3016 Model Code of Safe Practice Part 16: Guidance on tank cleaning

Overview:

This Model Code provides guidance on safety, health and environmental protection risk assessment and management for tank cleaning operations. It has been prepared on the basis that most tank cleaning operations are outsourced by clients to specialist contractors. The Model Code provides information that should help clients understand the contractor’s operations and sets out client organisational and work control arrangements that should protect people, assets and the environment. For the contractors, it stresses the need for proper planning, control and execution of tank cleaning operations. It also identifies typical hazards and good practice control measures, including organisational arrangements and equipment specifications. Therefore, the Model Code is intended for use by both clients and tank cleaning contractors, and should be read by client installation managers, project engineers, maintenance managers, maintenance contractors, and safety advisors.

This fourth edition includes sections that have been extended to cover additional topics, amendments to provide clarification on current best practice and some new sections added to cover new equipment, methods and procedures. Please download the sample pages to see full list of technical changes.

This Model Code covers tank cleaning of fixed bulk storage tanks used for storing petroleum products, operating at near-atmospheric pressure, of the types commonly encountered at bulk storage installations such as petroleum refineries, import/export installations, distribution terminals, and depots. These storage tanks are principally vertical, cylindrical, above-ground steel tanks, with floating roofs, or fixed roofs (with or without internal floating covers).

Large buried, semi-buried or mounded storage tanks are usually of the vertical cylindrical type, and as such many of the principles given in this Model Code can be applied to these tanks as well. However, certain aspects of their construction, such as roof columns and entrance tunnel, require special consideration and additional precautions. Advice should be sought from organisations with experience in cleaning such storage tanks.

This Model Code has not been written for rectangular design tanks, self-bund tanks or cavern storage tanks where additional consideration, methods and control measures may be needed. Furthermore, it does not cover road and rail tankers, container tanks, barge or ship tanks, pressurised storage vessels such as spheres and bullets for liquefied petroleum gases (LPG), or refrigerated storage. Filling station and customer storage tanks are also not expressly addressed; for the former, see APEA/EI Design, construction, modification and maintenance of filling stations and EI Code of practice for entry into underground storage tanks at filling stations.