If your site zone is rural and is a minimum size of 4 hectares, the maximum diesel storage quantity is 1,000L for single skin tanks. Although this is the case, the legislation does state, “If the fuel is stored so a spill will not endanger buildings, streams or water bodies, these requirements are only needed if you store 2,000L of diesel”. In more simple terms, it is legal for you to store up to 1,999L of diesel on your farm in a single skin tank if you meet these conditions. Over 2,000L, you will need a self-bunded tank.
Click here for the exact place on the Worksafe website that explains further how much diesel or petrol you can store on your farm.
Petrol
Petrol is highly flammable and is one of the most hazardous substances that we use. Because it is so easily ignited, you must handle it with great care.
If you’re needing to store petrol, there are few important safety items to bear in mind. Petrol is commonly used in much smaller quantities on farms for refuelling equipment like motorbikes and chainsaws, therefore the storage amount can be reduced to much safer levels.
Ideally, petrol should be kept in a shed or garage that is separated from the dwelling. Containers of petrol should only be stored in well-ventilated, secure outbuildings away from living accommodation and from all sources of ignition such as fires, lights and any electrical points such as sockets or fuse boxes.
Here’s a few tips for when storing and using petrol:
Aluminium Ute Tanks up to 250L
The quantity limits for petrol transported for agricultural use or for a commercial purpose, (but not transported for hire or direct reward) is a maximum of 250 litres. The aluminium ute tank pictured below that is coupled with a petrol approved hand pump, makes an ideal tank that can be used for purchasing petrol from the nearest service station and for storing the fuel on farm.
For more information on transporting dangerous goods, see fact sheet 68 from the NZTA website.
Stationary Tanks
If you’re wanting to store larger quantities of petrol on your farm, you have the option of storing up to 1,000 litres in a single skin steel tank, without the need for secondary containment bunding, or up to 2,000 litres in an open secondary bund. Because fuels are flammable, there are minimum distances needed between where they are stored and other buildings or activities.
See below some useful links for storing petrol:
While diesel as a substance is not as flammable as petrol, it is an environmental hazard with considerable clean-up costs if it should leak into a drain, watercourse or the soil.
Diesel is still a hazardous substance, and two grades of diesel fuel are approved for use in New Zealand:
For simplicity, both are treated as flammable liquids, low hazard.
While storing diesel is very common and relatively simple compared to petrol, there are a number of factors that need considering. Click here for a helpful resource, then give one of our guys a call and we’ll make your installation simple.
Here are some useful links for the storage of diesel:
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