OFTEC inspections for fuel tanks in Lancashire by CTSL

26 Feb 2023

What is an OFTEC inspection and why do I need one for my fuel tank? CTSL undertakes OFTEC fuel tank inspections for commercial fuel tanks in Lancashire.

OFTEC inspections for fuel tanks in Lancashire by CTSL

OFTEC-compliant fuel tank inspections and surveys are essential to ensuring that your fuel tank, pipework and ancillary equipment remain compliant and in good condition, minimising and preventing risk of fire, spills or leaks into the environment.

Identifying preventative maintenance and meeting OFTEC's strict inspection requirements, CTSL undertakes OFTEC fuel tank surveys and inspections for clients in Lancashire across sectors from agriculture and manufacturing to telecomms, IT and data.

CTSL is a 'competent person', regulated and authorised to carry out OFTEC regulatory inspections and benefiting from decades of experience in fuel tank safety, knowledge of fuel tank and fuel storage manufacture, and an industry-leading reputation for environmental protection through spill clean up and remediation.

Why does my fuel tank need an OFTEC inspection?

Fuel tank inspections are essential to ensure compliance with OFTEC's recommendations and best practice guidance, protecting your business, your site and your surrounding environment from potential harm caused by leaks or spills from your fuel tank.

Fuel tanks fall within British Standard BS5410. Part 1 applies to domestic fuel tanks with capacities up to 3,500L, whilst Part 2 applies to commercial fuel and oil storage tanks.

A routine fuel tank inspection, including those for fuel tanks used in back-up generation and in commercial settings such as agriculture, vehicle rental, manufacturing and aviation, is carried out by a CTSL OFTEC-registered engineer to identify and monitor the condition of your fuel tank and its associated pipework to check for signs of corrosion, cracks, faults and fractures, as well as ensuring installation and alignment is optimal.

Fuel tank inspections by CTSL on steel bunded tanks in Lancashire

What happens during an OFTEC fuel tank inspection?

Your OFTEC-registered engineer from CTSL's expert team will thoroughly inspect and check your fuel tank's structural integrity, including:

• Condition of the fuel tank's steel construction
• Condition and compliance of the fuel tank's bund and base supporting structure, including whether the tank's bund is of the recommended size
• Location of your fuel tank and the type of fuel stored, including its age and how it is used and distributed from your fuel tank 
• Corrosion checks externally, where conditions such as heat or water have compromised the structural integrity of the fuel tank
• Corrosion checks internally, ensuring the bunded steel fuel tank remains in good condition throughout
• Condition and integrity of welds of your fuel tank
• Condition and integrity of your fuel tank's security and alarm systems
• Checks of fuel tank ancillary equipment, including integrated pumps, feed lines and hoses
• Condition checks to fill points, taps, pipes, vents and valves

Regulations for the installation and use of fuel and oil tanks include:

• Assessment of both single-skin, integrally-bunded or double-bunded fuel tanks
• Assessment of reinforced concrete or masonry bund, particularly for single-skin fuel tanks
• Specific siting requirements, including minimum distance from a boundary, screening of fuel tanks, minimum distance from buildings or structures and minimum distances from boreholes, springs or wells
• Specific base requirements, including fireproof base requirements, minimum thickness and minimum/maximum perimeter reach around the fuel tank
• Specifications for fuel and oil pipework installations, including materials and siting requirements for underground and over ground pipes
• Specifications for transition of fuel into buildings - for example, from a day tank to a generator, or from a large external storage tank into an internal day tank. Requirements include specifications for sleeved pipework and fire valves.

OFTEC fuel tank inspections by registered fuel tank technicians

OFTEC - the Oil Firing Technical Association - is our industry's leading trade organisation in the UK and Ireland. Technicians registered with OFTEC are committed to meeting building regulations and best practice in off-gas grid heating, promoting high professional and technical standards to support heating users.

CTSL's fuel tank inspections are completed by OFTEC-registered technicians, for reassurance that your fuel tank inspection is thoroughly undertaken by a reliable and accredited Competent Person.

How often does my fuel tank need an OFTEC inspection?

CTSL recommends commissioning a fuel tank inspection annually.

Your fuel tank is used throughout the year, often facing challenging weather conditions - from sub-zero to increasingly warm summer temperatures - and it's important to maintain the fuel tank, together with the fuel tank bund, its associated pipework, valves, gauges, pumps, pipes, hoses and feed lines.

OFTEC fuel tank inspections in Lancashire by CTSL

Since 2006, and with decades of earlier experience in fuel management and storage, CTSL together with our tank fabrication division CHF Tanks, has established itself as a national leader in bunded fuel tank design, fabrication, installation and OFTEC fuel tank inspection.

Based in Leyland, Lancashire and working with major national organisations UK-wide in both public and private sectors, CTSL delivers fuel tanks and fuel tank services that keep operations supplied with reliable, safe and plentiful fuels. From healthcare and prisons to agriculture, IT, vehicle hire and logistics, clients rely on CTSL for fuel tanks that are built and maintained to last.

OFTEC fuel tank inspections in Lancashire by CTSL benefit from our years' of experience in fuel management and tank fabrication, protecting your people, your site, your business and your environment.

Book your OFTEC fuel tank inspection with CTSL