Improving Safety at Fuel Retailers

Many Americans work with or handle different fuel types every day. From gas station employees to fuel retailers and drivers who deposit fuel into underground tanks, it’s important to understand the inherent dangers of working with flammable fuels and combustible products. Those who work in the oil and gas industry must operate under rigorous safety standards and use tested equipment on a regular basis.

Fuel Retailer Safety Measures

When it comes to our everyday fuel stations, it’s easy to overlook the importance of safety and how crucial it is to keep everyone in a retailer’s vicinity safe from potential risks. Here is a better look at fuel retailer safety and how to improve it.

Safety Regulations & Guidelines

The oil and gas industry are major players in the world’s economy, especially here in the United States where fuel companies must meet strict regulations when it comes to overall employee safety. Most oil and gas workers receive job-specific training that includes certain protocols for spills, leaks, and fires. The same goes for–or should go for–fuel retailer employees who handle fuel on a daily basis.

Storing fuel and refueling are standard procedures for those who work in fuel retail. For those who work with heavy machinery and refueling is part of their job, they should be sure to follow all safety regulations and guidelines. When accidents and spills occur, they should immediately be reported and acted on.

Fuel Insurance

First, having a fuel retailer’s insurance program in place is important for retailers to have in their business plans. This kind of coverage can help to protect retailers from risks, such as spills, accidents, and injuries to anyone who comes in contact with fuel or contamination. Fuel retailer coverage acts as a backstop for businesses to keep claims low and help with having the right resources on hand when it comes to litigation.

Truck, Driver & Customer Safety

When it comes to putting safety to work, for retailers, they can opt to paint lines at their location to help drivers optimally position their trucks. Trucks should be parked in a way that their front and back ends are not obstructing traffic. For drivers, the companies they drive for should be sure to provide them with information on the best way to enter and exit a retail location to ensure that safety and convenience toward commuters are upheld.

When drivers arrive at a retail location in order to restock fuel, they should make safety more visible by wearing a vest, setting out cones, and even setting out a light to make sure there is no mistaking their presence and their duties. This will not only keep employees safe but commuters as well.

Fuel Retailer Safety 101: Restocking Fuel

Another way for drivers to be safe is to make sure they are following the right steps when it comes to restocking fuel in order to avoid any spills or contamination. First, they should hook the drop gun up to the tank, then attach the hose to the drop gun before hooking it up to the truck. These basic steps can limit exposure and risk when it comes to the safety of everyone around them.

About Tangram Insurance Services

Located across the Golden Gate Bridge, just outside of San Francisco, Tangram Insurance Services is a full-service Managing General Underwriter and Program Manager offering specialty programs. We focus on industry-relevant coverage, competitive pricing, and practical business and risk management solutions for your clients. Since we are not all things to all people, we make sure to create outstanding custom-built solutions that matter to those businesses, and the brokers who serve those industries. Contact us at (888) 744-9810.