Approval:
Installation of new tanks requires pre-approval from a Safety Codes Officer with authority in the jurisdiction. Authority for storage tank regulations in the Alberta Fire Code is shared between the municipal fire department and the Petroleum Tank Management Association of Alberta (PTMAA). To find out who has authority in the municipality where the tank installation is planned, you may refer to the PTMAA website jurisdiction list or call the PTMAA office at 1-866-222-8265. If the municipality you are looking for is not listed, then contact the local fire department.
Permit Application
The PTMAA provides storage tank installation advice to all stakeholders, regardless of the location of the planned installation. The Permit Regulation for the province of Alberta came into effect April 1, 2008. The regulation mandates that a permit shall be applied for and issued for all petroleumstorage tank installations, removals, or alterations. Fax the completed permit application to the PTMAA office and we will follow up with information to verify a plan that meets the Fire Code or give suggestions to get things back on track. This application will be reviewed the same business day it is received. Application forms and detailed instructions are available on our website here.
Plans Examination
Depending on jurisdiction, either a municipal or PTMAA Safety Codes Officer must examine engineered drawings for the planned tank installation. The PTMAA website lists engineering firms which have experience in designing storage tank facilities. To register a storage tank, evidence of Safety Codes Officer approval is a requirement.
Approved Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks
The Alberta Fire Code mandates certain tank construction standards are permitted for the storage of flammable or combustible products. Tanks which are designed and conform to these standards will have a placard mounted on them identifying the standard. The following list identifies the standards recognized for underground fuel storage:
- CAN/ULC-S603, “Steel Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids”
- CAN/ULC-603.1, “Galvanic Corrosion Protection Systems for Steel Underground Tank for Flammable and Combustible Liquids”
- CAN4-S615-M, “Reinforced Plastic Underground Tanks for Petroleum Products”
- ULC/ORD-C58.10, “Jacketed Steel Underground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids”
Contractor Selection
The Alberta Fire Code requires that underground tank and piping installations are supervised by a certified contractor. A list of companies which employ certified individuals is available on the PTMAA website or by giving us a call. If you have an underground tank that has no further use it must be removed. Most certified installers also have remover licenses so there may be efficiency in coordinating the installation and removal.
Tank Registration
Some underground storage tanks do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Fire Code. Tanks used exclusively for farm purposes is an example of an exclusion. Also, if the tank is part of an approval from the EUB it would fall under the jurisdiction of the standards of Guide-55. Tanks used in gas plants would be an example of this application. A registration application is made to the PTMAA once the tank is installed. Tanks subject to registration cannot be used, product added to or product removed from a tank that is not registered. Owners are encouraged to gather as much technical information as possible from tank manufacturers and installers in order to simplify the registration process. A certificate which expires August 31st of each year is sent to the owner once the registration process is complete. Tanks which do not meet the Fire Code, as evidenced by Safety Codes Officer approval will not be registered.