Unloading at a Busy Newark Station
You are delivering 3,000 gallons of diesel to a Newark station with two 4,000-gallon underground tanks. The station's tank gauge reads 1,200 gallons in the 4,000-gallon tank, so the owner says there is room for 2,800 gallons. The tank's overfill prevention valve is stuck and the site's spill bucket is full of water. The unloading hose crosses a public sidewalk; a customer's car is parked over the manhole. The station's emergency shutoff is inside the office, and the office is locked. You have a 20-foot hose and the truck's emergency shutoff works. The owner asks you to 'just dump 2,500 and leave; I'll watch it.' It is 3:30 p.m. and the station is busy with customers. The tank is 20 years old and its gauge was last calibrated two years ago.
1. Identify the unsafe conditions and decide whether the transfer can start.
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The transfer should not start. The gauge says 1,200 gallons in a 4,000-gallon tank, which suggests 2,800 gallons of room, but the gauge was calibrated two years ago and may be wrong. The stuck overfill prevention valve removes the last automatic defense against overfilling. The spill bucket full of water can drain water and product into the tank or hide a spill, and it must be emptied before connecting. The car over the manhole blocks access and escape; the hose across a public sidewalk needs traffic control and an attendant. Most importantly, the station emergency shutoff is locked inside the office, so you cannot stop the transfer quickly. The owner's request to dump 2,500 gallons and leave would mean an unattended transfer without a working site shutdown. That is a no-go.
2. What conditions must be corrected before transfer, and what is your role during the transfer?
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Before transfer, clear the car and sidewalk, drain and inspect the spill bucket, verify the tank's actual level with a manual gauge or trusted metered gauge, have the overfill device repaired or tested, make the emergency shutoff accessible, and position the truck so the hose is protected. Set the parking brake, chock the wheels, bond the truck to the station tank, connect the hose, and confirm the site attendant is present and knows how to stop the transfer. During transfer, stay at the controls, watch the tank gauge and vents, and stop at the safe level. Do not leave the truck or hose unattended even briefly.
3. The owner insists you can leave 2,500 gallons running because he will watch it. What do you do?
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No. Leaving 2,500 gallons running while you drive away is an unattended transfer, and the site shutoff is inaccessible. If the tank overfills or the hose leaks, no one will be at the controls. You must refuse, explain the specific defects, and contact dispatch and the station owner. Document the refusal and the conditions. Offer to reschedule after the overfill device, gauge, spill bucket, access, and emergency shutdown are corrected. A customer's schedule does not override the prohibition on unattended transfer or the requirement for emergency controls.