866

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 26

of any tank the owner shall notify such Inspector of the intention to install such tank, and shall test the tank at the pit-side with air-pressure not less than 5 lb. to the square inch. Such test shall, unless otherwise arranged, be carried out in the presence of such Inspector. The owner shall at all times maintain the tank and connections in good order and free from leakage.

36. Every underground tank shall be placed not less than 2 ft. below the surface of the ground, and shall not be placed beneath a building unless the circumstances of the case render this necessary. When so placed it shall either be placed below the lowest floor of the building or if situated in a cellar or basement shall be placed in a concrete pit constructed with concrete walls, roof, and floor extending from basement to ground floor with a space of not less than 2 ft. on all sides of the tank, which space shall be filled with well-rammed earth, sand, or clay. The tank, wherever situated, shall be below the level of any piping to which such tank may be connected : Provided that this regulation shall not apply to underground tanks of capacity exceeding 7,500 gallons, installed to the satisfaction of an Inspector.

37. Except as may be approved by the Chief Inspector, every underground tank shall be set in firm foundations, and shall be either surrounded by soft earth, sand, or preferably clay well tamped into place, or placed in a brick or concrete chamber with the space between tank and chamber filled with dry sand or clay. Where necessary to prevent floating the tank shall be securely anchored or weighted.

38. All underground tanks shall be fitted with a ventilating pipe of such size that neither pressure nor vacuum can be established in the tank during filling or emptying, but not less than 1 in. in diameter, which shall be carried to an approved position in the open air not less than 12 ft. above the ground and shall there terminate in one or more return bends with an opening or openings whose total area shall (by means of splayed ends or double returns, or a combination of such means) be double the area of the pipe section. Every such opening shall be covered with brass wire gauze of not less than 28 meshes to the linear inch, secured in such manner that the gauze may be removed for examination and cleaning.

39. Except in cases where the dangerous goods are stored over water, all pipes connected to the storage tank, including the dipping-pipe, but excluding the ventilating-pipe, shall be carried down close to the bottom of the tank.

40. The filling-pipe shall be carried to an approved position in the open air, and shall be fitted with a screw cap and protected in an approved manner from access by unauthorized persons. The opening of every filling-pipe, and the opening of every dipping-pipe, when such opening is outside a building, shall be so protected that water cannot overlie such opening except in the event of the flooding of the locality.

41. The maximum quantities of dangerous goods which may be stored in underground tank or tanks on any premises shall be as follows :-

(a) If tank is situated beneath a building or within 10 ft. from a building and the top of the tank is above the lowest floor of the building .. 550

(b) If tank or tanks are situated beneath a building not of fire-resisting construction and the top of all tanks is below the lowest level of all buildings within a radius of 20 ft. 1,000

(c) If tank or tanks are situated beneath a building and the building, or that portion of the building above the tanks is of fire-resisting construction approved by an Inspector, and the top of all tanks is below the lowest floor of all buildings within a radius of 20 ft. 5,000

(d) If tank or tanks are situated in the open not less than 10 ft. from any building and the top of all tanks is below the lowest floor of all buildings within a radius of 25 ft. . 15,000

(e) If tank or tanks are situated in the open not less than 10 ft. from any building and the top of all tanks is below the lowest floor of all buildings within a radius of 30 ft. 20,000

(f) If tank or tanks are situated in the open not less than 10 ft. from any building and the top of all tanks is below the lowest floor of all buildings within a radius of 40 ft. 50,000

(g) If tank or tanks are situated in the open not less than 10 ft. from any building and the top of all tanks is below the lowest floor of all buildings within a radius of 50 ft. . Unlimited.

42. Except as may be approved by an Inspector for the purpose of tank calibration, underground tanks shall be filled only under seal — i.e., by hose having gas - tight and petrol-tight connections to tank-wagon, barrel, or other container at one end and the filling-point of the underground tank at the other. When the tank is filled from barrels or similar containers there shall be installed in the delivery-line a quick-release valve, or a valve capable of being shut off by a single motion. Before commencing the filling of any underground tank the person in charge of the operation shall securely close the dipping-hole pipe gas-tight and shall keep such pipe so closed during the filling of the tank.

43. When it is necessary to remove from the ground any underground tank which has contained petroleum spirit, or to examine or repair such tank, or the underground pipes connected thereto, the owner of the tank shall notify an Inspector of the Licensing Authority within whose district the tank is situated of the intention to undertake the examination, repair, or removal, which shall be carried out only at such time and under such conditions as such Inspector shall approve. No person shall remove any underground tank from the ground until all openings in the tank are securely closed and made gas-tight.

44. In cases where for any reason dangerous goods contained in any underground tank are placed under seizure by an Inspector, the latter may seal both tank and the attached pump which shall for this purpose be deemed to be one unit, and it shall be an offence against these regulations for any person to break such seal or to remove any dangerous goods from such tank whilst under seizure.

Pumps for Petroleum Spirit.

45. Petroleum spirit used, or intended to be used for any purpose other than for the purpose of retail sale may be delivered from underground tanks by means of any type of petrol-pump approved by an Inspector, provided that the connections to the storage container shall be both petrol-tight and gas-tight, that the hose on the delivery-side of the pump shall be kept empty when not in use, and that the pump shall be placed in a well-ventilated part of the building, and in such position that exit from the building will not be blocked in the event of a fire occurring in the use of the pump. Pumps may be affixed on the wall or placed in other approved position.

46. No person shall deliver petroleum spirit from an underground tank for the purpose of retail sale otherwise than by means of a pump of a type of which the Chief Inspector has given his approval by notice published in the Gazette, and which complies as regards installation and in all other respects with the requirements set out in these regulations and with the terms of the approval. Such approval may be either a general one or may be conditional on the installation of the pump in certain positions only and under restrictions as to the method of operating.

47. Application for the approval of any pump shall be accompanied by detail plans and specifications showing the construction of the pump, and before final approval the Chief Inspector may require the practical working of the pump to be demonstrated under installation conditions. Every application for approval of a pump shall be accompanied by an inspection fee of £1.

48. Pumps used for the retail sale of petroleum spirit shall be installed only in such position as may be approved by an Inspector and, wherever possible, in the open air. A pump shall not be permitted inside any building or in such position that it is or may be used to serve motor-vehicles situated within a building unless the building, or the portion of the building in the vicinity of the pump, is well ventilated and is of fire-resisting construction to the satisfaction of an Inspector. A pump shall not be so situated that exit from the building is likely to be blocked in the event of a fire occurring in the use of the pump.

49. Not more than one pump used for the retail sale of petroleum spirit shall be installed inside any building unless—

(a) The latter is used solely for the supply of petroleum spirit and such other purposes generally associated with the supply of petroleum spirit as may be approved by an Inspector, but not including car-repair work or garaging, and the building is designed to provide adequate ventilation in the vicinity of the pumps ; or

(b) The portion of the building where the pumps are situated, including all roadways where vehicles stand to refill fuel-tanks, is separated from the remainder of the building by walls of brick, concrete, or other similar type of fire-resisting material approved by the Chief Inspector (and by a roof of similar construction should the building be of more than one floor), and that adequate ventilation is provided in the vicinity of the pumps. Door-openings in the walls between the service area and the remainder of the building shall be fitted with fire-resisting doors, and all windows shall be of wired glass in metal frames.

50. No petroleum spirit shall be allowed to remain in the “visible container” of any pump situated inside or within 8 ft. from any building, and it shall be an offence against this regulation for any person to leave petroleum spirit in the “visible container” of any pump so situated, or to leave the operating-device of any pump so situated in other than