In Canada, you have a lot of responsibilities when you have a fuel storage tank. You are in charge of its maintenance and making sure it is safe, and you are also responsible for compliance with all regulations and laws. If, for example, you dispense fuel, you are the one who must ensure the tank has no water and is free of contaminants. As you operate a site with a fuel storage tank, keep the following points in mind.
You Must Do Structural Tests
You need to have professionals test your tank regularly to check its structural integrity. A contaminated or leaking tank can raise a safety issue–not to mention the cost of lost fuel–and the inspections will involve field and visual tests to ensure these things are not present.
Canada also has many regulations in this area. Tanks need to have corrosion or cathodic protection in place, containment for spills, sumps as needed, overfill protection, liquid-tight connections and more. If your tank is above the ground, you need to have secondary containment available and at the ready. If the tank is under the ground, it must have double walls.
There Are Petroleum Tank Requirements by Province
Canada has many national laws and regulations in place, and you may need to comply with more from the province or territory where your tank is located. In some areas, for example, tank withdrawal or removal from service is only considered to be done safely when handled by someone with the appropriate license or certification. In other places, this type of work must be supervised by an engineer.
You Must Keep Records
Records for tank safety and maintenance must be kept in Canada, and you never know when you may have to produce them. The record-keeping requirements can be impacted by tank type, too. No matter what type of tank you have, you must have an emergency plan written out in detail. All systems that were put in after the 12th of June, 2008, for example, must have as-built drawings and records regarding the installation.
Staff Should be Continually Trained
As the person responsible for a facility with a petroleum tank, you carry a lot of personal responsibilities. It’s up to you to ensure your staff has annual reviews on tank safety and fuel cleaning procedures. Any staff member who is involved with your tanks in any way should be able to contain, clean and dispense fuel if needed.
If you are not sure whether your staff has been trained on safety measures or know they need updated knowledge, it’s important to act as soon as possible. A professional fuel service provider can come into your workplace and train your staff in the areas they need instruction on. At a minimum, all of your staff should know how to inspect a tank, turn the tank off and on, and handle a fuel spill.
Your business will face regulatory, legal and public scrutiny should something happen with your tanks that affects the safety of those around it. Therefore, you can’t leave anything in this area to chance. Contact a petroleum service company for assistance with tank safety, legal and regulation compliance and education today.