Page 644 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

The City & Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1

5 STORAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR

FUELS

In this section, we will investigate the methods of safely storing:
l coal and smokeless fuels
l oil
l LPG
l biomass.

Storing coal and smokeless fuels
The Solid Fuel Association recommends that coal should be stored outside of
any dwelling in a purpose-made bunker, to protect the fuel from damage. There
are a number of recommendations as to how coal should be stored:
l Coal may be stored inside or outside the property.
INDUSTRY TIP l Coal should be covered to reduce the contaminants that can enter the fuel.
l A smooth, hard floor is important as it allows easy shovelling of the fuel.
Unlike other fuel sources, l If the fuel is stored in a coal bunker, a slight slope on the base of a coal
there are no special rules, bunker prevents water from collecting inside it. Keeping the fuel dry makes it
regulations or restrictions easier to combust.
when it comes to storing coal l The area around the coal bunker should be well lit to ensure safe bagging and
and smokeless fuels, other
than storing it away from the shovelling.
heating appliance or boiler. l Good ventilation of the bunker helps to prevent a build-up of moisture,
allowing the fuel to stay dry.

Storing fuel oil

The following information is intended as a general guide as the Regulations
regarding oil storage may vary slightly, depending on the location of the
installation.

Oil storage tank specifications

Generally, oil storage tanks of up to 3500 litres capacity, supplying oil to a single
domestic property, can be made of either plastic or steel. The actual size for any
given installation will depend on the individual requirements. Any tank installed
should conform to the following specifications:

l OFS T100 for plastic storage tanks
l OFS T200 for steel storage tanks
l BS EN ISO 9001.
Oil tanks should be inspected annually as part of the heating system’s regular
servicing. Oil tanks have a useful working life of around 20 years and using a
tank beyond this time carries the risk of failure.

Protection of the environment

Some tank installations require a secondary containment system, known as a
bund, to counteract the risk of pollution from oil spillage. This may be achieved
by using an integrally bunded oil tank with secondary oil containment built in,
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