The Scheme
Members of the UK Major Participating Oil Companies' Safe Loading Pass Scheme are:
- BP Oil UK
- Chevron Limited
- ConocoPhillips Limited
- Esso Petroleum Company, Limited
- Shell U.K. Oil Products Limited
- TOTAL UK LIMITED
OPERATION OF THE SAFE LOADING PASS SCHEME
Each company that participates in the Scheme has appointed an individual (an 'Accountable Authority') who is experienced and competent in understanding the design, maintenance and operational requirements associated with loading road tankers in distribution terminals. These accountable authorities have drawn up and agreed the inspection requirements for road tankers, based on a thorough understanding of the legislation and codes of practice relevant to loading road tankers in Terminals combined with experience of design and maintenance issues.
The scope of inspections or operation of the Scheme may be amended as necessary.
Note: for fuel oil tankers, a different scope of inspections is applied, for which green coloured Safe Loading Passes are issued.
Road Tanker inspections are carried out by 'Appointed persons', being road tanker technicians who themselves have
- hands-on experience of maintaining oil company tankers,
- been trained in the requirements of the Scheme, and
- been formally appointed by an accountable authority.
The period of validity of a Safe Loading Pass is normally six months; the actual expiry date may be the end of the calendar month in which it falls due, or any statutory periodic inspection or test such as vapour tightness testing and leakproofness testing. The period may also reflect experience of the standard of an operator's tanker(s) as presented for inspection and spot checks, and may be for a shorter period at the discretion of the appointed person in agreement with the Accountable Authority.
Any tanker displaying a valid Safe Loading Pass will be permitted to load at any participating company's terminal unless an inspection reveals that the tanker does not comply with the provisions of the inspection requirements. A tanker may be subjected to further inspection at the discretion of the terminal operator at any time.
Road tankers without a valid Safe Loading Pass are not permitted to load at any participating company's facility, except with the specific authority of the Terminal manager.