The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001

Requirements for storage of oil—general

3.—(1) Oil shall be stored in a container which is of sufficient strength and structural integrity to ensure that it is unlikely to burst or leak in its ordinary use.

(2) The container must be situated within a secondary containment system which satisfies the following requirements—

(a) subject to paragraph (5), it must have a capacity of not less than 110% of the container’s storage capacity or, if there is more than one container within the system, of not less than 110% of the largest container’s storage capacity or 25% of their aggregate storage capacity, whichever is the greater;

(b) it must be positioned, or other steps must be taken, so as to minimise any risk of damage by impact so far as is reasonably practicable;

(c) its base and walls must be impermeable to water and oil;

(d) its base and walls must not be penetrated by any valve, pipe or other opening which is used for draining the system; and

(e) if any fill pipe, or draw off pipe, penetrates its base or any of its walls, the junction of the pipe with the base or walls must be adequately sealed to prevent oil escaping from the system.

(3) Any valve, filter, sight gauge, vent pipe or other equipment ancillary to the container (other than a fill pipe or draw off pipe or, if the oil has a flashpoint of less than 32°C, a pump) must be situated within the secondary containment system.

(4) Where a fill pipe is not within the secondary containment system, a drip tray must be used to catch any oil spilled when the container is being filled with oil.

(5) Where any drum is used for the storage of oil in conjunction with a drip tray as the secondary containment system, it is sufficient if the tray has a capacity of not less than 25% of—

(a) the drum’s storage capacity; or

(b) if there is more than one drum used at the same time with the tray, the aggregate storage capacity of the drums.