Petroleum (Transport and Storage) Rules

These Rules may be cited as the Petroleum (Transport and Storage) Rules.

For the purposes of these Rules —“brickwork” means hard, square, well-burnt bricks true in shape and of even quality emitting a ringing sound when struck and measuring not less than 22 cm x 11 cm x 7 cm well bonded in cement mortar consisting of one part of portland cement to 3 parts of clean sand mixed with clear fresh water;“cement plaster or rendering” means a mixture consisting of equal portions of portland cement and clean sand mixed with clear fresh water;“cement concrete” means a concrete made of one part of portland cement, 3 parts of clean sand and 6 parts of stone mixed with clear fresh water;“Director” means the Director of Fire Service appointed under section 3 of the Fire Service Act;“Licensing Officer” means the Director or any officer duly authorised by him in writing;“reinforced concrete” means cement concrete consisting of 3 parts of broken granite, 2 parts of granite dust and not less than one part of cement reinforced by metal in such a manner as shall be approved by the Director.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 12½ cases but not exceeding 100 cases, the applicant shall provide within his premises in such a position as shall be approved by him one or more receptacles or storage bins for storing petroleum constructed of brickwork of a thickness of not less than 35 centimetres, and having a floor of cement concrete not less than 15 centimetres in thickness sloping to a small catch-pit; the cubic content of a bin shall measure and not exceed one-third more than the cubic content of the number of cases that are to be stored and the applicant shall carry out such structural alterations or additions to his own or adjacent premises as may be considered necessary by the Director.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of petroleum in a tank in quantities exceeding 182 litres but not exceeding 3,637 litres, the applicant shall provide within his premises in such a position as may be approved by him one or more storage tanks made of iron or other metal and constructed and maintained in a manner approved by the Director. The applicant shall also provide a catch-pit below each tank used or kept on the premises, such catch-pit shall be made of material and of such dimensions as shall be approved by the Director, shall be maintained in an oil-tight condition and shall be of sufficient capacity to hold all the oil stored in the tank.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 90 litres, but not exceeding 227 litres, the applicant shall provide within his premises in such a position as may be approved by him one or more storage bins constructed of brickwork of a thickness of not less than 11 centimetres rendered inside with cement of a thickness of not less than 1.3 centimetres and shall be in measurement 0.9 metre, by 0.9 metre, by 0.7 metre, fitted with an hinged iron lid on the top of not less than 3 millimetres thick.

The dangerous petroleum shall be stored in the approved positions or receptacles only and in no other part of the premises.

In premises licensed for the storage of 90 litres or more, no fire or cooking-place or artificial light shall be used within 4.5 metres of the storage receptacle.

No drum or tin containing dangerous petroleum shall be broached or opened nor shall any dangerous petroleum be drawn off or changed from one receptacle to another at any time under circumstances where the use of artificial light is necessary.

The soldering of drums or tins containing dangerous petroleum or the application thereto of any operation in which fire or heat is used is prohibited on the licensed premises.

Except as provided in rules 4 and 7, no person shall use a tank-cart or other vehicle for transporting petroleum in any quantity exceeding 182 litres or dangerous petroleum without a licence granted by the Licensing Officer, subject to such conditions as the Licensing Officer may think fit and on payment of the prescribed fee. Such licence shall be renewable annually and may be suspended or revoked by the Licensing Officer at any time.

Any person desiring to transport more than 90 litres of dangerous petroleum except in a licensed tank-cart shall apply to the Licensing Officer for a licence which may be granted under such conditions as shall be laid down in each case.

No dangerous petroleum may be transported in drums or tins unless such drums or tins are of an approved pattern and properly closed and sealed.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 5 cases but not exceeding 12½ cases, the applicant shall provide within his premises in such a position as shall be approved by the Director one or more receptacles or storage bins measuring 1 metre, by 0.9 metre, by 0.9 metre, constructed of brickwork of a thickness of not less than 11 centimetres rendered inside with cement of a thickness of not less than 13 millimetres.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 100 cases but not exceeding 400 cases, the applicant shall provide a storage chamber or building in such a position as may be approved by him and so constructed as to comply with the conditions laid down in these Rules. Such chamber shall be constructed in a building which is not less than 7.5 metres distant from any other building or may be a separate building in which case it shall be at a distance of not less than 7.5 metres from any other building.

A plan of every such building as is referred to in rule 13 shall be deposited with the Director and shall show the position and nature of any other building within 30 metres of that building to a scale not smaller than 10 metres to 2.5 centimetres and plans as required by the Building Control Act [Cap. 29] and the regulations made thereunder shall also be submitted: Provided that in the case of any building lawfully used immediately prior to 24th December 1926 for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 100 cases but not exceeding 400 cases it shall not be necessary to deposit the plan unless the Director by notice in writing requires such plan to be deposited.

The following conditions shall be complied with in regard to every such building as is referred to in rule 13:

Except as allowed by rule 17, the petroleum shall be stored in the chamber only and in no other part of the premises.

During daylight a quantity not exceeding 5 cases or 10 tins of petroleum may be exposed for sale or placed outside the chamber at one time but after 7 p.m. no petroleum may be kept outside the chamber.

No tin or drum containing petroleum shall be broached or opened nor shall any petroleum be drawn off or changed from one receptacle to another at any hour under circumstances where the use of artificial light is necessary.

No fire or cooking-place or any artificial light shall be used within 3 metres of any storage chamber.

The soldering of tins, drums or other receptacles containing petroleum or the application thereto of any operation in which fire or heat is used is prohibited on the licensed premises.

No building shall be licensed for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 400 cases unless so constructed as to comply with the conditions laid down in these Rules.

A plan of every building intended for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 400 cases shall be deposited with the Director and shall show the position and nature of any other building within 45 metres of that building to a scale not smaller than 10 metres to 2.5 centimetres and plans as required by the Building Control Act [Cap. 29] and the regulations made thereunder shall also be submitted: Provided that in the case of any building lawfully used immediately prior to 24th December 1926 for the storage of petroleum in quantities exceeding 400 cases it shall not be necessary to deposit the plan unless the Director by notice in writing requires such plan to be deposited.

Every such building as is referred to in rule 22 shall be of stone, brick, or other material approved by the Director and the following rules shall apply to all buildings erected, altered or adapted after 24th December 1926:

Petroleum shall not be stored in bulk in quantities exceeding 363,680 litres in any one building. Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of petroleum in bulk in quantities exceeding 3,637 litres, the applicant shall provide within a building or compartment so constructed as to comply with rule 23 a tank or tanks made of iron or other approved metal and constructed and maintained in a manner approved by the Director, but the total cubic capacity of the tank or tanks shall not exceed 90% of the total cubic capacity of the building or compartment up to the level of the lowest sill or opening in the external walls and a fully dimensioned detail drawing of the tank or tanks to a scale not less than 13 millimetres to 30 centimetres shall be deposited with the Director.

Naked tins shall not be stored above 3.9 metres from the floor level and a distinct black band 5 centimetres wide, the bottom of which shall indicate the limit above which such tins may not be stored shall be painted round the inside of each building or compartment and shall be kept distinguishable.

The soldering of tins, drums or other receptacles containing petroleum or the application thereto of any operation in which fire or heat is used is prohibited except in the soldering building provided and not more than 25 cases shall be kept in the soldering building at any one time.

No goods of any kind except petroleum shall be stored in or about any licensed building.

No lamp, candle or other artificial light shall be used in any licensed building nor shall smoking be allowed therein and all work therein shall be carried out between sunrise and sunset.

Sluice valves of drains shall not be opened except to run off the water inside the wall or embankment except for necessary repairs and in no case shall they be opened between sunset and sunrise.

No gangways or bridges shall be placed from the top of the wall or embankment to the door sill, unless previously approved by the Director, and in no case shall packages or materials be kept or placed within the wall or embankment surrounding the licensed building.

All doors and shutters or windows shall be kept closed and locked between sunset and sunrise.

A person may store without a licence dangerous petroleum in quantities not exceeding 45 litres provided it is for use in connection with motor vehicles kept for private use only.

In premises where dangerous petroleum is stored in quantities not exceeding 45 litres for private use under rule 32, no fire or cooking place or naked light shall be used within 4.5 metres of the store.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities not exceeding 90 litres, the applicant shall provide within his premises in such a position as may be approved by him one or more storage bins constructed of brickwork of a thickness of not less than 11 centimetres rendered inside with cement of a thickness not less than 1.3 centimetres and shall be in measurement 0.6 metre, by 0.6 metre, by 0.7 metre, fitted with an hinged iron lid on the top of not less than 3 millimetres thick.

Before the Director grants a licence for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 227 litres but not exceeding 2,270 litres, the applicant shall provide within his premises in such a position as may be approved by him one or more storage bins or chambers constructed in such a manner as to comply with the conditions laid down in these Rules and shall carry out such structural alterations or additions to his own or adjacent premises as may be considered necessary by the Director.

A plan of every chamber intended for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 227 litres but not exceeding 2,270 litres shall be deposited with the Director, and shall show the position and nature of every other building within 30 metres of the same to a scale of not less than 10 metres to 2.5 centimetres and plans as required by the Building Control Act [Cap. 29] and the regulations made thereunder shall also be submitted: Provided that in the case of any building lawfully used immediately prior to 24th December 1926 for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 227 litres but not exceeding 2,270 litres it shall not be necessary to deposit the plan unless the Director by notice in writing requires such plan to be deposited.

The following conditions shall be complied with in regard to every such chamber, other than an underground storage tank, as is referred to in rule 41:

During daylight a quantity not exceeding 4 tins of dangerous petroleum may be exposed for sale or placed outside the storage receptacle at one time, but after 7 p.m. no dangerous petroleum may be kept outside the storage receptacle.

No fire or cooking-place or any artificial light shall be used and no smoking shall be allowed within 7.5 metres of the storage chamber, except in the case of pumps connected with underground storage tanks where electric lights of a type approved by the Director may be used.

No drum or tin containing dangerous petroleum shall be broached or opened nor any dangerous petroleum drawn off or changed from one receptacle to another at any time when or under circumstances where the use of artificial light is necessary.

No other goods of any description shall be stored in or upon the storage chamber and no inflammable goods shall be stored within 3 metres of it, except in the case of underground storage tanks where a limited quantity of motoring requisites may be stored as approved by the Director.

The soldering of drums or tins containing dangerous petroleum or the application thereto of any operation in which fire or heat is used is prohibited on the licensed premises.

No building shall be licensed for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 2,270 litres unless so constructed as to comply with the conditions laid down in these Rules.

A plan of every building intended for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 2,270 litres shall be deposited with the Director, and shall show the position and nature of every other building within 60 metres of the first mentioned building to a scale not smaller than 10 metres to 2.5 centimetres and plans as required by the Building Control Act [Cap. 29] and the regulations made thereunder shall also be submitted: Provided that in the case of any building lawfully used immediately prior to 24th December 1926 for the storage of dangerous petroleum in quantities exceeding 2,270 litres it shall not be necessary to deposit the plan unless the Director by notice in writing requires such plan to be deposited.

The following conditions shall be complied with in regard to every such building as is referred to in rule 48:

Naked tins shall not be stored above 3.9 metres from the floor level and a distinct black band 5 centimetres wide the bottom of which shall indicate the limit above which such tins may not be stored shall be painted round the inside of each building or compartment and shall be kept distinguishable.

The soldering of drums or other receptacles containing dangerous petroleum or the application thereto of any operation in which fire or heat is used is prohibited except in a special soldering building which may be not less than 9 metres distant from the licensed building and shall be constructed so as to comply with the conditions laid down in rule 23(k) and not more than 295 litres of dangerous petroleum shall be kept in the soldering building at any one time.

The following conditions shall be complied with in regard to every underground storage tank intended or used for the storage of dangerous petroleum in bulk:

Except as hereinafter provided, no new licence shall be granted nor shall any licence be renewed for any installation intended or used for the storage of dangerous petroleum in tanks in quantities exceeding 9,092 litres unless rules 56 to 70 inclusive are complied with:Provided that —

A plan of every installation intended for the storage of dangerous petroleum in tanks in quantities exceeding 9,092 litres shall be deposited with the Director, and shall show the boundaries of the installation and the position and nature of every building within 45 metres of such boundaries to a scale not smaller than 10 metres to 2.5 centimetres, and plans as required by the Building Control Act [Cap. 29] and the regulations made thereunder shall also be submitted.

No installation shall be for a quantity exceeding 1,363,800 litres without the special sanction in writing of the Director.

For every installation for a quantity not exceeding 1,363,800 litres the following rules shall apply:

For every installation for a quantity exceeding 1,363,800 litres, the following rules shall apply:

Every tank or group of tanks shall be surrounded at a distance of not less than 7.8 metres by a wire fence 2.4 metres high with suitable gates, which must remain locked except —

All enclosures surrounding tanks shall be drained by a pipe, fitted with a valve actuated from the outside of the enclosure. Such valves shall always be kept closed except when they are actually in use.

The Director may, on receipt of an application in relation to any particular installation or part of an installation and provided that he is satisfied that such waiver or modification as hereinafter mentioned will not render the installation unsafe, modify or waive, upon and subject to such terms as he thinks fit, any of the following stipulations in these Rules:

Every tank to be erected shall be designed and constructed throughout in accordance with the best engineering practice to be approved by the Director, and detail drawings of every such tank together with a specification of the material to be used and the method of construction and erection to be adopted shall be submitted for the approval of the Director, and no tank may be erected until such drawings and specifications have been approved. Every tank must be erected on good solid foundations upon which the entire bottom surface shall have a fair bearing and shall be strengthened throughout in accordance with the best engineering practice to be approved by the Director.

Every tank shall be tested at the time of installation in the presence of and to the satisfaction of the Director or his authorised representative and shall be subject to inspection at any future time at the discretion of the Director, after due notice has been given. If the test be not satisfactory and any defects are observed they shall be made good and the tank tested again.

A vent pipe shall be fitted to each tank terminating in an approved position at least 4.8 metres above ground level and provided with an air vent protector of an approved pattern; or alternatively each tank shall be fitted with vapour pressure and vacuum relief type valves in accordance with approved engineering design.

No smoking shall be permitted on or about an installation, and notices to this effect shall be conspicuously posted on the premises.

An efficient fire service to the satisfaction of the Director shall be provided in each installation, and the employees shall be instructed periodically in the use of fire appliances.

An adequate supply of sand or dry earth shall always be kept ready for immediate use for the purpose of extinguishing fire.

There shall be hung in a conspicuous place in every installation, copies of these Rules in English, Chinese and Malay.

There shall be hung on the outside of all licensed premises in a conspicuous position a board of an approved pattern. Every such board shall be supplied by the Director, at a charge which may be fixed from time to time and shall remain the property of the Director, and must be returned to the Licensing Officer at the expiry of the licence or when the licensed premises ceases to be used for the purpose for which the licence was issued.

Every application for the renewal of a licence shall be made to the Licensing Officer on a date not less than 7 days before the date on which the original licence expires.

In the case of a new licence application must be made in writing to the Licensing Officer.

Where it is considered necessary for the public safety, the Director may impose such further conditions as he thinks necessary.

Every licence issued under these Rules shall be kept exhibited at all times in some prominent and accessible place on the licensed premises and shall at all reasonable times, whilst in force, be produced at the request of the Licensing Officer.

No licence shall be issued for storing petroleum, in houses built of wood, attap or other combustible material.

No licence shall be transferred without the previous consent in writing of the Licensing Officer.

Such materials or appliances for extinguishing fire as may be stipulated by the Director shall be kept in effective condition and ready for use in or about every licensed premises.

No quantity of petroleum or dangerous petroleum in excess of the quantity stated on the licence shall be stored in the licensed premises or transported, as the case may be.

No leaky tins or drums containing dangerous petroleum shall be placed in any licensed building, compartment or storage chamber.

No unauthorised person or any person under the age of 15 years shall be permitted to have access to any licensed building, compartment or storage chamber.

Petroleum or dangerous petroleum shall not be allowed to flow into any public drain or sewer.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged dangerous petroleum or petroleum at any place except in a licensed premises and through the hose pipes provided for that purpose.

Every person who contravenes any of these Rules shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine not exceeding $50 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction.