CODE OF SAFE PRACTICE FOR CONTRACTORS

WORKING ON FILLING STATIONS

CODE OF SAFE PRACTICE FOR CONTRACTORS

WORKING ON FILLING STATIONS

March 2005

Published by
ENERGY INSTITUTE, LONDON
The Energy Institute is a professional membership body incorporated by Royal Charter 2003
Registered charity number 1097899

The Energy Institute gratefully acknowledges the financial contributions towards the scientific and
technical programme from the following companies:
BG Group
BHP Billiton Limited
BP Exploration Operating Co Ltd
BP Oil UK Ltd
ChevronTexaco Ltd
ConocoPhillips Ltd
Encana Corporation
ENI
ExxonMobil International Ltd

Kerr-McGee North Sea (UK) Ltd

Kuwait Petroleum International Ltd
Murco Petroleum Ltd
Shell UK Oil Products Limited
Shell U.K. Exploration and Production Ltd
Statoil (U.K.) Limited
Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd
Total E&P UK plc
Total UK Limited

Copyright 2005 by the Energy Institute, London:

The Energy Institute is a professional membership body incorporated by Royal Charter 2003.
Registered charity number 1097899, England
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, or transmitted or translated into a machine language without the
written permission of the publisher.
The information contained in this publication is provided as guidance only and while every reasonable care has been taken
to ensure the accuracy of its contents, the Energy Institute cannot accept any responsibility for any action taken, or not
taken, on the basis of this information. The Energy Institute shall not be liable to any person for any loss or damage which
may arise from the use of any of the information contained in any of its publications.
The above disclaimer is not intended to restrict or exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by own negligence.

ISBN 0 85293 389 4

Published by the Energy Institute
Further copies can be obtained from Portland Customer Services, Commerce Way,
Whitehall Industrial Estate, Colchester CO2 8HP, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1206 796 351
email: [email protected]

CONTENTS
Page
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
1

Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Hazardous nature of petroleum products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.1 Characteristics of petroleum products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2 Static electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3 Hazardous area classification (zoning) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Contractors organisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.1 Competency of contractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.2 Safety - organisation requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

General requirements for contractors working on filling stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.2 Requirements before commencing work on site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3 Requirements during work on site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Categories of filling station work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.2 Categories of sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Model work control procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.2 Approval of contractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.3 Risk assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.4 Work control documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.5 Safety Method Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.6 Clearance Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.7 Authorisation and confirmation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3
3
4
4

11
11
11
14

25
25
25
26
26
26
26
27

Contents Cont....

Page

Annexes
Annex A - Statutory requirements and legal imperatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex B - Hazardous area classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex C - Model work control procedures - flow chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex D - Risk categorisation for model work control procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex E - Model Safety Method Statement format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex F - Model Clearance Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex G - Model procedure for contractor approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex H - Model contractor approval questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annex I - Pre-work safety check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

vi

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33
49
51
53
55
57
59
63

FOREWORD
This second edition of this publication has been produced by the Service Station Panel of the Energy Institute as a
code of safe working practices for all companies or individuals who are contracted by operators of filling stations
or their agents to carry out work on their stations.
This work could consist of regular maintenance and servicing of the filling station plant and equipment. It could
involve repair work to site, plant and equipment as requested by the operator or owner of the filling station. It might
include modifications to the site, plant and equipment of a minor or major nature either directly managed by the
contractor or indirectly under the control of another contractor or other body.
This code of safe practice is intended to assist contractors to carry out such works in a safe and legal manner and
to prevent incidents and accidents of any kind during such works.
However, the obligations to work safely and within the law must rest at all times with the management and
employees of the contractor and no responsibility of any kind can be accepted by the Energy Institute for safety
incidents or omissions during the execution of work.
Although the information in this publication makes reference to legal requirements that apply in the UK the safe
working practices may also be applicable in other countries.
The information contained in this publication is provided as guidance only and while every reasonable care has been
taken to ensure the accuracy of its contents, the Energy Institute cannot accept any responsibility for any action
taken, or not taken, on the basis of this information. The Energy Institute shall not be liable to any person for any
loss or damage which may arise from the use of any of the information contained in any of its publications.
Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Technical Department, the Energy Institute, 61 New
Cavendish Street, London, W1G 7AR.

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This second edition of this publication was prepared by Mr P. Shone (ChevronTexaco) on behalf of the Energy
Institutes Service Station Panel. Draft versions were reviewed by the representatives of the following companies
and organisations:

Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration (APEA)

Association of Forecourt Systems Contractors (AFSC)
Association of UK Oil Independents (AUKOI)
Berry & Co
BP
ChevronTexaco Ltd.
Esso Petroleum Company Ltd.
Health & Safety Executive
Kuwait Petroleum (GB) Ltd.
Petrol Retailers Association (PRA)
Petroleum Equipment Installers & Maintenance Federation (PEIMF)
Petroleum Enforcement Liaison Group (PELG)
Rutland Scott Limited
Shell UK Ltd.
Taylor-Woodrow
Tesco Stores Ltd
Total UK Limited
United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA)

viii

1
SCOPE
This code of safe practice is intended for all contractors,
sub-contractors and self-employed persons who are
required to carry out work on a filling station.
It should enable them to understand the inherent
dangers and precautions necessary in such work and
therefore will allow them to assess the risks involved to
themselves, to their employees and to others who may
be affected by this work. Others could include the site
operator and his staff, other contractors, customers, the
general public and property owners in the vicinity.
This code covers work of any nature whether or not
the normal operation of the filling station is affected.
This could involve disturbance of any of the fabric of
the site, the electrical systems, services or the tanks,
pipework and dispensers. It could involve civil works of
any kind, especially where such works include
excavation within the boundary of the premises or in
close proximity to it.
Work which is carried out while the station remains
in operation, either wholly or in part, has to be carried
out in full recognition of the effect that such work can

have on the staff and public using the filling station.

Specific precautions have to be taken in such
circumstances to protect these people.
Control and disposal of waste materials must be in
accordance with legislation with particular emphasis
being placed on the disposal of any oily or special
waste. Further details can be found in Section 7.4.3.5 of
IP Guidelines for soil, groundwater and surface water
protection and vapour emission control at petrol filling
stations.
All work being carried out must be assessed for
risk, using known information. Where necessary the
contractor must take action to obtain further information
from the site operator, work originator or any other
bodies who can provide it.
It is incumbent at all times upon contractors
involved in any work at a filling station to work safely,
within the law, prevent any environmental degradation
and to take all reasonable measures to avoid any
incidents or accidents while carrying out such work.