Do you know that you MAY NOT continue to fill other tanks on some sites after an alarm sounds?

[Inspector Bob]

I have heard that in some areas a tank site has to have one alarm siren for each tank. In Maryland, a site may legally have one siren alarm for all of the tanks on a site.
Here is the problem with that approach: A major alarm manufacturer's system will not sound a second alarm at a site until enough fuel is removed from the tank which caused the first alarm to bring the level below the alarm point. In other words, once there is an alarm, the siren will not sound again until the fuel is lower in the tank that caused the alarm.
The Maryland regulators position on this is that once an alarm sounds, no other tanks on the site are equipped with an alarm and FUEL TRANSFER MUST BE STOPPED until the alarm status returns to normal.

My Question:

Do you as a truck operator know that you MAY NOT continue to fill other tanks on a site after an alarm sounds?

I recently inspected a site where a tank was damaged and the delivery operator had no clue that it was full because of this very situation.

 

[Inspector Bob]

Is it true that this is not known by any truck operators in the industry?

 

[GAnthony]

Is it true that this is not known by any truck operators in the industry?

i only worked tankers for a very short time, making pick ups at Union 76 (Unocal?) at Lemont, IL , and GATX not too far from there.

i had to pick up mineral spirits coming back here to MA.

all i can vaguely remember is driving the tanker under the racks, and the tank crew got up on top, opened the hatches, and dispensed product, then closed up the lids.

that was back in the early 1980's, so back then, i wouldn't have known any thing about alarms.

 

[Inspector Bob]

GAnthony,
Thank you for the response.

 

[GAnthony]

GAnthony,
Thank you for the response.

ok

 

[Mike]

Never had to deal with an alarm. Always verified room in the tank to unload, or at the very least, got confirmation and a signature from the supervisor that there was room to unload.

Overfilled one tank. It was charcoal lighter fluid. Three tanks to possibly unload into. The sight hoses for all three tanks were discolored to the point you could not see inside of them. Supervisor pointed to the tank I needed to fill, confirmed it was empty, and within 10 minutes I had hoses hooked up and spraying fluid out the top of the tank.

Good times!

 

[Inspector Bob]

Mike,
Thanks for the story.
Sounds a lot like the inspection I just completed.
Driver was told to deliver 3,000 gallons to two tanks.
Site did not provide tank charts.
Driver refused to fill.
Site said fill till the alarm sounds.
Driver filled first tank. Alarm sounded.
Driver started filling the second tank. No alarm.
Tank ruptures but no spill!
Alarm could not sound since it was already active and the siren's timer had elapsed so there was no change. The manufacturer of the alarm says not to fill when an alarm sounds unless the level is dropped below the set-point of an alarm.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.

No, I don't think that EVERYBODY does.

 

[Duck]

i only worked tankers for a very short time, making pick ups at Union 76 (Unocal?) at Lemont, IL , and GATX not too far from there.

i had to pick up mineral spirits coming back here to MA.

all i can vaguely remember is driving the tanker under the racks, and the tank crew got up on top, opened the hatches, and dispensed product, then closed up the lids.

that was back in the early 1980's, so back then, i wouldn't have known any thing about alarms.

That refinery blew up in the early 80's too.

 

[GAnthony]

That refinery blew up in the early 80's too.

musta been after i left that employer, i was only working for him (an o/o and getting paid on a 1099) for about 2 months.

 

[Duck]

musta been after i left that employer, i was only working for him (an o/o and getting paid on a 1099) for about 2 months.

The explosion shook the entire area. I was in a Burger King 2 miles away and all I remember is some lady screamed because ceiling tiles fell down onto her table.

There have been enough explosions at oil refineries and chemical plants that I don't know why they'd still be cutting corners with safety equipment or procedures.

 

[GAnthony]

The explosion shook the entire area. I was in a Burger King 2 miles away and all I remember is some lady screamed because ceiling tiles fell down onto her table.

There have been enough explosions at oil refineries and chemical plants that I don't know why they'd still be cutting corners with safety equipment or procedures.

some consortium of investors, want to put up liquified natural gas tanks on our waterfront, along with the utility company.

there was a map of the city, and an outlay of destruction should only one tank blow up.

it was quite the radius, coming up and into my neighborhood as well.

as of today, still no go ahead for those tanks, as it is now, there are several gasoline storage tanks, and a chemical company as well.

 

[Hunter]

To me common knowledge is if a alarm is sounded or certain color of light is flashing = stop what you're doing & evacuate to certain rally points, in short run & get the F away & do a head count