Petrol tanker consultation launched by HSC

HSC press release C049:04 - 17 November 2004

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is seeking views from the petroleum and road haulage industries on proposals for new regulations covering the transport of petrol (the loading of tankers, their carriage and unloading) by road and rail. The draft regulations are designed to be short and straightforward and will be known as the Tank Vehicles (Loading and Unloading of Petroleum-Spirit) Regulations.

Announcing the consultation, Bill Callaghan, HSC Chair, said: "The proposed changes will not be significant - we are merely finding a new home for existing requirements. Because the new regulations do not change any legal duties, we believe they will not have any impact on costs for industry."

The draft legislation would replace existing regulations covering the safe transportation of petrol by tanker and is set out in a consultation letter.

Currently, regulations covering the transport of petrol by tanker are contained in both the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 1996 (CDGRoad) and the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail Regulations 1996 (CDGRail). Earlier this year, most of the requirements set out in CDGRoad and CDGRail were transferred to the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004. However, this legislation only covers the general carriage of dangerous goods and does not include any specific requirements relating to petrol.

To maintain safety standards and ensure continued compliance with a European directive, the provisions concerning the transport of petrol by tanker would be therefore transferred to the new legislation, allowing the remaining 1996 Regulations to be revoked.

Notes to editors

1. The CDGRoad and CDGRail were reviewed by HSC with a view to replacing them with a set of new regulations called the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004. A consultative document on the proposals was published on 3 June 2003, and the regulations came into force on 10 May 2004.

2. HSC decided that the 2004 Regulations would not contain requirements that solely relate to the transport or unloading of petrol by means of tankers. However, some of the requirements in this area needed to be kept in place to maintain safety standards. As a short-term measure, this was achieved by keeping in place the relevant parts of the CDGRoad and CDGRail. New legislation is needed to cover this unsatisfactory temporary situation. Formal consultation is required on these proposals, hence the consultation letter.

3. CDGRoad and CDGRail currently implement European Directive 94/63/EC, which covers the control of volatile organic compound emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to petrol stations.

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