Refuelling Plant Safely

Refuelling plant and equipment is a daily activity that creates fire, explosion, and environmental pollution hazards.
Diesel fuel is combustible and its vapour can ignite from sparks, hot surfaces, and naked flames near the fill point.
Spills during refuelling are the most common cause of fuel pollution on UK construction sites.
All refuelling must take place on hardstanding with drip trays beneath the fill point to catch spills and overflows.
The refuelling nozzle must be attended at all times — an unattended nozzle can overflow the tank within seconds.
Fuel bowsers and storage tanks must be bunded at 110% of the maximum tank capacity to contain any leaks or spills.
Smoking, naked flames, and mobile phone use must be prohibited within the refuelling zone to prevent ignition.
Spill kits must be immediately available at every refuelling point and on every fuel bowser used on site.
Static electricity discharge can ignite fuel vapour — the nozzle must maintain metal-to-metal contact with the tank during filling.
Refuelling records including quantities dispensed must be maintained for fuel management and environmental compliance.

Fire and explosion	Fuel vapour near the fill point can ignite from a single spark — no ignition sources may be present during refuelling.
Environmental pollution	A single fuel spill during refuelling can contaminate soil and groundwater, resulting in unlimited fines and criminal prosecution.
Unattended nozzle	Leaving the nozzle unattended during filling leads to tank overflow and fuel spill within seconds — constant attendance is mandatory.

Do

Don't

Refuel only on hardstanding with a drip tray beneath the fill point.
Attend the refuelling nozzle at all times during the filling operation.
Maintain metal-to-metal contact between the nozzle and tank to prevent static discharge.
Ensure fuel bowsers and tanks are bunded to 110% capacity for spill containment.
Keep a spill kit immediately available at every refuelling point on site.
Prohibit smoking, naked flames, and mobile phones within the refuelling zone.
Shut down the plant engine before starting the refuelling operation.
Do not overfill tanks — leave space for fuel expansion in warm weather.
Record fuel quantities dispensed for management and environmental compliance.
Clean up any drips or minor spills immediately using the spill kit provided.

DON'T refuel on bare ground — always use hardstanding with drip tray protection.
DON'T walk away from the nozzle during filling — tanks overflow within seconds.
DON'T allow static build-up — keep the nozzle in contact with the tank throughout.
DON'T store fuel in unbunded containers or tanks without secondary containment.
DON'T refuel without a spill kit within arm's reach of the fill point.
DON'T smoke, use phones, or create any ignition source in the refuelling zone.
DON'T refuel with the plant engine running — shut it down before filling.
DON'T fill the tank completely — leave expansion space to prevent overflow.
DON'T skip recording fuel use — records demonstrate environmental compliance.
DON'T ignore drips or small spills — clean them up immediately before they spread.

See also: Fuel and Oil Spill Prevention | Spill Kit Use and Deployment

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