The National Standard ”Requirements for the transport of petroleum and petroleum products by road tanker wagons” – GYS 512:2016 has been recently developed by the Technical Committee – Mechanical Engineering of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). This standard is a pursuant to the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) Regulations and it applies to the transport of petroleum and petroleum products by road tanker wagons licensed by the GEA. The standard defines a road tanker wagon (RTW) as a composite unit consisting of a propelling motor and cab together with one or more tanks fixed to a chassis such that bulk transportation of petroleum can be done. Petroleum and petroleum products include petrol, diesel, bunker-C and any other heavy oils, liquefied gas, petroleum gas, aviation fuel, kerosene and any other hydrocarbon-based fuel source of product of the petroleum refining process, whether in liquid or gaseous form. In Guyana, although tanker wagons transport many of the above products on our roadways daily, they are usually associated with the transport of gasoline, diesel and kerosene from the main bulk fuel terminals to gas-stations countrywide. These tankers are either owned by the main distributors of fuel or by private fuel dealers, including owners of gas-stations. In the standard, the construction of a road tanker wagon is specified, focusing on aspects such as brakes, tanks, fifth wheel assembly, outlets and valves, joints, pressure relief system and vapour recovery. To be classified as fit for purpose, these construction requirements must be met. For verification, the standard states that all road tanker wagons shall be verified (or calibrated) by the GNBS, such that the minimum and maximum carrying volumes are established, in order to ensure that the declared carrying volume is within the said range. Further, where the tanker wagon is equipped with discharge meters, these shall also be verified by the Bureau. It is important to note that the verification of a tanker wagon is conducted biennially (every two years). However, in the second year, prior to the acquisition of a license to operate from the GEA an inspection is conducted by the GNBS and a certificate is issued. This inspection is done to ensure that the tanker wagon is maintaining all requirements. Meanwhile, the standard also requires that inspections and retesting be carried out by the GNBS prior to further use, if the tanker shows evidence of dents, corrosion or leakages which may render it unsafe; the tank has been in an accident, it has been out of operations for more than a year or safety measures have not been exercised in the use of the tanker wagon. Internal inspection, lining inspection, pressure, leakage and thickness test requirements are all included in the standard. To ensure safety on the roadways during the use of a tanker wagon, the standards provide general safety requirements, and information on the design that is appropriate to reduce accidental damage. It also list appurtenance relating to safety including fire extinguishers, warming signs, placards, and lighting. In addition, because of the flammable nature of products being transported by such a vehicle, onloading, off-loading, first aid and firefighting training shall be administered to person(s) using a tanker wagon. Further, the standard requires that they also have a contingency plan. In order to meet the requirements of this standard and to reduce the possibility of verification and inspection failure, owners of tanker wagons are encouraged to acquire a copy of this standard and familiarized themselves with the requirements therein.
For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0062, 219-0065, and 219-0066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org or facebook/gnbsgy
