Road Tanker Transfers: Our Safety Philosophy

Static electricity is a phenomenon many of us are well aware of! To illustrate, Table 1 , whereas Table 2 shows how much charge potential can accumulate on a road tanker. As early as the 1960's petrochemical companies were so concerned with the hidden dangers of static electricity they conducted scientific research into understanding its physical nature and behaviour. The outcomes of this research proved that the transfer of charged flammable products into or out of tanker trucks was one of many hazardous risks related to uncontrolled discharges of static electricity. An electrostatic discharge from a tanker truck can contain upwards of 1000mJ of energy far exceeding the minimum ignition energy of a broad range of flammable vapours, liquids and dusts. shows the amount of energy required to ignite many hazardous substances. In the US the reporting of hazardous incidents related to static is on the increase. NFPA statistics show that on average there are 280 static-related fires and explosions reported to Fire Departments annually, not to mention the number that go unreported, or do not have conclusive proof of static-caused ignition. In Europe alone there is, on average, one major fire or explosion every week, which is linked to uncontrolled discharges of static electricity in hazardous areas.