fuel truck grounding system

[ghamam19]

Practice:
To test if the grounding system is working or not we the asks operator to disconnect the grounding connection during the fuel truck loading or offloading process. If the process stopped this lead to the successful functioning of the grounding system.

Concern:
is it safe to disconnect the grounding during the fuel truck loading / offloading process) if not, how can we test the grounding system in a safe manner?

 

[nakulak]

your profile says you are a safety advisor. have you had any training ?

please read CFR49

Title 49: Transportation
PART 177?CARRIAGE BY PUBLIC HIGHWAY
Subpart B?Loading and Unloading


? 177.837 c

here is a link
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=9e5853869fc40e480bbab00d4e62906a&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:2.1.1.3.12.2.39.3&idno=49


if I am reading it correctly, it says, in reference to class 3 flammable materials , that the bonding must be done prior to loading/unloading and remain in place until transfer is complete. This would lead me to believe that you are making a serious error. (however, I have no knowledge of the regulations governing your operation)

 

[LarryFine]

It sounds like you're asking how close to a stick of dynamite can we bring a flame without igniting the dynamite.

"Okay, that distance is too ... *KA-BLAM!"

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Practice:
To test if the grounding system is working or not we the asks operator to disconnect the grounding connection during the fuel truck loading or offloading process. If the process stopped this lead to the successful functioning of the grounding system.

Concern:
is it safe to disconnect the grounding during the fuel truck loading / offloading process) if not, how can we test the grounding system in a safe manner?

You need to give us more details on how the system works. If you have a ground monitoring system that shuts down the product transfer on loss of the bonding path, it should also prevent the start of the system if the bonding path is not complete. The bonding monitoring systems that I have installed have lights that tell you if you have a complete path. When you connect the bonding, the light tells you that the bonding is complete and permits you to start the transfer. If the bonding is lost while the product is being transfered, it stops the process. There would be no need for testing while the product is being transfered.

 

[nakulak]

I didn't mean to sound harsh in my earlier post - I really am curious as to what kind of training is provided for safety officers in this type of operation. Also, I'm not sure that OP was talking about the truck to tank bonding either (?), or if there is some other kind of bonding (grounding mat or equipotential bondging grid at fueling area ?) But as pointed out above, testing for safety under conditions of use do not always provide for the best results, especially if procedures are not well engineered, well understood, well documented, and well followed (can you say chernobyl). Even when there is a safety involved (the idea behind safety devices is not to reduce the safety down to a single point failure - and what you seem to be indicating is that you are doing just that in your testing, if I am understanding it correctly). At any rate, perhaps if you post more information someone here has some experience they can relay in this area ?

 

[weressl]

You need to give us more details on how the system works. If you have a ground monitoring system that shuts down the product transfer on loss of the bonding path, it should also prevent the start of the system if the bonding path is not complete. The bonding monitoring systems that I have installed have lights that tell you if you have a complete path. When you connect the bonding, the light tells you that the bonding is complete and permits you to start the transfer. If the bonding is lost while the product is being transfered, it stops the process. There would be no need for testing while the product is being transfered.

In some places where SIL level testing is required, the requirement for live, operational testing may be required.

 

[hurk27]

I don't see where this test has to be right where the loading/unloading is happening, I would say it should be preformed at a safe distance, there should be some kind of test station setup in another location where the bond can be broken in a safe manner?

 

[ghamam19]

I Thank you all for your inputs, it helped me a lot

 

[don_resqcapt19]

In some places where SIL level testing is required, the requirement for live, operational testing may be required.

Are you saying that the "SIL" level testing requires you to test while actually transferring the product? I have never seen the standard for a Safety Integrity Level system so I have no idea what testing may be required, however it does seem strange that a "live" test would be required where there is the possibility that a failure would result in a hazard.

 

[weressl]

Are you saying that the "SIL" level testing requires you to test while actually transferring the product? I have never seen the standard for a Safety Integrity Level system so I have no idea what testing may be required, however it does seem strange that a "live" test would be required where there is the possibility that a failure would result in a hazard.

Nope, I did not say that. Try conceptualizing other ways to accomplish the 'live' and 'functional' testing.