Winter 2017 WinteR Round-up Forethought on Forethought on theforecourt forecourt the A large supermarket was fined a record 8m in June this year, for a single, massive incident of pollution. additional safety measures n Devise a safe system of traffic movement for example, have a one-way system for entering and exiting the forecourt and display clear information/warning signs setting out the arrangements over two days in 2014, 23,500 litres of fuel leaked from a Tesco petrol station in Haslingden, east Lancashire, polluting a river, killing fish and forcing those living nearby to leave their homes, as fuel entered the sewage system. round-uP n Provide sufficient designated parking areas close to the shop, and away from the pumps. This will prevent other users of the site from being obstructed or from getting in the way of customers who are buying fuel An investigation found that the incident had resulted from the supermarkets failure to address problems with part of the fueldelivery system, as well as an inadequate alarm system. n Check all escape routes and fire exits regularly, to ensure they are clear and well maintained n Consider the use of closed-circuit television, panic alarms and other security measures, such as the use of a pay window at night So what should petrol retailers be doing to ensure they dont cause similar environmental damage, and put themselves at risk of a heavy fine and loss ofreputation? For a start, all of your employees must be aged over 16, competent and trained and you should keep staff-training records accessible and up to date. Your wet-stock management records must also be adequate and kept up to date, and you should ensure storage tanks and dispense pumps are maintained and monitored. In addition: n regular checks should be carried out on all onsite equipment to confirm its safety. record the checks particularly of fire-safety equipment and keep certificates/records of any work carried out, which should be done by competentcontractors n Inspect the fabric of the site regularly, and replace or repair any defective items, using a competent person n Identify hazardous areas and control all sources of ignition; use appropriate information, warning and hazard signs round-uP fuel pumps and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage areas n Ensure electrical installations are certifiedby a competent electrician every three years n Clear rubbish regularly. Sand or other absorbent material used for cleaning or containing petrol spills will be flammable, and should be stored and disposed of safely, using a registered hazardous-waste disposal company n Maintain, operate and test your emergency procedures, to ensure your site can act promptly and correctly in the event of an emergency. Keep contact details for emergency services up to date and readily accessible, and review your procedures regularly especially after anincident n review all risk assessments on a regular basis, especially after any incident For advice on running a safe site, contact your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority contact details will be on your petroleum storage certificate/licence. n Provide mechanical protection to vulnerable structures, such as fuel tanks, Credit: Tony Shore Images: iStock.com / Alfsky BuSineSS matterS trading Standards is committed to making it easier for businesses to comply with the law and Trading Standards Business News (TSBN) is one of the ways it is doing just that. Formerly called Trading Standards News, this publication focuses on topics that are relevant to people running businesses, and aims to help them operate safely and efficiently while staying within the law. if you are viewing this edition on a web browser, you can download the TsBn app for apple, android and amazon devices. aWare oF Crime? report it anonymouSly to trading StandardS the level playing field that nurtures and promotes economic growth and development for businesses, locally and nationally, is maintained by trading Standards. it partly does this by offering advice and assistance to honest and legitimate traders who request guidance on legislation, and by assisting those traders who lose their way in the world of trading Standards and need a little help to become compliant. Where businesses choose to trade outside the law and ignore the advice and guidance given, trading Standards tackles them by using appropriate enforcement action. a lack of willingness and cooperation to comply with trading law and any engagement in criminal activity undermines and harms legitimate trade. this inevitably leads to honest businesses being disadvantaged and having to compete against traders who offer inferior goods and services. to survive, the honest business may be forced to lower its standards or its quality of product, resulting in unsatisfied consumers. left unchecked, this leads to a loss in consumer confidence, and has resulted in certain trade sectors being mistrusted. By working with trading Standards, legitimate businesses that believe their sector is being damaged and undermined by unscrupulous traders, can now help focus and target trading Standards resources, and reduce the harm being inflicted upon their profession. those who believe their professions reputation is being damaged and undermined by illegitimate traders working outside the law, can now report people engaged in such activities via the anonymous, automated hotline 0300 303 2636, or by using the online reporting system www.centsa.org.uk/anonymous-hotline Working together to rid professions of unlawful traders will result in better reputations for these sectors, and improve consumer confidence and trust. this will, in turn, encourage growth in trade and economic development, both locally and nationally. Report foul play to create a level playing field for all. Credit: Brandon Cook For For further information, please contact your local trading Standards Service