Safe Handling of Jet Fuel and Kerosene

SAFE HANDLING OF JET FUEL AND KEROSENE

The handling of jet fuel (JP-4 or JP-8) and kerosene creates special hazards. The safety precautions that must be followed when jet fuel and kerosene are loaded into tankers, barges, or storage facilities are given below.

^§        All water must be removed from the tanks before loading operations begin. Vessel pipelines must be drained as much as possible before cargo tanks are stripped to lessen the chances of contamination with water. The tank bottoms must be hosed down by hand, and all water puddles must be removed. See Chapter 12 for tank entry procedures.

^§        To lessen turbulence, the specified loading rates should not be exceeded by more than 3 feet per second until the tank inlet is submerged. The proper rate is about 1,000 barrels per hour through a 12-inch line. After the inlet is submerged, the normal loading rate may be used. The loading rate for each tank should be 3 feet per second. The total loading rate must be no more than the sum of the allowable rates for the tanks being filled. If there is turbulence after the loading inlet is submerged, the reduced rate must be continued until there is no turbulence. This limitation does not apply to discharge operations, because the rate of discharge of jet fuel and kerosene is controlled by the receiving activity.

^§        Ullages, water soundings, temperatures, and samples must not be taken in a tank until the tank has been topped off and flow to the tank has stopped for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, other tanks may be loaded at the discretion of the local authority.