Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/578350
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2015 59 S toring your own diesel fuel on site offers many advantages for a heavy- equipment fleet. You get a price break for buying fuel in bulk and you don't have to wait on fuel delivery services to top up your trucks and machines. But installing and maintaining bulk fuel tanks requires you to follow a host of federal, state and local regulations. And once you start dispensing your own fuel, you are responsible for keeping it free from water and contamination. While many construction firms cy- cle through their fuel fast enough to reduce the effects of contamination, water and microbial contamination tend to increase in fuel stored over longer periods of time (for example generator fuel). Proper storage-tank design and maintenance is your best line of defense against all these ail- ments. Dos and don'ts of tank design For construction fleets, above ground storage tanks (ASTs) are almost always the best choice. Pur- due University conducted a study of ASTs and noted their primary advantages are that they can be eas- ily inspected and painted, making leaks less likely, and they can be safely relocated to a different part of the property as circumstances dictate. Drawbacks to ASTs noted in the Purdue study were that vehicles can back into them, vandals can deface or damage them and trespassers can siphon off fuel. Additionally, ASTs are vulnerable to high winds, flooding, theft and vandalism. There is also the potential for soil and groundwater pollution from leaks. Even one drop per second maintenance | by Preston Ingalls and Richard LeFrancois SETTING UP AND MAINTAINING ON-SITE FUEL TANKS It's not complicated but follow all federal, state and local regulations to the letter