8:16 am, August 4, 2008
DRAINING fuel can be a draining issue for garages.
Even a small spill or incident can lead to the serious injury – or even death – of a worker.
That’s why the RMIF is advising garages to have adequate fuel drainage safety measures in place. Particularly as such a task is becoming common.
Not only do cars have to be drained for various workshop or bodyshop jobs, it’s also increasingly being required to rectify growing numbers of misfuelled vehicles.
Latest estimates are that 120,000 people put diesel in a petrol car, or vice versa, every year.
Therefore, guidelines for fuel drainage, storage and disposal are vital, given that it’s one of the most hazardous jobs a garage undertakes. Stephen Coles, head of MOT operations at the RMIF, said: ‘This should include a full risk assessment and ensuring all staff are competent to carry out this task, and that they have been supplied with the necessary instructions and equipment to perform this task safely.’
‘As well as procedures for the drainage of the fuel, the assessment should also consider then requirements to store and, if necessary, dispose of the fuel.’
