Tips on Maintaining Your On-Site Fuel Tanks

Tips on Maintaining Your On-Site Fuel Tanks

Dispensing and storing your own fuel brings many benefits to your site. However, it also comes with many responsibilities. While maintenance of your on-site fuel tanks isn’t too difficult, you should know and follow all local, state and federal laws. Particularly if you have a heavy-equipment fleet, it can be very freeing to store fuel on site. In addition, because you are buying in bulk, you save cash. Best part is, you never have to wait on deliveries, wasting precious time and resources.

However, you have to take good care of your fuel tanks, keeping them free from water and contaminants. Although you will likely use up your fuel before any water or microbial contamination can occur, this becomes a concern if you’re planning to store fuel over the long haul.

Why ASTs?

ASTs stand for above ground storage tanks (ASTs), and we recommend using this type. That’s because they’re portable, easily inspected and painted, and pose less risk of leaks.

On the other hand, vehicles can back up into them, trespassers can siphon off fuel and vandals can deface them. High winds, flooding and other natural disasters also pose a threat.

Know the Laws

As said above, it’s imperative to learn and know the federal, state and local laws involved in on-site fueling equipment storage. These laws, especially when it comes to adhering to zoning regulations, can be pretty stiff.

Here are some suggestions to follow:

• Fill up once a month, but don’t fill past 95% capacity to allow room for expansion.
• Don’t use indoor basement tanks outside.
• Fire-guard or vault tanks containing flammable liquids to stop fuel ignition for two hours in the event of a fire.
• If the flash point is higher than 100-degrees Fahrenheit, you aren’t required to carry a two-hour fire rating.
• A “secondary containment” area should be able to hold the contents of the primary tank in the event a failure of the first tank occurs.
• Double-walled tanks, dikes and “bathtubs” meet secondary containment requirements.
• Designate any outdoor use tanks with Underwriters Listed (UL).

Contamination and Monitoring

It’s important to manage the quality of the fuel being filled in your fuel tanks. Take safety precautions through application of regular treatments to keep corrosion, gelling and plugging from occurring. Work in conjunction with your fuel supplier to keep all deliveries clean.

Testing and Cleaning

To test the quality of your fuel, take regular samples with a kit or sample extraction method. Send the results, if need be, for further analysis.

When it’s time to clean your tank, use an electric pump with PVC pipe to get the water from the bottom. It’s best to utilize a clear hose so you can see when all water has been drained out. Shut the pump off when completed.

Training and Risk Management

Keep proper risk management strategies top of mind when it comes to your aboveground storage tanks. All personnel working around the equipment or fuel storage locations should possess training in the identification and elimination of dangers and risks. They should also know how to conduct inspections of fuel storage containers, how to dispense fuel and how to shut off pumps.

Further training is needed in spill contamination, cleanup and safe equipment operation. As the foreman or owner, you should schedule annual reviews for fuel operation, specifying what you and your crew can do to minimize or prevent spills.

Want to know more tips on how to maintain your on-site fueling equipment? Contact Taylor Oil today.