Fire Safety in Closed-System Fuel Transfer Procedures at Petrol Petrol Stations

Petrol is Slovenia's leading energy company, providing the country with strategic supply of petroleum products and other energy sources. Their extensive network of petrol stations offers drivers everything they need on the road. The diploma thesis employed a descriptive work method, which encompasses the description of facts, processes and positions in the field of instructions for fuel transfer via closed system, hazards during fuel transfer into underground reservoirs, and measures for mitigating accidents.

Problem

Petrol is Slovenia's leading energy company, providing the country with strategic supply of petroleum products and other energy sources. Their extensive network of petrol stations offers drivers everything they need on the road. Petrol ** began introducing the closed filling system for underground reservoirs** as early as 1995, although this area was only properly regulated by law a good four years later.

In the closed system for filling reservoirs at petrol stations, the tanker and the fuel storage reservoir are connected during filling. The vapours displaced from the reservoir therefore do not pass into the environment, but are instead led back into the road tanker. During its next filling, they are returned to the storage reservoir via the condensation system (http://www.petrol.si/eko/2000/slo/2_del/zrak/index01.html).

Solution and Method

The diploma thesis employed a descriptive work method, which encompasses the description of facts, processes and positions in the field of instructions for fuel transfer via closed system, hazards during fuel transfer into underground reservoirs, and measures for mitigating accidents. Fire safety and the training of employees at Petrol petrol stations regarding fire regulations and fire safety were presented. The organisation of Petrol, d. d., fuel transfer via closed system at Petrol petrol stations were described, as well as what is required before, during and after fuel transfer into underground reservoirs for this work to be carried out safely.

Photographs of the necessary documents for fuel transfer and of the actual transfer of fuel from the road tanker into underground reservoirs were also included. Based on Petrol's internal materials, fire safety was summarised, which includes fire regulations, preparation of fire risk assessment, employee training, and the rights and obligations of employees regarding fire safety at petrol stations. Occupational safety was also described, along with their fundamental principles regarding occupational safety, which include, among others, avoiding hazards, replacing hazardous with non-hazardous or less hazardous alternatives, etc.