AND EXPLOSIVES ADMINISTRATION UNDER SECTION 247B OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985

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We have examined the abbreviated accounts set out on pages 2 to 4, together with the financial statements of The Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration for the year ended 31 December 2008 prepared under Section 226 of the Companies Act 1985.

This report is made solely to the company, in accordance with Section 247B of the Companies Act 1985.

Our work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company those matters we are required to state to it in a special auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTORS AND THE AUDITOR The directors are responsible for preparing the abbreviated accounts in accordance with Section 246 of the Companies Act 1985. It is our responsibility to form an independent opinion as to whether the company is entitled to deliver abbreviated accounts prepared in accordance with Sections 246(5) and (6) of the Act to the Registrar of Companies and whether the accounts to be delivered are properly prepared in accordance with those provisions and report our opinion to you.

BASIS OF OPINION We have conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 2006/3 “The special auditor’s report on abbreviated accounts in the United Kingdom” issued by the Auditing Practices Board. In accordance with that Bulletin we have carried out the procedures we consider necessary to confirm, by reference to the financial statements, that the company is entitled to deliver abbreviated accounts and that the abbreviated accounts to be delivered are properly prepared. The scope of our work for the purpose of this report did not include examining or dealing with events after the date of our report on the financial statements.

OPINION In our opinion the company is entitled to deliver abbreviated accounts prepared in accordance with Sections 246(5) and (6) of the Companies Act 1985, and the abbreviated accounts have been properly prepared in accordance with that provision.

ENSORS Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditors 46 St Nicholas Street IPSWICH IP1 1TT 27 May 2009 APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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ABBREVIATED BALANCE SHEET (page 2)

As at 31 December 2008 Note

2008 £

2007 £

2

2,147

1,349

50,295 285,242

73,974 270,201

335,537

344,175

CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year

113,112

114,720

NET CURRENT ASSETS

222,425

229,455

NET ASSETS

224,572

230,804

8,840

8,840

Profit and loss account

215,732

189,598

MEMBERS’ FUNDS

224,572

198,438

FIXED ASSETS Tangible Assets

CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Cash at bank and in hand

CAPITAL AND RESERVES

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Capital reserve

These abbreviated accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part VII of the Companies Act 1985.

Approved by the board on 27 May 2009 and signed on its behalf:

M J Silmon Director

The notes on pages 3 and 4 form part of these financial statements.

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APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

NOTES TO THE ABBREVIATED ACCOUNTS (page 3) For the year ended 31 December 2008 1.

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

a)

Basis of Accounting The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Small Entities (effective January 2007).

b)

Tangible Fixed Assets Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off the cost of each asset over its estimated useful life: Computer and Office Equipment Fixtures and Fittings

– 33 1/3% on cost – 25% Reducing Balance

Foreign Currencies Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. All differences are taken to the profit and loss account.

d)

Cash Flow Statement The company qualifies as a small company under the Companies Act 1985. The directors have elected to take advantage of the exemption under FRS1 not to prepare a cash flow statement.

e)

Financial instruments Financial instruments are classified and accounted for, according to the substance of the contractural arrangement, as either financial assets, financial liabilities or equity instruments. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

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c)

NOTES TO THE ABBREVIAED ACCOUNTS (page 4) For the year ended 31 December 2008 2.

TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Computer & Office Equip £

Cost At 1 January 2008 Additions

3.

Fixtures & Fittings £

Chairmans’ Jewel £

Total £

5,568 -

5,679 -

1,346

11,247 1,346

At 31 December 2008

5,568

5,679

1,346

12,593

Depreciation At 1 January 2008 Charge for the year

5,269 150

4,629 263

135

9,898 548

At 31 December 2008

5,419

4,892

135

10,446

Net Book Value At 31 December 2008

149

787

1,211

2,147

At 31 December 2007

299

1,050

-

1,349

COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE The company is limited by guarantee. In the event of the company being wound up, each member has undertaken to contribute such amount as may be required, but not exceeding £1, to the assets of the company.

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History of Petrol Stations Part 11 – Canopies

By Brian Baker Of all the components that make up a standard petrol filling station, the feature known as the canopy has got to be regarded as the

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youngest to appear in the early 1950’s when it was thought that by providing a little weather protection above the centrally mounted “kiosk”, the attendant would at least have some protection against the

elements such as wind, rain and snow. Prior to this most petrol was sold from hardware shops.

Perhaps the big change came

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about when attended self service was introduced into the UK in 1963 at Plymouth and shortly afterwards at Southwark Bridge road in London.

The attended self service method of operation originated from Stockholm in Sweden in 1960 but no confirmation can be established except from a reprint of a “Bulletin” article from late 1963 but it is safe to assume the timings are about right.

One of the early designs was the “Gullwing” canopy This was to see the first “raised” s t r u c t u r e appearing on a forecourt. The concept was quickly copied and in this time, the late 1960’s, it was established that not only were customers afforded some protection against bad weather but each of the oil companies could develop its own brand and image making them instantly recognisable to the motorist, especially after decades of attended service.

Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s these same oil companies established their branding along w i t h enhancing t h e presence

of the pole sign, another key feature in branding and the promotion of the high street petrol retailer. One notable feature was the use of three polygon rings developed by Mobil that made that particular brand stand out until 1985 at Romford when a burger van converted from a London ambulance entered the site to re-fuel whilst the pilot light to its cooking range remained alight.

An ignition of vapour occurred that rapidly spread to a dispenser and support column and soon after caused ignition to the canopy and polygon rings within

a few minutes which in turn caused burning droplets of ignited plastic to fall onto the forecourt giving an increased risk of fire and explosion to the fuel installation on site.

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image by a fresh appeal. The BP “Helios” logo is just one example as the canopy and the pole sign was made to become more of a dominant feature than ever before.

Solar power also made its appearance in the late 1990’s at a

BP site at Bedford using an imaginative way to capture energy from the sun by using photo-voltaic panels clipped together to obtain direct current that can be converted to alternating current by means of a transformer on site.

A further development u s i n g alternatives happened in 2005 when wind turbines were introduced onto two canopies by Sainsbury’s and BP respectively.

The issue of canopy i g n i t i o n occurred again in 2002 when a fire broke out on a canopy at Western Lane, Hammersmith in London when 16 metres of “Bull Nose” fascia ignited and again, molten plastic fell onto the forecourt

with potentially disastrous results. The same issue was found where Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) were used i n s i d e polycarbonate tubing clipped onto the canopy fascia. Rainwater had entered the polycarbonate tubing causing an ignition that spread to extruded acrylic.

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Further examination after the fire revealed that extruded acrylic had been used and as a result national guidance was amended as well as the UK’s building regulations.

It was the late 1980’s that saw a shift in the UK fuel market with the emergence of the supermarket and a move away from town centre retail shopping. This single act was to change the fuel market forever with cut price fuel on offer like nothing before.

The response of the mainstream oil industry was to fight back in recruiting retailers that could heavily promote what each of the oil companies could offer by a more imaginative use of branding and

Today canopy designs have become more ambitious as evidenced on the cover page of this issue that make an interesting variety that either pleases the eye or becomes an eyesore. Either way let us allow innovation to continue.

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“A Day in the Life"

By Patrick Smith, Suffolk Trading Standards

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So just what is a typical day for someone working in Trading Standards? I have to tell you that there is no such thing.

For me a day might be spent dealing with food past its “Use By” date or farmers wanting advice on what paperwork they need to move their livestock or “I have trouble with this credit agreement is it legal ?” Or a raid on a house full of dodgy DVDs, iffy characters and bundles of £20 notes.

And this is a small proportion of the enforcement that we do. In the nearly 40 years of working here in Suffolk I don’t believe there have been many days that were repeats. Then somebody says they want to sell E85 at their petrol site and can they have permission …… and apparently I’m the expert !!

So, we will select a day out as a Petroleum Officer. This is not an exact day, this is not even a typical day, this is merely one representative of the work that we may cover. These events have happened in Suffolk and continue to happen.

I switch my phone on and immediately receive a call.

“Sorry for the late notice the new tanks are going in today”. ”When?”

“At about 12.00”.

Thinking hard I put together a days work in that direction. I had expected this call of course but not knowing when to plan my work is always disruptive. I need to be at the site when the tanks go in but I need to be able to justify other work in the area. Suffolk is a big county and from my base some sites are a 4 hour round trip. Why cant they give me more notice? After all somebody must have known that this was likely to happen today.

I do find generally there is a failure of those managing the work to keep Petroleum Officers informed. Worse they mess us about by giving wholly spurious dates for work and then fail to tell us that this has changed so we turn up to find that the events have been put back to next Thursday or some such. On the whole PO’s are 44

practical ordinary people and we understand the difficulties faced on a work site. However we would not be human if the level of cooperation did not go down the more we are messed about.

I find generally the bigger the company the worse and the more arrogant they are at talking to you.

One company sent me plans recently for a new site in Bury St Edmunds. What they actually provided for me to approve were for another site in Bristol. After 90 minutes looking at the plans and finding several major problems I sent an email back listing the defects only to be told by return that the specifications had changed from the proposals they sent me yesterday.

However I don’t say that just about petrol retailers, I find that across the board of all companies.

Give me the bloke or lady who runs their own business over a multinational anytime. Because they are in touch as they personally have something to lose.

In the event I am able to formulate a days work and this is it.

First stop is a full inspection at a site that we have not been to for a while. It is a dealer owned petrol station who sell cars for their main business and fuel as a secondary concern, just to get punters in. The Environment Agency website revealed that they had a river 100 yards away, with water extraction boreholes half a mile down stream.

The tanks are single skin steel and about 1990 vintage.

I called them and gave an hours notice that I was to turn up and was greeted by the site manager.

The inspection revealed they were only dipping their tanks once a week if that and they were relying almost entirely on the dead reckoning of the pump readings for their loss adjustment.

The accountant had not been happy with the wetstock records they previously kept and had set up a new system. He now was happy that it prevented theft and had gone no further.

Where is the petrol interceptor?

No answer. They don’t know.

Apparently from the records it has been checked but they don’t know where it is.

Is there a site plan? Yes, but it does not cover the interceptor.

“So can you show me Pete’s (the competent person in control at the moment) training records.

“No.” “Where are they” “Some where in the office”.

“Can you find them please” While they search I wander around the shop. If I were a retailer I would do all I could to prevent somebody from Trading Standards roaming bored around my premises.

5 Minutes later “I’ve got them” “Thanks, by the way I have found some sandwiches and yoghurt beyond their use-by date and you have lost your tobacco under age notice. Can you show me what checks you make to ensure your food stock rotation works and your tobacco refusals list? Now let me see the training records”.

Further discussions reveal that a DSEAR risk assessment has been made by an independent body 3 years ago. This sits pristine in its envelope it is clear that nobody has actually looked at the results or attended to any of the recommendations.

I count at least 4 major breaches of legislation any one of which could line them up for a court appearance.

I have a choice of what action to take: • I could issue an Advice Notice requiring the remedial work to be done. This notice has no legal standing and cannot be used to compel any work.

•I could issue a formal Improvement Notice detailing the work to be done. Failure to comply with this is an offence.

• I could issue a formal Prohibition Notice. These are used mostly for imminent dangers and require immediate action. Again failure to comply with this constitutes an offence.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

sometimes a bit iffy and they were considering the use of an over ground tank.

I had purposely delayed my visit knowing the rebuild tank delivery was coming up soon.

At the course I discussed with the Secretary what their plans were and we came to an agreement as to the best siting for a new 1000 litre, double skin, over ground tank for their grass cutters. Security was a problem as the area was all common land. However we settled on keeping it in a very well ventilated remote shed, laid on a concrete pad, in a compound which could be locked at night.

Fine.

The next call was to a farm site. 30 Years ago 70% of Petroleum Licenses issued in Suffolk were to farm sites.

Now that number is down to only 35% of a much reduced overall total.

Old records seem to suggest that during the second quarter of 1943 there was a massive increase in the installation of petrol tanks in Suffolk.

So much so that by 1960 50% of all our sites across the county had been put in during that quarter. Almost all of them at about 2270 litres or 1135 litres capacity. That is 500 & 250 gallons for those of us who don’t speak French.

There are still a few left, mostly with hand pumps, Gilbert & Barker, Tokheim, Beck, Vickers and a few others, put in when the ubiquitous grey Fergy ruled. Tractors now are a different matter entirely and many tanks have been converted to diesel or lost out through leaks.

Farm sites present their own problems.

How can you do wetstock when you don’t have a clue how much has been delivered by the pump.

Dipsticks of wood or rubber or not at all.

“Well I run her dry and then order” “An assessment? What do you mean by an assessment?”

“Training, well I suppose I know what to do. Mother uses it of course as she has done for 50 years.”

This one is to be disposed of and not before time. I examine the vent pipe. It is thin and soars up to the majestic height of about 6 feet. It ends in a small “T” piece and is held up by the adjacent wall. I notice

that the base where it goes into the ground is rotted away completely and it has been venting to air at an approximate height of 1 inch.

However they want to extend the barn and that there tank has to go. I advise on what needs to be done and who they need to do it. “No just digging around the tank and hooking the fill pipe to the John Deere is not an option.” Later when the excavation is completed you can see why this tank lasted. Like other things produced by “Austerity” Britain it is basic, simple and built like the proverbial brick out house. The metal must be half an inch thick. Try asking modern tank builders to come up with steel of those dimensions on such a small tank too.

Then off to a revisit at a petrol site that had problems especially with its interceptors. Somebody had found that when the tankers arrived their tyres had damaged the channelling near the off-sets and had the bright idea to fill them in with tarmac. I had left an Advice Note in the usual way but now when I return I am told that the company that owns the site will no longer do remedial work that is not on an Improvement or Prohibition Notice. Fair enough I thought if they want to play hard ball I can do that as well.

I could issue an Improvement Notice but I would have to give them 28 days to do the work and that is far too long to allow unintercepted deliveries.

I could issue a Prohibition Notice but perhaps not allowing deliveries and thus closing the site down until the work was completed would be too much after all the place is in the middle of nowhere.

So in the end I faxed them a Special Licence Condition the following day requiring the site to be closed entirely while the tanker was present until the work had been completed. The work was done before the end of the week. Funny that.

Finally back to the rebuild. Some bright spark had employed a bloke on a sports bike to get the kit here and as I arrive it is being applied to the effected area on base of the tank. Eventually that tank is being nicely strapped down and all is well.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

47

ARTICLES

For 99% of the work we do we issue the Advice Notice because it is more informal. If however that is not complied with within the time stipulated then other action of a less easygoing nature will be adopted.

They get their Advice Notice. (Two weeks later I receive a letter telling me that they have had a new Risk Assessment done, that they have located the interceptor and that they are to have tank gauges installed. They are now considering having their tanks relined.

I am then off to the rebuild. I introduce myself and sign in. The bright orange tanks are there and the first is just receiving the strapping ready for the lift. I examine the tank for dents & scrapes etc. Ok I wander over and look at the shuttered hole before me. All is as it should be and now for the lift. Its always interesting watching but no doubt very nerve wracking for the crane operator.

When the first and second are strapped down the last tank soars into the air and swings across.

However this time the lift is not high enough and as the crane swings so the underside of the tank gives a parked dumper truck a hefty scrape. The proceedings stop and the tank is examined. The protective covering is broken up and there is bare metal beneath. Fortunately it is not punctured. I call for the repair kit. Ahh, there is a problem. The kit was on the first lorry which is now on its way back to Lancashire. In situations like these everybody looks at the Petroleum Officer. But I can’t allow a damaged tank to go in so they have to get somebody to drive from the producers down to us with a kit before the work can proceed.

However that is going to take some time and the A47 is not the best road. I can tell that I am not the most popular bloke there and I just wonder what would have happened if I had not been on site.

Any way I have an unexpected bit of time so I clear off to somewhere else.

The next visit is to a nearby golf course. They had contacted me a couple of weeks ago because they too had completed a risk assessment and had come to the conclusion that storing petrol for their grass cutters in Jerry cans was

LPG Leak and Explosion Darwen

By Mark Mellodey Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Incident description

ARTICLES

The premises involved in the incident is a service station constructed on a green field site in 2002 and commissioned in November of that year. The current licensee took over the running of the site in early 2008.

On 17th August 2008 at 15:44 an explosion occurred in or immediately adjacent to the electrical distribution cupboard in the back office area of the shop building.

The explosion destroyed the electrical cupboard, the VeederRoot tank gauging system and the site alarm system. The wall separating the back office from the shop was blown out along with the fire exit door and the roof. Extensive damage was caused to the office store room and the back office areas. The resulting fire caused additional damage to the building.

The customer assistant working at the time immediately isolated the two firemen’s switches and contacted the emergency services.

The fire brigade arrived within 10 minutes and put out the fire using the site’s own CO2 fire extinguishers and then cooled the electrical cupboard with their own equipment.

There were no injuries to staff and no customers were on site at the time of the incident.

Following investigation, it was found that the explosion was caused by the ignition of LPG vapour in the electrical meter cupboard which had entered via a duct that ran under the forecourt and through an area contaminated

by LPG. The LPG was present in the ground as a result of a failure of a damaged Brugge LPG supply line running from the tank to the dispenser. The damage had been 48

caused during previous site works at the premises, most probably at the time of installation of the line during the construction of the site. The Petroleum Licensing Authority have no records of any work in this area since this time. There was no history of any LPG leaks on the site prior to the summer of 2008.

Following a number of reports of gas smells on the site, an LPG engineer attended on 30th June, 7th July and 22nd July.

During the first visit, the engineer repaired a small leak on a bypass union but specified other pipe work as leak free. On the second visit, the engineer tested the pipe work in the compound and on the forecourt and found no leak. He did however, report smelling gas on the forecourt near the air and water but as the wind was blowing from an adjacent industrial estate, it was questioned whether this was coming from off site. On the final visit on the 22nd July, on the completed report, the engineer reported that there was no leak found. The same engineer attended on each of these visits.

The investigation by the petrol company identified the pipe as damaged under the landscaped area to the west of the LPG tanks.

Certificates for tanks and electrics were available although no such testing was carried out in respect of the underground pipe work. It is not currently standard or common industry practice to carry out routine testing of underground pipe work.

There was also no warning tracer tape installed above the pipe nor was there sand surrounding the pipe as recommended in the installation instructions. Both of these are measures which would have reduced the risk of mechanical damage. An access chamber installed at the time of construction

of the site to supply a proposed Driver Controlled Delivery (DCD) box was located within a few meters of the area where the leaking part of the pipe was detected. This duct was not sealed prior to the incident. This chamber connected directly with the electric meter cupboard where the explosion occurred. It is almost certain that this was the path by which the leaked LPG entered the building.

The manual recording method of monitoring stock was not sufficiently sensitive to identify leaks and was intended only to identify stock losses for financial purposes. Using this method, the analysis of the stock could have taken up to 7 weeks.

The engineer visits regarding the LPG smells are reported above.

Although generally appropriate responses were made and leak tests carried out on accessible pipe work, no such tests were undertaken on underground pipe work. In terms of reasonable practicability, although it will depend on the circumstances on a case by case basis, it appears that on repeat calls to reports of gas smells, consideration should be given to undertaking purging and testing of the whole system.

Action since the accident • The premises has been renovated with additional safety monitoring and control systems as follows:

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

All ducts have been sealed with RAISE insert Sleeves and FIWA sealing putty.

A flammable gas detector has been installed in the electric meter cupboard set to alarm from 25 % of the LEL. remote compressed air isolation valves installed at either end of the LPG line with the compressor located in the electric meter cupboard. Any fire would burn through the air lines releasing the pressure, closing the valves.

• The LPG supplier has changed its policy on the inspection of underground pipe work since the incident and has reviewed their underground pipe work inspection procedure. This is to include decommissioning of a line to allow a pressure test.

• Manual recording is not sufficiently accurate to reliably identify stock losses from leaks and consequently the petrol company involved are trialing a new electronic monitoring sheet which would identify leaks on a daily basis. If the trial is successful, the sheet will be rolled out to all sites on the network.

Discussion

ARTICLES

The causes of accidents/dangerous occurrences can be classified into immediate, underlying and root causes. By considering these collectively a picture of why the accident occurred can be built up.

Immediate Cause This is the most obvious reason why an adverse event happens. The immediate cause of the incident was an ongoing leak of LPG gas from a damaged supply pipe which found its way into the base of the electric meter cupboard, forming an explosive mixture which appears to have been ignited by an electrical spark.

Underlying Causes These are the less obvious system or organisational reasons for an adverse event. In this case the underlying causes are: 1. damage occurring to the underground pipe and this damage going undetected. This initial damage, at least in part, may be due to the pipe not being installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

2. the failure to properly identify the cause of the gas smells at the premises during July and August 2008.

50

3. The ability of the leaked LPG to migrate through ducting and into an area where it could form an explosive mixture and be exposed to a source of ignition.

3. Wet stock monitoring systems at the time of the incident were not designed to identify leaks of LPG and ways of improving the sensitivity identifying

Root Causes The Root cause is the initiating events or failings which led to all other causes. These are generally management, planning or organisational failings.

of

this

means

leaks

should

of be

progressed.

4. At the time of the incident, systems for the inspection and maintenance

of

the

LPG

installation at the premises were 1. Failure during construction to properly manage the installation of the underground pipe and possibly any work subsequent to this installation.

apparently in line with similar regimes

across

although

the

there

industry

was

no

satisfactory system to identify the condition and integrity of the underground LPG pipe work.

2. There was no system to leak test underground pipe work following repeated reports of LPG smells.

Failure rates on underground pipes are currently reported to be low, but in the event of such a failure occurring, the potential

3. Failure during construction and subsequent site checks to ensure ducting leading from the man hole chamber into the building was adequately sealed.

for high risk situations developing is high. As underground pipe work

older,

the

higher due to the effects of

Conclusions and Recommendations

corrosion, particularly on defects which

1. The explosion resulted from a damaged and leaking underground pipe which allowed gas to migrate through an unsealed electrical duct into the electrical meter cupboard where it was ignited. Operators and regulators therefore need to ensure that pipework is properly installed and that all ducts and similar pathways are sealed to prevent flammable vapours from migrating into areas where they could cause hazards.

occurred

installation

or

during following

subsequent damage.

Where there is any uncertainty surrounding

emergency

response for reported LPG smells it is recommended that the presumed action should lean towards

testing

underground

pipe lines. Routine testing of lines should also be considered as part of a routine maintenance system

2. It is likely that the damage to the pipe occurred around the time of the construction of the site and that subsequent corrosion allowed gas to leak, probably becoming significant at some point during the first half of 2008.

Consequently, monitoring of the installation and any subsequent ground work or vehicle movements near this type of pipework needs to be carefully managed.

becomes

potential for failures becomes

for

the

overall

LPG

installation.

Note This report is partly based on the internal

investigation

provided

by

following

the

the

oil

incident

report company as

the

Petroleum Licensing Authority did not investigate until some time after the incident by which time the physical evidence on site was no longer available.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

By Paul Gillespie CMIOSH

“meet the team” L to R- Brendan McNamara (Transport Technical Manager) Paul Gillespie (Fuel/Safety Officer) Mick Berry (Fleet Enforcement & Training Manager) Chris Gray (Fleet Enforcement & Assessment Officer) David Wilcock (Fleet Enforcement & Assessment Officer), Pete Johnson (Transport Services Manager)

The Wakefield metropolitan district is situated in West Yorkshire (UK) and covers a semi-rural area of 350 square kilometres with a population size of around 315,000. It has a diverse range of city, urban and rural communities.

Wakefield is leading the way in ensuring that natural resources are used efficiently, waste is avoided and that we protect our biodiversity.

Our spending decisions are an important instrument in tackling c l i m a t e change both by reducing c a r b o n emissions and ensuring that our infrastructure is resilient to c l i m a t e change.

Making the right choices now will contribute both to our citizens’ standard of living and

quality of life.

Wa k e f i e l d Council operates 209 large goods vehicles, 368 commercial vehicles under 3500kg passenger cars and a large, small plant list, as well as up to 100 hire vehicles, at any one time.

Additionally, approximately 3,500 employees use their own cars on Council business.

Fleet Procurement

The Council and its partners have recently signed "The Nottingham Declaration" and have set a target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25% by the year 2012.

Wakefield’s Transport Services Team is helping to meet these challenges by championing socially responsible procurement in the vehicle fleet procurement process. The following model (fig 1) outlines the areas being focused on.

It details a new approach to fleet procurement that not only meets Government and European guidelines but is providing significant benefits in both economic and environmental terms for the citizens of its district.

Within procurement, the Government’s definition of ‘best value’ is the “optimum combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet the customer’s requirements.

This approach enables sustainability and quality to be taken into account.

For example, the consideration of whole life costs”.

Transport Services had always been mindful of the environmental impact and running costs of vehicles in the past, but never before was the evaluation process applied so rigorously. Prospective contractors are now asked to provide the following information as part of the tender process: • Whole Life Cost- Acquisition, ownership and maintenance costs • Carbon emissions • Fuel consumption • Carbon footprint incl. manufacturing process

the

• Alternative fuel options

Fleet Re-fuelling Facilities All sites are overseen and monitored by Paul Gillespie, Transport’s Logistics and Health and Safety Officer, who is well versed in the subject, being APEA trained (Petrol Filling Stations – Risk Assessment, Audit and Inspection/Construction, Safety and Environmental Protection), as well as studying Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Management at Portsmouth University at MSc level.

As well as being a member of the APEA, Paul has been a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (CMIOSH) for over three years and is constantly updating his continued professional development file.

Transport Services currently operate fuel dispensing at seven sites.

These fuel sites are managed via an IT based Fuel Management System.

Each vehicle has an individual key so that its identity and mileage can be verified from a

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

51

ARTICLES

Managing the Fuel Requirements of a Local Authority by “Greener” Thinking

Depot

Petrol

Diesel

Newton Bar

X

X

Castleford

X

X

South Kirkby

X

X

Normanton

X

Fitzwilliam

X

Wakefield (Tadman St)

X

Wakefield (TLS)

centrally held asset management system; this prevents abuse of the system. In addition, each of three key types controls the relevant fuel type that is dispensed: • Black Key • Red Key • Blue Key

= Diesel = Petrol = Gas Oil & Ad-Blue

conforms to BS EN 590.

O u r X X suppliers, X Bayfords Oils UK, X import fuel by barge X on the Aire X a n d Calder X C a n a l which puts X m o n e y into conserving the environment along the canal but also reduces the need to run trucks on the road, reducing carbon emissions by the equivalent of 30 tanker trips.

Bayfords are also planning on installing a blending facility at their Leeds depot, which would allow customers to specify a higher percentage blend of bio diesel; something we will be looking at closely.

Gas Oil

Ad-Blue

ARTICLES

The Fuel Management System also monitors wet stock control i.e. the fuel stock levels available. Each tank and site is independently Managing the “Wet-Stock” monitored by the system and when Obviously due to the age of the any level drops below a tanks, vigilance is vital, meter predetermined stock level the readings from the pumps are taken system automatically notifies daily, furthermore, the competent Transport Services so that re-orders person will take a dip reading can be placed. Fuel deliveries are (carbon dip sticks are used in 200 always for the maximum amount of and 150 litre segments) each to fuel possible which is triggered via establish how much fuel has been The figures are then the Fuel Management System; this issued. varies from tank to tank, in line with compared to establish a plus or minus situation. the safe working capacity.

After several years of monitoring Currently stocks provide a sevenday supply, based on normal the wet-stock figures for the singleskin metallic tanks, Transport Services service use.

Of the seven re-fuelling sites across have developed a history of “what the district; four of the sites have to expect” when changing weather underground tanks, aged between conditions are experienced. For fifteen and eighteen years and all example, during a warm spell the are single-skin metallic tanks. The tank dip will be higher than usual, or five above ground tanks vary in age from warm to wet and windy the dip will start to show a minus. from three to fifteen years.

Chamber Breathing the Over the 2008 calendar year, Wakefield Council used 2.5 million litres of diesel, 68,000 litres of u n l e a d e d petrol and 445,000 litres of gas oil.

The diesel we use is 5% bio diesel and 95% mineral diesel ( o r d i n a r y diesel) and o b v i o u s l y Paul Gillespie delivering in house training; fuel deliveries by road tanker 52

differences represent changes in air pressure, fuel expansion and contraction distorting the tank which in turn changes the true stock level of the fuel when measuring by means of the dip stick. As long as the figures even out over a short period of time and go back to normal (base line) then all is fine.

This type of understanding guides the level of concern over measured loss or gains of product from the under ground tanks.

If discrepancies persist then the first action would be to double check the readings/figures and re-dip the tank.

Secondly; confirmation is sought on the amount of fuel that should be present, through the Triscan fuel management system.

If all figures and details are still causing concern then the following procedures would be followed: • Senior management informed of the situation, with all details available.

• Contact the fuel maintenance contractor (Powerpost) and give them all the relevant information.

• Re-dip the tank and collate meter/Tri-scan data every 30 minutes.

• Inform the petroleum officer/environment agency of the situation and follow any instructions that are suggested.

• The fuel maintenance contractor will arrange relevant specialist help.

• After the agreed period of time, if a loss of product from the tank is still proving a cause for concern, the particular tank in question would be pumped out by an approved and competent contractor and the product transferred into one of the other tanks.

• Alternatively, if concerns were over additional product in the tank then tests would be conducted to determine if water is present in the tank, by means of green “water finding paste”.

• Whatever the outcome of any scenario/situation, a full investigation would take place to establish the cause and a report produced for the relevant authorities.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

ARTICLES

Managing Fuel Deliveries

Adding Ad-Blue to the List

The diverse nature of the Council’s services and depots determine that there is a high rate of turnover in both operational responsibility and staff. This has to be managed via regular site risk assessment and ensures a steady demand for the training of staff in the safe acceptance of fuel deliveries associated with wet stock control etc.

As well as carrying out the Petrol Filling Stations Operators Fire and Explosion Risk Assessment (FSG 5061d) for each of our three sites that store and deliver petrol, Transport Services deliver an “inhouse” training session for fuel deliveries, wet-stock control, water removal from tank chambers as well as safe use of Ad-Blue.

Training is delivered at Transport Services; Newton Bar from two modern training suites. This site gives hands-on access to the re-fuelling site.

The in-house course lasts three hours and covers an assisted delivery by a competent person with the following subjects/objectives:

Following the introduction of AdBlue and on examination of fleet procurement profiles, Transport Services estimated that the fleet’s future usage would be around 30,000 litres by 2012.

Initially, 207 litre barrels with a pump or 20 litre containers of AdBlue issued via the stores at different depots were used. As demand grew, we were quickly in the position requiring that we make formal contractual arrangements with the suppliers, to bulk buy via a suitable tank and distribution system.

• What legislation governs the delivery of fuel: • The characteristics of Petrol, Diesel and Gas-Oil: • Demonstrates competence in the receipt of a fuel delivery: • The principles of fire and its prevention: • What action to take in the event of accidents, spillages and other emergencies: • The principals recovery:

of

vapour

• Wet-stock control (determine a plus/minus situation and what action to take) The whole objective of the training is to deliver a competent person status; raising the awareness of what could go wrong at a particular refuelling site for which an individual is responsible and to provide on-site monitoring and knowledge that reflects the competent person’s own site/depot and fuel point operating conditions.

54

consistency of the information and advice being provided is good and their contingency planning appears adequate.

In Conclusion

The public sector business environment is very challenging, current value for money agendas are combined with a requirement for us to lead on environmental matters.

Whilst challenged with increasing budgets pressures, we endeavour to reduce our carbon footprint as well as deliver essential services, all of Vehicle Fleet Numbers which whilst planning for future Company 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 f a c i l i t i e s replacement requirements.

WMDC 19 33 43 104 118 144 Monitoring the fuel stocks and Other Fleet 16 22 34 39 44 49 Customers ensuring that current legislation Ad-Blue Estimate Usage (Litres) is adhered to is just part of the 12,000 22,000 25,000 30,000 process. The task After talking to at hand now our suppliers, contractors and manufacturers we involves effective project planning produced a technical specification with regard to any major work that detailing our Ad-Blue tank may need to be carried out to the requirements and carried out a fuel sites or the equipment we tender exercise. This resulted in the operate (sustainability).

This is supported by a services installation of a 2000 litre tank.

This tank is now operational at the team which not only manages the Newton Bar site (the first of three) logistics of the fuel sites but is connected to the fuel management responsible for fleet health, safety system and all users have received and environmental issues. The team training in its safe use. delivers assessments and training to the end user, “the driver”, to Emergency Fuel Planning develop “smarter driving Transport Services take an active techniques” and deliver fuel role in the Authority’s Emergency efficient drivers, a 360 degree Planning Committee, giving advice service delivery. Service demands and help in the are forever changing requiring production/updating of the Transport Services to plan, adapt Emergency Fuel Plan. and react to the changes. This is the Two key areas of responsibly fall to nature of the service and facilities Transport Services: i) the provision, we manage. operation and maintenance of the A fuel site can be likened to a Council’s vehicle and plant fleet. ii) living organism, it ages, it needs to ensure adequate provision of fuel feeding regularly, needs looking across the district for Council after, medicine when it is ill, it services. These functions would be constantly changes with its expected to continue during any environment but most crucially if you civil emergency etc. neglect it…..do not be surprised if it News or situations that could turns around and bites you! affect the service regarding the “It is not the strongest of the supply of fuel are constantly species that survives, nor the most monitored. intelligent that survives, it’s the one A good working relationship is that is the most adaptable to maintained with our suppliers, change” Charles Darwin 1879 Bayfords Oil UK. The quality and

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

By Brian Baker, Milton Keynes Council The concept of Unattended Self Service Petrol Stations has been with us for many years. In fact its method of operation evolved from its early appearance in the early 1950s in Europe that saw its popularity spread to all parts of that continent and beyond.

The concept, as most of us know, is that the site can remain open for fuel without staff present and the pioneer sites saw the introduction of note or even coin dispensers where the amount of fuel according to the amount of cash dispensed was supplied. It was as simple as that.

Motorists could obtain fuel outside of normal opening hours and safety came in the form of a dedicated telephone inside a wooden box to call the emergency services as well as conveniently containing a portable fire extinguisher, some limited instructions of what to do and of course a handy isolation switch for the motorist to operate and shut down the electrical supply to the pumps.

The introduction of Attended Self Service, extended opening hours, the mass use of credit and debit cards and the introduction of the high street supermarkets retailing fuel combined to see the Unattended Self Service reduce in number to only a couple of hundred sites, mostly in rural areas.

Growth in UK Unattended Sites There now exists a drive to return to the Unattended Self Service site, lead by the same high street supermarkets and it must be said here that across Europe and Scandinavia in particular unattended sites are the norm rather than the exception.

Having modified the Petroleum Circular in 2005 PETEL 65/59a it was thought that the risk assessment approach specific to each site would allow greater flexibility under the Dangerous Substances and Explosives Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) After a few years, some petroleum licensing authorities felt uncomfortable with the concept and unsure that the claimed control measures were effective,

• Of the 101 sites visited by 21 different Petroleum Licensing Authorities from the Highlands of Scotland to the extremities of Cornwall, 60 were found to fail in one or more of the control measures that they stated were in place.

particularly in an emergency situation. Following discussion at the Chief Fire Officers Association

• Failures fell into three distinct categories:

Petroleum and Explosives Working Group and with the support of Petroleum Enforcement Liaison Group (PELG) it was decided that a national campaign be commenced over a short defined period to try and establish whether these sites were operating in accordance with their licensing conditions and risk assessments. The exercise took place in early 2009 and produced some alarming findings.

(i) The emergency procedure failed due to a communication problem which was either the emergency phone did not function, or the emergency phone did function but did not call a location from which an emergency response was available

Early Findings and Conclusions To begin with, each known national Unattended Self Service operator was contacted in writing about the impending campaign and that in addition to a routine inspection, an unannounced inspection may also take place to sample accurately the safe operating conditions of that particular site were in place. The operators gave full cooperation and provided lists of their sites which operate in USS mode.

The exercise was aimed at gathering information on the effectiveness of the control measures identified by the operators as being in place to reduce risks associated with USS operating mode at their petrol filling stations.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

(ii) Staff who were contacted were not Competent to deal with an emergency on the forecourt (iii) Forecourt engineered arrangements were not satisfactory. This was any or some of the following: I.

Lighting to the dispensing area or cabinet location inadequate

II.

Latch pins on nozzles in place.

III. Certain dispensing units not operating IV. Too many dispensers available. at any one time V. Signage – emergency action notices and use of containers not displayed 55

ARTICLES

Unattended Self Service – Have We Got It Right?

VI. Emergency cabinet not visible from dispensing location VII. Difficulty in opening emergency cabinet VIII. Availability and type of fire extinguishers was not adequate IX. Emergency switches not operating to isolate dispensers X.

Closed circuit TV not functioning or monitoring

As a result of the national exercise, 14 Prohibition Notices and 1 Improvement Notice were served on the Licensees. The net result of the 101 sites inspected saw 41 sites Pass but worryingly 60 sites failed.

Partly as a result of this exercise, and partly due to other factors including the availability of new

• The Attendance Time for a Competent Person to deal with an Emergency should be clearly established. It should be varied according to the location, the risk locally, the realistic control measures.

Who calls the Emergency Services? Is the CCTV working properly?

be relayed at the forecourt monitoring point?

• CCTV. There is no point in having this installed if it is not monitored for emergency response purposes. There may be differing levels of monitoring and sophistication such as mass detection, smoke detection, vapour detection

ARTICLES

• Use of a handover book and check list which should be used daily • There should be a designated phone In-store • Devices such as glass bolts should be obvious on how to use • At present, some sites that have emergency telephones could be used by the customer and the site operator is unaware that the emergency services have been called! technology, a change in banking practices (age of persons able to obtain credit and debit cards), and proposals for remotely located unmanned petrol stations, a Sub Group has been set up between Licensing Authorities represented at PELG and the major Operator’s to find more acceptable solutions.

Issues that this group need to address are; • Under Age Sales - How will these be managed effectively?

• What facilities exist for customers splashed with petrol/fuel?

• Staff Training should be improved so that duty staff should be able to attend and deal with an emergency such as someone doused with fuel, first aid incidents, access to personal protective equipment, split fuel lines and fuel tanks, overfills and so on.

• How will the use of Approved Containers be managed?

• The correct type and number of portable fire extinguishers should be provided and available

• Phase 1 of the Risk Assessment must be site specific and based on good local information, and not rely on Company Policy

• Should the emergency switch (button) be activated deactivating the dispensers, a audible and visual signal should

56

• Possibly person monitoring CCTV should be able to deactivate the dispensers therefore reducing the risk of vandalism, cars entering the site on fire, suicide attempts, under age sales and use of illicit containers The exercise results will be a major factor in making some alterations on how Unattended Sites may operate in the future. Have we got it right?

Not yet but we are getting there.

Acknowledgements; As a regulator in a local authority the names of all parties concerned have been excluded. Once issues on this topic are concluded it may be possible to publish all participants.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

APEA Training in Bahrain

By Brian Baker The Association were recently requested to provide bespoke training for the second time to the Bahrain Petroleum Oil Company (BAPCO) and a team of 4 Trainers were despatched in early June to deliver this specialised presentation over 3 days whilst residing at BAPCO’s own training facility based at Alawi.

Tanker logo

Colour coding of grades

the sites a reading of 46 degrees centigrade was recorded and following a print out from electronic gauges recorded temperature of product in the tanks in excess of 37 degrees!

This undoubtedly increases evaporation and present unique challenges to Bahrain and for that matter the whole region.

ARTICLES

The Kingdom of Bahrain has a population of about 1.2m people and car ownership per head of

In Bahrain, the capital is Manama which is densely populated compared to all other parts of the country. Throughputs per site are large compared to most stations in Europe with some sites reaching 40 m litres per year.

The training provided to the company was a more advanced course than that provided two years ago and concentrated on greater detail to site layout and planning, fire safety by design in respect of passive and active fire safety measures to be considered at design stage. There was also detailed input and discussions on vapour recovery design in terms of Stage 1b and 2.

The sessions closed with a day committed to wet stock management

Congestion at the Hooma site

population is one of the highest in the world at to over of 500,000 cars.

that was of immense benefit to the company illustrating some measures to reduce wet stock losses. It needs to be rec o gnised that stock losses are much higher

With the exception of diesel, two other grades are sold – “Mumtaz” which has a rated octane number of 95 and “Jayyid” which has a rating of 91. The interesting point here is that the rough translation from Arabic to English means “Excellent” or “Perfect “grades” At the time of our visit, BAPCO are

Tanker delivery

In all there are 46 Service Stations all selling the BAPCO brand where the Company are State owned and are the sole distributors for the country.

than Europe mainly due to the high temperatures of the region.

The day we were on

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Tanker arriving

59

preparing to transfer their 16 owned company operated sites to the private sector and some investment will be needed in the future. That said there are signs that similarities are occurring to that of the USA and Europe where sites often have other facilities such as Vehicle Repair Workshops and Convenience Stores that offer a wide selection of goods

but one fundamental difference is that all sites are Attended Service, We left after four days and experienced some wonderful hospitality from our hosts and the working relationship we forged back in 2007 was again enhanced and the trainers involved, Bob Conlin, Jamie

Left to right: Bob Conlin, Brian Baker, Jamie Thompson, Rodney Carter

Typical attended site at Central Market

ARTICLES

Temporary Petrol Filling Station, a Success…

By Jacquie Holt, Terence Barker Ltd In 2006 we designed on paper, a modular aboveground fuel station; the idea a modular unmanned, self service fuel station using the Convault aboveground protected fuel tank; the safety of the tanks already proven as they are in use at US military bases across the UK and Europe. Our hope, this fuel station could answer the problems that people living in rural areas are now faced with regarding the distance driven to a fuel station to refuel. The intention, that the unit could be erected on an owner's prepared base in a matter of days; civil engineering works would be minimal and an advantage, avoiding the potential risk to pollute the soil and groundwater. They were designed as free standing, debit / credit card operated, able to hold up to 3 products and allow 4 vehicles to fill simultaneously.

Two years later in the Autumn of 2008 we were approached by Williams Southern Ltd with regard to producing a Temporary Petrol Filling Station (TPFS) for Sainsbury’s based around the Convault Above Ground Protected Tank. The idea was that the TPFS would be on site and 60

Thompson, Rodney Carter and myself, believe we have furthered the Association’s growing reputation outside the UK. Who knows, maybe one day we will see a Branch inaugurated in Bahrain.

dispensing fuel whilst the existing fuel forecourt was being refurbished by Williams Southern Ltd, the lead contractors, for a period of about 13 weeks. It was Sainsbury’s intention, to move the TPFS to other stores around the country where further forecourt refurbishments work would take place.

We attended the first meeting at Martindales’ offices at Oakington in early November 2008 attended by Alan Howard of Sainsbury’s;

representatives from Martindales & Williams Southern Ltd and the electrical contractors, T E Ramm and Co. It was agreed that two 41,600 litre bunded Convault Tanks with two compartments in each were required; each Convault would hold Petrol and Diesel. Also required as part of the project would be the gauging system, the tanks fitted with OPW contents gauges which indicate any water detected in the fuels together with high level alarm with audible warning.

Also required, a secure cabinet containing the uplift pumps, the electrics and the Stage IB vapour collection point, the dispensing pumps were supplied by Sainsbury’s, each tank suppling fuel to four Dresser Opus 9000 twin nozzle

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dispensers, eight in total, all of which have built-in Stage II vapour recovery.

The uplift pumps deliver the fuel into the tanks from a gravity feed tanker via an 800 LPM centrifugal ATEX approved uplift pump. It takes approximately10 minutes to off load 7,500 litres of fuel, and while fuel deliveries are taking place the site is closed.

It was a specific requirement that each of the four compartments, two holding unleaded petrol and two road diesel, would have its own designated uplift pump, but in the event of an emergency it would be possible to divert the fuel into the other appropriate compartment holding like fuel. To ensure no cross contamination would take place the pumps, corresponding pipework and compartments are all clearly labelled; also, each compartment within the Convault is built as an individual tank and tested as an individual tank. The tanks remain under pressure for a minimum of 5 days until after the inner tanks have been encased in concrete and the mould holding the concrete released.

We received the order in early December for delivery to site on the 1st March this year so that the TPFS could be operational on Monday 16th March at 8.00 a.m. We were very conscious that this would be a very sharp learning curve appreciating that we would need to rely heavily on the experts to ensure the project would be approved with all the necessary safety mechanisms in place.

“The Petroleum Group of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) working under the Lead Authority Partnership agreement they have with Sainsbury’s liaised with the architects, consultants, contractors, the fuel supplying oil company and 62

the local Petroleum Licensing Authority from the inception of the project to ensure that the Mobile Temporary Petrol Filling Station (MTPFS) complied with national guidance and was suitable for licensing under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928.

Documentation listing all the equipment used to construct the MTPFS, and the arrangements to that must be agreed locally with each Petroleum Licensing Authority has been produced.

The main local arrangements be considered are: location, imperforate forecourt area with suitable drainage to a Class I separator, tanker route, and the site specific risk assessments.

The LFEPA oversaw the construction and the first installation of the MTPFS to be satisfied of compliance, and has advised on improvements and modifications that have been found to be necessary or desirable once the unit was brought into use.” Ray Blake HEAD OF PETROLEUM LONDON FIRE BRIGADE Working closely with Ray Blake regarding licensing issues, late January he raised a valid question, in the event of the transfer pump failing midst delivery what would the tanker driver do with the fuel in his line? This potential problem was overcome with the help of Roger Wyatt, our fuel consultant, who suggested a modification to the pump tanker connection. Roger helped design a means of draining out the fuel lines with the aid of ATEX approved hand pumps, one for Derv and one for petrol, the fuel to be drained into small dump tanks positioned at the rear of the uplift pump cabinet. Each one of these two dump tanks was to be fitted with an air-operated pump for returning the fuel back into the appropriate compartment. The dump tanks were installed, each

had a capacity of 40 litres with an 80mm filling point, this could also be used when weights and measures carried out checks on the dispensing pumps, the fuel could be returned to the dump tanks via a funnel and returned to the main tanks in the same way.

A few weeks after the TPFS had been installed our fitters returned to Hankridge Farm, and replaced the 40 litre tanks with larger tanks of 225 litre capacity, this simple system has been working perfectly since.

Each 41,600 litre Convault Tank used in this project contains 18 fi cubic metres of concrete, weighs 48 tonnes and is 10.7 metres in length.

The component parts consisting of two of these tanks, a large selfcontained uplift pump lockable cabinet, fascias, stands and pipework were loaded in our yard on the afternoon of Friday 27th February and arrived on site at Taunton on Sunday, 1st March at 7.00 pm and by midnight were off-loaded and in position in the car park of the superstore. The units took up 32 car park spaces to one end of the car park, Sainsbury’s also installed two kiosks for easy payment for their customers; fundamentally it was important that Sainsbury’s’ very valuable customers were not inconvenienced and could refuel their vehicles at the same time as buying their weekly shop. Sainsbury’s were not prepared to lose valuable customers to the competition with both the fuel trade and supermarket trade.

The site at Taunton is manned and open for fuel sales 24 hours a day.

The TPFS was in use from Monday 16th March until our fitters started to dismantle on the 8th July ready for transporting to the second site for renovation, Deepdale Preston.

Before being transported to Preston the tanks and dispensers were drained down; de-gassing was not a requirement. The only requirement necessary was that the drivers needed ADR licenses to carry the tanks on the road.

Continually reviewing the design of the project with all involved it became apparent that there was a requirement to eliminate the ‘human element’ with the potential to overfill the tank, options were reviewed and it was decided that the uplift pumps needed a failsafe cut-off system that would shut the active uplift pump down when the tank reached its safe working capacity and more importantly, a system that could not be over-

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that relates to the specific compartment being filled allowing other pumps to other compartments to continue filling. This system has

been adopted at Bunsfield and meets SEL 2 safety requirements.

“The delivery of this project involved a wide and dedicated team managed by myself with Martindales responsible for the design and logistical implementation of this facility.

Williams Southern were instrumental in ensuring this was delivered to market as an operational solution.

We sought advice from our Lead Petroleum Officer Ray Blake and were also superbly supported by our fuel supplier.

The tanks and supporting systems are robust and Terence Barker Ltd worked hard in ensuring we could deliver to the required market within the required time frame. The system is versatile and can be used in various layouts where a permanent overground tank solution is required and Sainsbury’s were impressed with the manufacturing process, advice and professionalism of Terence Barker Limited.

The facility we installed at Taunton performed very well and if well managed is capable of trading in excess of 300,000 litres per week – far more than some permanent petrol filling stations.”

ALAN HOWARD, SAINSBURY’S SDG To conclude, the TPFS has been considered a success by all those involved and now there is a proven system on the ground, with a second to follow; the TPFS is an alternative to the more traditional fuel storage options available in the UK without the risk of groundwater pollution.

Interview with John Boudry PetroTechnik Ltd

By Brian Baker PetroTechnik are a household name in the UK downstream industry and particularly noted for its UPP Pipe work system. The company is headed by John Boudry and despite his trips in and out of the UK I managed to catch up with him between journeys Q John, I have been trying to get hold of you to actually conduct this interview and my first question is where were you born?

A I was born in Belgium, Jupille Liege to be precise opposite a brewery. Soon after I was born my parents emigrated to the Congo where I spent the first 10 years of my life.

Q Tell us about your career and

when did you enter downstream industry?

the

A I came to the UK to learn English and decided I liked the country too much to want to live anywhere else. I first joined Cookson and Zinn in 1975,

owned product. The owner were interested in CZ taking the product on but there was a conflict of interest between steel (tanks) and plastic (pipes). I took the gamble of launching UPP in the UK having formed my own company and resigned from CZ in1991. In 1992 my company acquired UPP from the Swedish owners. The rest is history.

Q So when was Petrotechnik and how did it come about?

A I left CZ to work for a large dished end manufacturer but was headhunted back by Tony Cookson, the then CZ owner, to become Sales Director and then MD. That is when the first double skin tanks were launched in the UK. Jamie Thompson introduced me to UPP, a then Swedish

Q What are the full range of products you sell and how big would you say your market is?

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ridden. The Scully system, an industry standard over the last 30 years, met all requirements and is now incorporated in the specification The TPFS at Taunton always received manned deliveries and it was agreed that the installation and training on the Scully system would be carried out when the TPFS arrived at Preston.

The system operates with a probe in the top of the compartment with a prism which continually self checks 30 times per second. On the Sainsbury TPFS project it is effective when the fuel delivery operator misses the overfill alarm and continues to fill. Each compartment has a probe which is linked to the corresponding uplift pump; if the fuel exceeds the high level alarm and reaches the probe, the operational pump will completely shut down preventing any further fuel from being delivered to the compartment.

Each compartment has its own designated uplift pump and the Scully will only shut down the pump

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A We sell the complete UPP Pipework system, primary and secondary together with a compatible range of PE sumps and chambers all designed with FEA, to over 148 countries around the world. We operate under full ISO 9001:2008 QA system. Our market is close to US 45 Million with offices in China, India, France, USA, Brazil, Australia, Scandinavia. We also manufacture in Brazil, China and India as well as Europe of course.

Our offices manage their regional distributors. For instance France manages over 30 countries and French dominions or overseas territories.

Australia manages New Zealand, etc, etc.

Q Where do you see the company going from here?

A We shall have a major announcement concerning new products to make in the near future. This will revolutionise the industry and will enable us to maintain our number one spot which we have occupied for over 15 years.

Q I guess with a global downturn over the last year or so I expect you and all your competitors are finding tough at the moment.

Tell us how you think it will go for out industry?

A We have just completed another financial year and finished several percentage point ahead compared to the previous year.

Having said that it is clear that things are tightening up. This is why we have invested US $ 64

500,000,00 in India, US$ 500,000.00 in China and US$ 1,000,000.00 in the new product I mentioned before.

Once the dust will have settled we will probably see another round of acquisitions of weakened or s m a l l e r companies by the bigger boys.

We are also likely to see an even greater fragmentation of the Operator / End Users for our products with OilCos divesting themselves frantically of their retail network worldwide.

within the business who probably have what is required.

Q I see yet again you are a major sponsor for the APEA at this year’s Conference & Exhibition.

You must think highly of the Association and indeed your support over many years now has been most appreciative. Do you see the Association developing further or indeed what would you like to see happen?

A The APEA is the only body which represents all aspects of the industry and I include the local authorities and other legislative bodies in this. We all sing from the same hymn sheet as a result.

Training is more and more important as time goes on and H & S is vital.

Q So tell as a bit bout your life when not heading the company. Do you have any pastimes or hobbies or for that matter any passions away from the office?

A Saltwater fly fishing, gauge 1 model trains, sitting on my tractor working a few acres of Suffolk, doing a little boating in France and being the obedient husband of Vanessa are all passions away from the office. I need the mixture of lone and social interests as it is when I am alone away from it all that I can think, sort and prioritise what needs to be discussed with the team back at the office.

Q We are starting to see movement in the above ground tank storage market, are you getting enquiries on this and in particular provision of above ground pipe work systems?

A No. Usually these units are self contained and little pipework is involved. Furthermore there is little scope for plastic pipework use above ground.

Q I see Alex, your son is getting more of a profile within the company. It must bring immense pleasure to see him showing interest in following in your footsteps, is that right?

A Alex is good at what he does but then so is everyone else in the business or they wouldn’t be employed. He is not being groomed to take over from me.

Neither he or I believe that it is the right thing to do. As I get older I realise that a younger and more professional manager will be required to head the business in the future and I can think of three or four likely candidates

Q Finally, what changes would you like to see in the industry?

A I think the changes taking place today are both inevitable and of great benefit for those who wish to progress the industry as a whole. It was the disappearance of a few management layers in the major OilCos a few years ago which enabled companies like ours to become “supply partners” taking on more responsibilities rather than remain a small link in the supply chain.

A structured approach to training by the major operators with a common focus would greatly help too.

Thanks for taking some time out on this interview John it has been a real pleasure and hope we can catch up again in the near future.

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Eastern

embarked on a pleasant coach journey through the picturesque Sauerland countryside arriving in the small town of Plettenberg. Following a traditional lunch we visited the foundry, “factory One”, which much to everyone’s surprise was situated in the centre of the town and painted brown and cream. The foundry, the machining and the

assembling are organised in accordance with the “Toyota production concept”. We viewed the preparation of the nozzle core production and its complexities which gave us an appreciation of the casting process in the smelting furnace. We saw the extensive test facilities.

The small volume production nozzles including the new ZVG-2 LPG nozzle, ZVA 25 & 32 h i g h f l o w nozzles and speciality nozzles such as the ZVA for AdBlue, the ZVA VA Stainless Steel nozzle for alcohols, and over-wing a i r c r a f t

refuelling nozzles ZVF25 & ZVF 40.

The foundry has an integrated mould and tool construction with an automatic moulding line with sand castings. The strength of the foundry lies in the use of complex core moulds and the possibility of completing multiple and differing complex cores in a single box unit. It can cast parts, thin walled, 2-3mm almost free from burrs, and pressure sealed up to 6 bar. Small cast small quantities ( 50 – 100 pcs ) are also possible as well as mass production

up to 100.000 pcs. The surface quality of the products is smooth and can be optimised by further special treatments, such as polishing with balls or granules. The foundry also cast components of a high performance cooling-system, assembled into one of the top German sports cars. The evening was rounded of with a splendid dinner hosted by Elaflex and Hiby and our thanks and appreciation goes to them for the kindness and hospitality extended to us during our visit.

Next day we went to “factory Two” and the main manufacturing and large volume assembling plant APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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The APEA Eastern Branch factory visit to the ZVA nozzle factory 19/20th May, 2009 APEA and Eastern Branch members visited the Elaflex Hiby nozzle factory on May 19th & 20th 2009.

Elaflex and Hiby are a partnership company (ETT) that amalgamates the sales and production of ZVA nozzle, petrol dispensing hoses, SSB nozzle safety break couplings and refuelling accessories.

After landing in Dusseldorf we

BRANCHES

for the ZVA nozzles. The New ZVA Slimline 2 nozzle for standard refuelling as well as the Stage II vapour recovery variant are produced here. The factory owner, Mr. Thomas Hiby, greeted us as we arrived. After welcome and coffee the formal APEA branch meeting took place with a presentation on current market conditions and some of the challenges ahead for the industry given by Stefan Kunter.

Anton Martiniussen gave a presentation on the new generation of ZVA Slimline 2 nozzles and briefed on some of the criteria and customers wishes which had had to be considered before the introduction of the new nozzles to the market in September 2008.

In addition to addressing environmental issues, improved

refulling, delivery rates and cleanliness for diesel, for the motorist the benefit of the new Slimline 2 nozzles provides improved grip with

reduced force to squeeze the lever when refuelling and a comfortable handle combined with a contoured composite lever. The lever force has been reduced by 1/3 without compromising safety. Certainly many operators will want to consider upgrading their existing sites for this customer convenience, which will be appreciated by lady drivers, senior citizens and those with smaller hands, especially in the UK and other countries where the use of the hold open latch is not allowed on retail sites. We also heard about the new pressure sensing device (DSA) for the ZVA 2 for new dispensers fitted with volume or price pre-payment. The DSA is designed to operate on non completion of a “preselected” volume, the automatic shut off is

“activated” 60 seconds after the nozzle is returned to the nozzle booth if the preset quantity has not been dispensed. There are also improvements to the vapour recovery nozzle, not only the GRV vapour valve but also the GRVP are now fully integrated into the nozzle body. The new GRVP improvements simplify the method of calibration during the vapour recovery DRY TEST. The stainless steel capped spout, is now a “push fit” secured with a retaining pin for quick assembly/disassembly and easy maintenance. Importantly from a regulators point of view all ZVA Slimline 2 and ZVA Slimline 2 GR are fully ATEX approved with EC66

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bronze immediately. Data transfer with customers can easily be accomplished with modern CAD software and is possible in all current formats. It is easy to comprehend the reputation of the ZVA nozzle for its quality and long service life after seeing the production facilities. One can see there is a direct correlation between what takes place in the field with what is produced back at the factory.

Before our flight back to England the company kindly arranged for us to visit the famous Atta cave (Atta-Höhle) where we saw a stunning variety of dripstone stone fomations.

When the deposition takes place

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type examination certificated according to EN13012. TÜV-Süd - VR plus SIRA approved embossed on the nozzle body.

The manufacturing facilities are cutting edge technology, highly automated with state of the art production management and control displays and processes.

Kanban diciplines (E) (JIT) auto, supply and control the assembly. The use of 3 D CAD software with direct connection to the processing centres enables rapid prototype production together with the capability to cast sample parts from aluminium or underground, beautiful crystals are created in stalagmite and stalactite forms. Our stay in Germany was short but memorable with an impression of German culture as well as seeing at first hand the high level of investment in technology and quality engineered products.

Everyone was especially impressed by the tidiness and cleanliness in all production areas as well as the high standard in production and during testing of the products.

Anton Martiniussen Branch Secretary APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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North West North West Branch Factory Visit on Wednesday 10th June 2009 Sadie Clarke General Manager of Roncol kindly arranged for a factory visit to JA Envirotank on Wednesday 10th June 2009. Guests included Contractors, Petroleum Officers and Retailers.

Simon Proctor and Trushar Desai from JA Envirotanks hosted what was to be an extremely informative and enjoyable day in Birmingham.

Simon started the day with a presentation detailing the history of JA Envirotanks to the present day and current processes for storage solutions above and below ground.

Following the presentation we were split into two groups and provided

BRANCHES with hi vis vests, safety goggles and ear protectors for a tour around the factory.

The factory was a hive of activity

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allowing an insight into the various stages in the construction of both above and below ground storage tanks from the plate rolls that roll the steel to different forms of welding to the finished article sat on the delivery vehicle bound for its new home.

Above ground tanks complete with pumps, gauge and fuel management systems were also available to view in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Clare Naughton-doe, Petroleum Officer, Lancashire Trading Standards commented “It was a very informative and interesting day, providing real insight into the tank making process. As relatively new petroleum officers it was an invaluable experience, and clearly demonstrated changes in design and offered the opportunity to meet

others within the industry. The presentations were well thought out and delivered, but the factory tour was the most interesting part for us, we particularly enjoyed looking at the interior of a tank part way through manufacture and learning about all the different designs.”

Following the factory tour an excellent buffet lunch was enjoyed before the long journey home (for most of us!)

Louise Morgan Branch Rep

Southern The Summer Southern branch meeting was held on Tuesday 21st July at the National Small Rifles Association at Bisley Camp, Brookwood, Woking, with 31 members in attendance.

The Branch Chairman, Barry Jenner, welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The first speaker of the day was Juhaina Junaid, from the London Borough of Brent, on an EHO’s perspective of a stage 2 VR permit; Juhaina gave an in-depth overview of their process used, and its subsequent inspection parameters.

The second speaker was Mike Jennings of Gilbarco Veeder-root, on stage 2 VR compliance and technology, which incorporated a brief history , legislation, design standards and national guides.

A substantial cold buffet lunch was then enjoyed by all, followed by a visit to the rifle museum.

Unfortunately, Ken Owen was unable to attend the meeting, to give a presentation on site works

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Scotland Neither the Branch nor the committee has had any meetings since that reported in the last edition of the bulletin.

The date for the autumn meeting has been re-arranged to the 29th October 2009. It will take place at the offices of Highland Council in Inverness. More precise details will be made available soon. Hopefully holding the meeting in the northern region will give members who have been unable to attend the last few meetings in Stirling, the opportunity to catch up with us.

So far we have speakers lined up to discuss stage II VR and above ground petrol storage options. If anyone has other topics that they feel we would benefit from having on the agenda, please get in touch with me and I will endeavour to get a speaker.

Ireland Nothing to report

Midlands Nothing to report

North East Nothing to report

Eastern Adrian Holyomes - Rep HYTEK GB LTD Delta House Green Street, Elsenham Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire Tel: 01279 815600 email: adrian@hytekgb.com Anton Martiniussen - Sec ELAFLEX Ltd Riverside House, Hoddesdon Herts EN11 0PA Tel: 01992 452 950 Mob: 07831 595620 email: elaflex@aol.com

North East

Sue Meadowcroft Branch Secretary

Paul Devine Branch Secretary

Branch Representative and Secretary Contact Details

Mike Silmon - Rep and Sec W O Silmon Ltd Industry Road, Heaton Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE6 5XB Tel: 0191 224 0777 Fax: 0191 224 0707 email: associationtreasurer@apea.org.uk

Midlands Rob Tunnicliff - Rep 37 Victoria Park Road Tunstall Stoke on Trent ST6 6DX Tel: 07815 069846 email: rob.tunnicliff@stoke.gov.uk Alec O’Beirne - Sec Cornlea, Moat Lane Prestwood Great Missenden Bucks HP16 9BY Tel: 01494865097 email: alec.obeirne@ptftraining.co.uk

North West Louise Morgan - Rep Petrocom Ltd The Malthouse 48 Southport Road Ormskirk Lancashire L39 1QR Tel: 01695 572400 email: louisemorgan@petrocom.co.uk

Bob Conlin - Sec Fairbanks Environmental Ltd The Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale Lancs WN8 9TN Tel: 01695 51775 email: bobconlin@fairbanks.co.uk

Scotland Ian Hillier - Rep North Ayrshire Council Bridgegate House Irvine KA12 8BD Tel: 01294 324969 email: ihillier@north-ayrshire.gov.uk Paul Devine - Sec South Lanarkshire Council Consumer and Trading Standards North Stand, Cadzow Avenue Hamilton ML3 0LU Tel: 01698 476170 Fax: 01698 476180 Mobile: 07795 090903 email: paul.devine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Southern Philip Monger - Rep Petrol Retailers Association Meadowside, West End, Sherbourne St John, Basingstoke, Hants.

RG24 9LE. Tel: 01256 850164 Fax: 01256 851273 email: phil.monger@ukonline.co.uk Sue Meadowcroft - Sec 1 Rock Cottage, South Cornelly Bridgend CF33 4RN Tel: 07795 841891 email: sue@high-cross.com

Ireland Killian Tallon - Rep Topaz Energy Ltd Topaz House Beech Hill, Clonskeagh Dublin 4, Ireland Tel: + 353 1202 8705 email: killian.tallon@topazenergy.ie Julian Rafter - Sec Olive Engineering & Design Services Ltd The Old Egg Farm Waynestown Dunboyne Meath Ireland Tel: +353 1 8253670 email: jrafter@ipservices.ie

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associated with stage 2 VR, due to illness; it is hoped that he made a speedy recovery.

Rodney Carter of Petroman gave the final talk of the day on stage 2 VR – not all bad news; Rodney’s illustrated presentation included existing vapour recovery controls and total vapour solutions, including a softfill system.

A brief Q&A session followed.

In closing the meeting, Barry Jenner thanked everyone for attending, and advised that the autumn meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 17th November, for which the provisional venue is the Compass Inn at Tomarton.

Members who would like a copy of the presentations given by Juhaina and Mike are available; please e-mail Sue Meadowcroft if required.

2009 Course Dates Petrol Filling Stations Construction, Safety and Environmental Protection

Electrical Installations An Awareness

Wetstock Management

22 Sept

Derby

15 Sept

10/11 Nov

Manchester

27 Oct

Belfast

1/2 Dec

Luton

24 Nov

Sheffield

Petrol Filling Stations Risk Assessment, Audit and Inspection 22/23 Sept 7/8 Oct 4/5 Nov

DSEAR

Dublin Glasgow

16 Sept

Derby

22 Oct

Manchester

24 Nov

Luton

9 Dec

Birmingham

Cardiff

Glasgow

Petrol Filling Stations – Enforcement Procedures An Awareness (One day) 6 hours Continued Professional Development 21 Sept

Bristol

14 Sept (prov)

Portadown (NI)

12 Oct

Colchester

19 Oct

Glasgow (prov)

Explosives and Fireworks Forecourt LPG Installations 29 Oct

Birmingham

TRAINING

APEA Training Team Jamie Thompson Independent Consultant Bob Conlin Director, Fairbanks Environmental

4 Sept

Luton

11 Sept

Manchester

Gareth Bourhill

Kim Bennett

Principal Training Consultant -

Senior Environmental Health

Electrical Safety

Officer

Forth Valley College of Further and

Milton Keynes Council

Higher Education Joe Maerz Richard Wigfull

Operational Manager

Brian Humm Deputy Head of Petroleum, LFEPA

Consulting Engineer

Rural & Public Protection Team

J. Wigfull & Co Ltd

Essex Trading Standards

Brian Baker Fire Safety & Petroleum Officer Milton Keynes Council.

Phil Lambeth

Jean Fincken

Senior Engineer, BP Global Alliance

Petroleum Inspector, LFEPA

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

Please contact the APEA Business Manager on 0845 603 5507 or at admin@apea.org.uk if you wish to find out about purchasing a copy. APEA Members can purchase the guide at the discounted rate of £40 (non member rate £120).

It is strongly recommended that attendees have access to this document during courses.

All courses can be booked online at www.apea.org.uk on the ‘Training’ page.

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 Mobile: 07818 097141 email: brian.humm@london-fire.gov.uk 70

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk