Grandfathering - Application of Codes to Existing Facilities

If you operate a place of business, do you fear, "the inspector?" Lurking in the minds of many business owners is a lingering worry that an inspector will walk in one day and wreak havoc on their operation by requiring expensive upgrades to the facility, equipment or operations.

The most obvious way to manage this fear is to ensure that your facility is safely operated and well maintained. Nevertheless, because codes are voluminous, complex and ever-changing and because inspectors vary in their level of knowledge, training and experience, there is always a possibility that the outcome of a compliance inspection won't go as well as one might hope.

Recently in Australia, two different tanks suffered damages due to wind and fire.

The picture above shows the effect of wind on a large tank that was damaged overnight during the construction phase.

Click here to see one of the damaged tanks, where a secondhand bulk fuel storage tank caught fire during the initial fill process. A third party reports the vent pipe was improperly installed to the interstitial opening, causing the tank to pressurize during the fire. There was combustible material surrounding the tank that contributed to the fire. Lack of qualified first response, inadequate firefighting supplies and improper tank location further exacerbated the situation.

STI R972, Recommended Practice for the Addition of Supplemental Anodes to sti-P3 Tanks, was recently revised and published. A committee of corrosion experts and regulatory representatives reached a consensus to reflect best practices. See more at STI/SPFA Publications.

STI R091, Standard for Tanks Storing DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) is now incorporating names of tank lining products that have been tested to ISO standards. Sherwin Williams Phenicon HS, a novoloc immersion grade epoxy, was the first material to be adopted into the standard.