Are you storing fuel at home or at a business premises?

Fuel is a hazardous, highly combustible substance, so it’s imperative that you handle it with care, because if you choose not to, you could be in big trouble.

Over 15% of pollution incidents each year are reported to be caused by an oil spillage, and it’s one of the most common culprits. Oil can damage rivers and groundwater, harm marine life and plants and destroy natural habits.

To ensure safe storage, there are set regulations in place that you must follow. If you don’t, you can be served an anti-pollution works notice, or even worse, be prosecuted. There are different guidelines, depending on where you store your oil, which we discuss below.

how much fuel can you store at home?

If you have a new or replacement fuel container installed at your home, for example, to fuel your cooker or central heating, you must meet England’s building regulations. Building regulations differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Less than 30 litres

As a home, motor vehicle, boat or aircraft owner, you can store up to 30 litres of fuel without having to let anyone know. Different containers are required by law depending on how much oil you store:

  • Up to 10 litres – plastic container
  • Up to 20 litres – metal container
  • Up to 30 litres – demountable fuel tank

Over 30 litres and up to 275 litres

You can store over 30 litres but less than 275 litres of fuel, but you must let your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA) know in writing and include your name, address and storage location.

Over 275 and up to 35000 litres

You can also store over 275 litres but less than 3500 litres, but you will require a petroleum storage certificate and a licence. To get your hands on one, you must again, contact your local PEA who will issue you one that lasts for up to 3 years and is not transferable.

Remember…

  • Do not store it inside your house – the best place is in a shed or garage
  • You must never dispense (or pump) manually/electrically from a storage tank at your premises
  • You should aim to ensure your fuel is stored in the open air. If not feasible then you need a direct exit to the open air and ventilation to this exit
  • You must prevent any sources of heat or ignition that would ignite
  • You should not use fuel in the storage place other than in the fuel tank of any combustible engine

If you wish to store over 3500 litres, you must follow regulations for businesses. You will also need to apply for planning permission to install an oil tank with this capacity at home.

how much fuel can i store in my business?

If you have a storage container that can hold over 200 litres at your business, you must follow the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001.

The legislation denotes to storing:

  • White diesel
  • Biofuels
  • Kerosene
  • Vegetable oil and plant-based oils e.g. sunflower oil
  • Lubricants or hydraulic oils
  • Synthetic oils e.g. motor oil, waste oil
  • Liquid bitumen-based products e.g. damp proofing or road surface products

Exemptions from the legislation:

  • At a single private dwelling where less than 3500 litres are stored, however, Building Regulations do apply for replacement and new tanks
  • At premises used for onward distribution of oil to elsewhere
  • Waste mineral oil storage
  • Oil is stored underground
  • Agricultural use of oil on farms for the production of heat and power. This is covered by the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations, 1991
what are the design standards for storage containers?

Whoever installs your tank must ensure the work complies with building regulations and inform you if your tank requires a secondary containment (a bund) to protect from any spillages.

Remember, it’s your responsibility for any pollution caused by fuel storage problems, so be sure to choose a registered company or ‘Competent Person’ to do the works for you.

Containers include:

  • Fixed tanks and oil drums
  • Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs)
  • Mobile bowsers
  • Some generators and transformers

Fixed tanks meet British Standard 5410 and be bunded – a drip tray isn’t suitable to prevent any spillage on these tanks. Plastic containers need to comply to the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) standard OST T100 and metal containers must comply to OFTEC standard OFS T200 or British Standard 799-5 and ideally be used above the ground

All of our Speedy Fuels’ red diesel barrels have been made from welded mild steel. Our barrels and storage tanks are perfect for storing a wide range of fuels and can be tailored to suit your personal specifications. They vary in size, shape and capacity and can also come hand in hand with a selection of dispensing equipment to help get your fuel safely out your tank.

Give our friendly team a call today on 0330 123 3773 and we’ll be happy to help.

Speedy Fuels’ tanks meet all regulations that are available for purchase or hire and our team of experts are experienced in installing tanks onsite. We will deliver your tank to anywhere in the country and get it fitted in no time.

where should my tank be located?

You must store your fuel in a container:

  • Where there’s minimal risk of damage by impact, weather or machinery
  • In areas that are away from risk from flooding
  • At least 10 metres clear of inland or coastal waters and also 50 meters of a spring
  • Away from roof height and above
  • On an impermeable surface if close to where deliveries are made and oil is dispensed

If you can’t avoid these areas, just give us a call today on 0330 123 3773 and one of our friendly team will happily discuss your options for safe storage.

Tank connections and fittings

Piping

Domestic oil supply pipes tend to be made of plastic-coated soft copper tubing so they can be easily manipulated. Commercial installations tend to be made of steel and can offer added protection from damage or vandalism. Steel pipes must not be galvanised and should be painted and maintained to reduce corrosion.

Underground pipework should be avoided where possible as it’s difficult to detect leakage or damage and there’s a larger risk of pollution

Above-ground pipework must be positioned to avoid the risk of damage by impact and be protected against collision. It’s a legal requirement that the pipework is supported so it’s secure and cannot become loose.

Delivery pipe

If your fixed tank contains a flexible pipe to dispense oil, the pipe must be in a secure cabinet that’s locked shut when not in use with a drip tray attached.

On the other hand, the pipe must be kept inside the bund with a lockable valve where the pipe leaves the oil tank. This must remain locked shut when not in use, with a tap or valve at the input end that secures automatically when not in use. This must not be able to be fixed open except if it has an automatic cut off mechanism.

Pump

A pump is a potential source of ignition so it must:

  • Be located outside of the bund on an impervious base and in open-air
  • Be positioned to reduce the risk of damage by impact e.g. drivers, tanker turning circles and forklift truck routes
  • Have a valve in its feed line to stop the tank contents from emptying in the event of damage
  • Remain locked shut and enclosed in a casing when not in use or the supply of electricity must be cut off to prevent unwanted usage

Vent pipes, taps and valves

A valve is a vital safety feature of an oil tank installation because it will prevent the supply of oil in the event of a fire. The valve must be:

  • Outside the building
  • Before the point of entry
  • Activated by a remote sensor
  • Seen from the filling point
  • Locked when not in use

Pipes that are connected to tanks are a potential source of leakage so must have suitable shut-off valves which are fire safe when tested to BS EN ISO 10497.

If your tank has any vent pipes, taps or valves that are permanently attached where oil can escape, they must be:

  • Inside the bund
  • Positioned so that oil goes directly into the bund

Overfill prevention

To avoid overfilling your tank, your tank must have an automatic overfill prevention device if the tank and vent pipe cannot be seen when filling up. This can include an apparatus to cut off the oil when it’s full or an alarm or fixed tank probe to signal an alert for when it’s full.

Screw fittings / fixed couplings

You must ensure that the screw fitting or fixed coupling does not become eroded and check that debris is not trapped within.

Remote filling

When using a remote fill pipe, you must use a drip tray to prevent damage to surrounding areas from an oil spill. A remote fill is required when your container is replenished at a fill point that’s outside of the bund or drip tray.

SECONDARY CONTAINMENT

Secondary containment will prevent oil from escaping in the event of leakage from the tank or ancillary equipment. All tanks and ancillary equipment must be situated within an oil-tight secondary containment system, for example, a bund or drip tray. An oil spillage can damage the environment as well as marine life.

Bund

Bunded fuel tanks or containers are the most reliable fuel facilities of storing fuel safely and securely and are perfect for plant equipment and machinery that regularly need replenishing.

A bund is essentially an outer case to encompass the container and is either made from masonry or concrete or is manufactured as part of a tank system. Tanks that have been pre-made in this way are called integrally bunded tanks.

A bund must meet ISO 9000 regulations:

  • Non-corrosive and resistant to oil and water
  • Able to hold 110% of the tank’s capacity*
  • Have an expected lifespan of 20 years with maintenance
  • If underground – must have a life expectancy of 20 years without maintenance
  • Resistant to oil and water with no drain-down pipe
  • Every part of the tank must be contained with taps and valves pointing down and locked when not in use
  • Delivery pipes must be permanently attached to the tank with self-closing taps or valves inside that are locked when not in use

*A bund must be able to hold 110% of the capacity of the container. The additional 10% margin is needed for a number of factors:

  • Loss of the total tank contents
  • Overtopping
  • Sudden tank failure
  • Rainfall during spillage

If you have more than one oil storage tank in the system, the secondary containment must be able to store 110% of the largest tank’s capacity or 25% of the total capacity, whichever is the largest. Bulk tanks require a bund by environmental law and will also satisfy the requirements of DSEAR regulation 6(4)(e).

Drip tray

A drip tray will ensure any spillages are contained within as it must be attached underneath the tank. If a drip tray can hold an equal amount to the container, it should also be able to hold one-quarter of the drum it’s holding. This is applicable if you only use the tray to hold a single drum e.g. a drip tray that can hold 4 separate 205-litre drums must have a capacity of 205 litres, even if you’re only using it to hold a single 205-litre drum.

All of Speedy Fuels’ barrels are designed to sit on drip trays which help prevent spillage.

Tank gauging system

Sight gauge

A sight gauge is a traditional method to measure the contents of a bottom outlet oil tank. They must be:

  • Located in the secondary containment
  • Properly supported so it cannot become loose
  • Fitted with a valve that automatically closes when not in use
  • Fitted with a bracket along the length of the gauge to fix the tube to the tank to prevent it being knocked over

Dipping

Gauging can also be done using dip rods that are made of non-sparking alloys that are earthed. You must only use the rod in the specific tank that it was designed for to ensure accurate readings. This method can however cause a potential source of ignition that can produce frictional heating, sparking and static electricity.

For further information, read the relevant regulations:

For any further advice on the safe storage of oil, give us a call today on 0330 123 3773 and we’ll be happy to help.

Speedy Fuels can not only provide the best quality fuel storage facilities and oil dispensing equipment, but we also offer a nationwide waste fuel service to get rid of any unwanted products and potential environmental hazards and turn them into revenue for you.

Speedy Fuels can help with the safe storage of your fuels & oils

In recent years, there have been an increasing number of pollution incidents caused by badly maintained oil tanks. The leaked oil has proved to be very expensive and difficult to clean up.

We supply a number of bunded tanks, which serve the purpose of collecting any fuel in the event of a leakage. The bund has the facility to collect 10% more than the tank’s contents, so you can rest assured that there will be minimal leakage. Please note, that rainwater can build up inside the bund, so we recommend that you empty it regularly.

It’s also important to monitor your oil usage. If there’s a sudden increase in your oil consumption, check for leaks immediately. We also encourage you to check for any leaks prior to re-filling. This can be costly to you as well as the environment.

If you can smell oil, there’s a strong possibility that you have a leak. So check your tank immediately and contact Speedy Fuels who can come to your site and rectify the problem immediately.

We recommend having your oil tanks and supply pumps regularly checked to avoid any leakages. If you’re unsure how to do it yourself, give us a call today on 0330 123 3773. All of our staff have knowledge of the legislation and will be able to advise you, should you have any problems.