large amounts of petrol in cans coming onto our marina - HELP

[jeni]

Hi all

Can someone help please - on our marina large amounts of petrol are brought down to refuel the speed boats (15 or so of them) 2-3 times a week approx 100/200 litres at a time in plastic containers. The bertholders are all concerned as the cans are strewn about on the pontoons and by the electric points and people are walking about to get to their boats while this is going on.

It usually takes 2-3 hours to fuel all the boats and the smell of petrol is terrible.

Most marinas ban petrol in more than 5 Lt cans for outboards but our management dont seem bothered.

Having just witnessed a car fire and huge explosion which only had 19 lt of fuel I am now concerned as 100 would take out most of the marina including my boat.

We have been trying to find out the laws regarding this and it would seem to come under health and saftey but after contacting them they werent sure either!!!

The guys refuelling have no control on what is happening around them - they dont have signs up and anyone could walk by smoking or plug in causing a spark.

Any advice on what to do next and who to contact would be great

I have been told to contact the marina insurance company as they would not cover this breach of health and saftey rule??

we are going to bring this up again at the next bertholders meeting in a few weeks but would like the facts before we approach the management rather than just moaning about it.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[sarabande]

contact your local Fire Prevention Officer at the station for advice. The marina must know it's going on, and you should not be the person to manage their risks for them.

Or, iIf it's "chain" marina, ring up their HQ and ask to speak to the Safety Director.

 

[Who]

I found this info:

PLASTIC CONTAINERS
12 The Petroleum-Spirit (Plastic Containers) Regulations 1982 allow plastic containers to be used as well as metal. They exempt from the need for a licence certain amounts of petrol kept in plastic containers for the purposes of refuelling internal combustion engines and not for sale.

13 For storage in plastic container without a licence the containers must:

a) be constructed of suitable materials;

b) have maximum capacity of FIVE LITRES ;

c) be designed and constructed properly;

d) have appropriate markings or labels;

and the quantities that can be stored are:

i) two containers can be kept on any motor vehicle, motor boat, aircraft or hovercraft;

ii) plus two further containers can be in a safe place in any domestic premises;

iii) plus two more containers can be kept in any other safe place at least 6m from the first

See: Petrol Info

So what they are doing is Illegal

If you really want it to stop, contact the fire brigade and they will cause mayhem and stop it instantly.

Petrol is a hot topic to them. (Pun not intended)

 

[Sneds]

Have to agree with WHO

Call the fire brigade before there is a fire!

 

[Bilgediver]

There is also a limit on how much petrol can be carried in a car....How is it getting to the marina????

 

[hlb]

I think all the replys are a bit over the top and could result in draconion measures taken by the marina, doing no one any good.

Speak to the manager and voice your concerns.

 

[JKay]

RYA Guidelines at our club we check on boats that are occupied and tell them we are refueling,get the big fire extinguishers out and refuel in pairs,no jerry cans full or empty are allowed to be left unattended on the moorings

 

[tinkicker0]

Petregs have been taken over by the Dangerous substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.

However I think the qualifting clause in the Petregs was "any container which is not a fuel tank for the purpose of supplying an internal combustion engine" or similar wording.

So if you have 5 gallon plastic outboard tanks and take them to the petrol station to fill up, they are perfectly legal.


I agree they should not fill up in the marina though, I always take mine outside the marina to decant fuel into the main tank via an outboard suction bulb to start the syphon process and large bore fuel line.
To avoid spillage, I never fill the tank to more than 3/4 full either to prevent overfilling.

A little consideration and understanding on all sides is required for harmony to prevail.
As a petrol boat owner, I am sick of the constant floating, smelly diesel slick that leaves a tide line around my boat caused by the idiots that pump their bilges straight into the marina with no thought as to fitting an oil separating filter to the outlet hose, or run smokey engines in dire need of overhaul, so its not all one sided.

As I said, a little consideration.

 

[volvopaul]

Hmmm funny thing is we were looking to move there from just up the river at Shamrock.

The nearest place for petrol is Hythe marina or Port Hamble.

 

[chrisalcock]

Petrol at our Marina is £1.22 per litre. It's just come down from £1.37 per litre. It's £1 at the supermarkets. It's hardly surprising if people bring their own, rightly or wrongly....

 

[DAKA]

I would not complain if I was in your position, if they are prevented or hindered from refuelling with jerry cans then they will start to fuel under the cover of darkness which will spill four or five times the current quantity.

Smoking in petrol fumes is safe as long as they don't light up.

Kill joys and The law should not interfere with a young man and his sport !

If anyone is concerned about the law and would like to take advantage of the 'portable tank' loophole please send me a pm , I have 3 x 20 L portable fuel tanks I could let you have cheap and a 85 L fuel tank that fits in a boot and trolley very nicely. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[AIDY]

think of all the tiger tokens and tesco club card points /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[andy01842]

A full can of petrol is relativly safe, no air. A empty can has lot of air mixed with the petrol fumes and can explode big time!

 

[chrisalcock]

...a full tank for me is 380 litres. It's economic madness buying from the Marina.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

My advice would be to worry about something else more important and get a life

 

[wakeup]

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif agree with that one.....

 

[realslimshady]

me too.....and watch out for that bus!

 

[alt]

How about growing a pair and confronting the people in question with your concerns? They might re-fuel at another location. Whinging about it on an internet forum isin't going to help, or get you any real advise as all you'll get here is opinions

What are you complaining about - the smell of petrol is lovely /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Otter]

Brave, cowardly or just stupid?

You have to admire the heroism of those who suggest you do nothing - what's more they claim this inactivity is a sign of manliness! Gosh they are brave.

Hazardous substance legislation is there for a reason. If that lot goes up, so will a lot of people with it. But being the brave people they are, they will run through the flames to rescue a young child trapped below decks in a burning boat. Or maybe they'll practice what they preach and do nothing?

Report the marina to the fire prevention officer - 200 litres of petrol - in plastic cans? If it was in my marina I bloody well hope you or I would do something.

 

[Chrusty1]

Re: Brave, cowardly or just stupid?

I would be surprised if he had got anything else but the response that he did in this forum. It doesn't actually take much for the moggies to show their spots. If something, (heaven forbid) was to go pear shaped in times to come, you would probably never forgive yourself knowing that you had stood by and said or done nothing about it.

Come to that, I wonder how the Macho men would feel if after scoffing at your concerns, one of their wives / children had been burnt to death because someone did or said nothing in similar circumstances?