What does this have to do with Tank Cleaning ? Let's start with understanding tanks?
What is a Tank?
A storage tank is any container, it can be open, or closed to the elements, ranging in size from the smallest septic tank to the largest fuel storage tank.
Examples of tanks include but not limited to
- Chemical tanks
- Above and below ground
- Rainwater storage
- Sprinkler water storage and fire water storage
Bunds
Tanks are everywhere – petrol forecourts, hotels, County Council depots, in short, all commercial sites. When it comes to the topic of tank cleaning the real point is about responsibility, and responsibility equals risk.
Why clean your tank?
Over time, all tanks holding water, oils and chemicals can become dirty with algae, debris, limescale, sediments, mould, rust, and corrosion which all builds up a residue at the base of the tank. This leads to significant deterioration of product quality and if not maintained properly could pose serious health & safety hazards, as well as potential risks to business and equipment.
Poorly maintained and neglected tanks can be dangerous and expensive to return to a compliant standard. Without regular cleaning, over time, contaminants can reduce a tank’s integrity, leading to an increased likelihood of blockages and spills.
There are many reasons why a tank clean is needed, including:
- Changing usage or replacing a stored product
- Your product is contaminated.
- Your tank is damaged.
- Your fuel or tank is being transported.
- As part of regular preventative maintenance program designed to extend life cycle of the tank and stored product.
- Your tank is being decommissioned.
What can happen if you don’t clean your tank?
Tank cleaning is an essential part of a planned preventative maintenance programme to help reduce the risk of
- Fuel contamination
- Sludge build-up
- Tank corrosion
- Environmental damageLeakages
Sludge build-up can block the tank’s outlet which makes the vessels dangerous, damaging their efficiency and harming the stored contents.
What happens if your isn’t tank maintained?
- Compliance Issues
For example, Interceptor tanks need annual cleaning, and these can be everywhere, the most common location in the ground in carparks. Annual inspections are required, this is a legal requirement for your EPA licencing. All can be fine until you get a leak or a spill.
- Production Stoppages & Downtimes
Keeping production is the main priority for most companies, a visual inspection is the first step in ensuring that your tank is compliant. However a thorough cleaning on a regular basis ensures minimum downtime.
- Reduced Storage Capacity resulting in unscheduled maintenance
For example, a build-up of material, crystallisation will result in reduced capacity in the tank, this is a slow process which happens over time and can lead to shut down.
Most organisations understand the importance of a preventative maintenance schedule and ensure that tanks are inspected and cleaned to identify and avoid any potential issues.
However there are the occasional organisation who only respond to emergency situations which can result in clean-ups and additional costs to repair damages. Costs of emergency response can be significant, preventative maintenance helps avoid hefty costs.
So back to our opening message – a stitch in time saves nine, a well-maintained tank will save you time and money in the long run.
For more information as to how CD Environmental can assist you with your tank cleaning, please contact info@cdenviro.ie