News : Headline/ The Truly Inspiring Story

The truly inspiring story of the Chinese rubbish collector who saved and raised THIRTY babies abandoned at the roadside

A woman has been hailed a hero after details of her astonishing work with abandoned children has emerged.

Lou Xiaoying, now 88 and suffering from kidney failure, found and raised more than 30 abandoned Chinese babies from the streets of Jinhua, in the eastern Zhejiang province where she managed to make a living by recycling rubbish.

She and her late husband Li Zin, who died 17 years ago, kept four of the children and passed the others onto friends and family to start new lives. Her youngest son Zhang Qilin - now aged just seven - was found in a dustbin by Lou when she was 82.

'Even though I was already getting old I could not simply ignore the baby and leave him to die in the trash. He looked so sweet and so needy. I had to take him home with me,' she said.

'I took him back to our home, which is a very small modest house in the countryside and nursed him to health. He is now a thriving little boy, who is happy and healthy. 'My older children all help look after Zhang Qilin, he is very special to all of us. I named him after the Chinese word for rare and precious.

'The whole thing started when I found the first baby, a little girl back in 1972 when I was out collecting rubbish. She was just lying amongst the junk on the street, abandoned. She would have died had we not rescued her and taken her in.

'Watching her grow and become stronger gave us such happiness and I realised I had a real love of caring for children.

'I realised if we had strength enough to collect garbage how could we not recycle something as important as human lives,' she explained.

'These children need love and care. They are all precious human lives. I do not understand how people can leave such a vulnerable baby on the streets.

Lou, who has one biological daughter, Zhang Caiying and now aged 49, devoted her life to looking after the abandoned babies.

Word of her kind-hearted gestures has now spread in China, where thousands of babies are abandoned on the streets by their poverty stricken parents.

One fan explained: 'She is shaming to governments, schools and people who stand by and do nothing. She has no money or power but she saved children from death or worse.'

'In the local community she is well known and well respected for her work with the abandoned babies. She does her best. She is a local hero. But unfortunately there are far too many abandoned babies in China who have no hope of survival.

Only last week there was news of a baby lucky to be alive after having its throat cut and then put in a plastic bag and thrown in a dustbin at Anshan city, in northeast China’s Liaoning province.

The baby – a girl – was thought to be a victim of the country's one child policy where parents restricted to only having a single child prefer boys and girls are unwanted and often discarded.

Infanticide of 'guilt children' is still a problem in rural areas but it is rare in cities, where children are usually abandoned but not killed.

The baby's fate has horrified China. The tot was spotted when a passerby went to throw some rubbish in the bin the and saw what he thought was a dead baby in the bag. He told police that the child was purple and had not moved until he examined the bag more closely.

A resident who witnessed the girl being taken to hospital said: 'She was still breathing and had a heartbeat. Blood from the wound stained the whole body.'

Doctors said that if the baby had been left in the bag a few minutes longer she would have died of suffocation and it had already been affected by the lack of oxygen hence the purple colour.

They said that the baby had been born premature and was probably between 32 and 34 weeks old and weighing just 1.4 kg. A medic said that if the cut had been just a millimetre deep in the baby would have died.

Intelegent Copilot For Car : Semiautonomous system takes the wheel to keep drivers safe

Barrels and cones dot an open field in Saline, Mich., forming an obstacle course for a modified vehicle. A driver remotely steers the vehicle through the course from a nearby location as a researcher looks on. Occasionally, the researcher instructs the driver to keep the wheel straight — a trajectory that appears to put the vehicle on a collision course with a barrel. Despite the driver’s actions, the vehicle steers itself around the obstacle, transitioning control back to the driver once the danger has passed.

The key to the maneuver is a new semiautonomous safety system developed by Sterling Anderson, a PhD student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Karl Iagnemma, a principal research scientist in MIT’s Robotic Mobility Group.

The system uses an onboard camera and laser rangefinder to identify hazards in a vehicle’s environment. The team devised an algorithm to analyze the data and identify safe zones — avoiding, for example, barrels in a field, or other cars on a roadway. The system allows a driver to control the vehicle, only taking the wheel when the driver is about to exit a safe zone.

Anderson, who has been testing the system in Michigan since last September, describes it as an “intelligent co-pilot” that monitors a driver’s performance and makes behind-the-scenes adjustments to keep the vehicle from colliding with obstacles, or within a safe region of the environment, such as a lane or open area.

“The real innovation is enabling the car to share [control] with you,” Anderson says. “If you want to drive, it’ll just … make sure you don’t hit anything.”

The group presented details of the safety system recently at the Intelligent Vehicles Symposium in Spain.

Off the beaten path

Robotics research has focused in recent years on developing systems — from cars to medical equipment to industrial machinery — that can be controlled by either robots or humans. For the most part, such systems operate along preprogrammed paths.

As an example, Anderson points to the technology behind self-parking cars. To parallel park, a driver engages the technology by flipping a switch and taking his hands off the wheel. The car then parks itself, following a preplanned path based on the distance between neighboring cars.

While a planned path may work well in a parking situation, Anderson says when it comes to driving, one or even multiple paths is far too limiting.

“The problem is, humans don’t think that way,” Anderson says. “When you and I drive, [we don’t] choose just one path and obsessively follow it. Typically you and I see a lane or a parking lot, and we say, ‘Here is the field of safe travel, here’s the entire region of the roadway I can use, and I’m not going to worry about remaining on a specific line, as long as I’m safely on the roadway and I avoid collisions.’”

Anderson and Iagnemma integrated this human perspective into their robotic system. The team came up with an approach to identify safe zones, or “homotopies,” rather than specific paths of travel. Instead of mapping out individual paths along a roadway, the researchers divided a vehicle’s environment into triangles, with certain triangle edges representing an obstacle or a lane’s boundary.

The researchers devised an algorithm that “constrains” obstacle-abutting edges, allowing a driver to navigate across any triangle edge except those that are constrained. If a driver is in danger of crossing a constrained edge — for instance, if he’s fallen asleep at the wheel and is about to run into a barrier or obstacle — the system takes over, steering the car back into the safe zone.

Building trust

So far, the team has run more than 1,200 trials of the system, with few collisions; most of these occurred when glitches in the vehicle’s camera failed to identify an obstacle. For the most part, the system has successfully helped drivers avoid collisions.

Benjamin Saltsman, manager of intelligent truck vehicle technology and innovation at Eaton Corp., says the system has several advantages over fully autonomous variants such as the self-driving cars developed by Google and Ford. Such systems, he says, are loaded with expensive sensors, and require vast amounts of computation to plan out safe routes.

"The implications of [Anderson's] system is it makes it lighter in terms of sensors and computational requirements than what a fully autonomous vehicle would require," says Saltsman, who was not involved in the research. "This simplification makes it a lot less costly, and closer in terms of potential implementation."

In experiments, Anderson has also observed an interesting human response: Those who trust the system tend to perform better than those who don’t. For instance, when asked to hold the wheel straight, even in the face of a possible collision, drivers who trusted the system drove through the course more quickly and confidently than those who were wary of the system.

And what would the system feel like for someone who is unaware that it’s activated? “You would likely just think you’re a talented driver,” Anderson says. “You’d say, ‘Hey, I pulled this off,’ and you wouldn’t know that the car is changing things behind the scenes to make sure the vehicle remains safe, even if your inputs are not.”

He acknowledges that this isn’t necessarily a good thing, particularly for people just learning to drive; beginners may end up thinking they are better drivers than they actually are. Without negative feedback, these drivers can actually become less skilled and more dependent on assistance over time. On the other hand, Anderson says expert drivers may feel hemmed in by the safety system. He and Iagnemma are now exploring ways to tailor the system to various levels of driving experience.

The team is also hoping to pare down the system to identify obstacles using a single cellphone. “You could stick your cellphone on the dashboard, and it would use the camera, accelerometers and gyro to provide the feedback needed by the system,” Anderson says. “I think we’ll find better ways of doing it that will be simpler, cheaper and allow more users access to the technology.”

This research was supported by the United States Army Research Office and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The experimental platform was developed in collaboration with Quantum Signal LLC with assistance from James Walker, Steven Peters and Sisir Karumanchi.

Source : Jennifer, MIT News Office

Heavy Equipment Safety : Toolbox Meeting

Company Name __________________________ Job Name __________________________ Date________

HEAVY EQUIPMENT SAFETY

Operation of heavy equipment such as excavators, loaders, graders, rollers, and bulldozers, should always be done by highly skilled operators who have demonstrated the ability and necessary skills to operate safely. Ground-based workers should be trained in how to work safely around the equipment, and how to stay clear. Unsafe practices by either the operator or those around the equipment can create very dangerous situations. Serious injuries can occur if the equipment strikes a worker, or if the equipment is rolled over.

Here are a few common safety rules for operators and ground based workers to consider:

1) Good communication is essential. A standardized set of hand signals should be used by the operator and signal person. Operators should always know exactly where all ground based workers are located, and the wearing of high visibility vests will help the operator to locate them quickly. The equipment should have a back up warning alarm that can be heard by all nearby workers. Two-way radios are also valuable communication tools.

2) Heavy equipment must have a rollover protective structure (ROPS) meeting OSHA requirements. The ROPS is designed to protect the operator if the machine tips over. A seat belt must be worn so that the operator will not be thrown out of the seat during a rollover or upset situation. If working on slopes, try to avoid moving across the face of the slope. Try to operate up and down the slope face if possible. Use extreme caution when operating near open excavations.

3) Wear hearing protection when required. If it has been determined that noise levels around the equipment could potentially cause hearing loss, always use protective plugs or muffs when working on or around the equipment.

4) Never jump onto or off the equipment. Operators should always use the three-point contact rule when climbing onto or off heavy equipment. The three-point rule means having both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands in contact with the ladder access at all times.

5) Inspect and service the equipment regularly. Complete equipment service in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation. Periodic safety inspections on all components of the equipment should be done regularly by qualified personnel. Inspect the steering system and brake systems carefully. A pre-shift walk around inspection by the operator is highly recommended.

Injury accidents involving heavy equipment on construction sites have a higher probability of resulting in a fatality than many other types of accidents. It is critical to follow all of your company's safety rules and procedures when operating or working around heavy equipment.

Safety Recommendations:__________________________________________________________________________________

Job Specific Topics:_______________________________________________________________________________________

M.S.D.S Reviewed:_______________________________________________________________________________________

Attended By:

Safety Biker : When To Replace A Helmet / Safety Tips 007

Summary:

• Did you crash it? Replace immediately. 
• Did you drop it hard enough to crack the foam? 
• Replace. Is it from the 1970's? Replace. Is the outside just foam or cloth instead of plastic? Replace.
• Does it lack a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker inside? Replace. 
• Can you not adjust it to fit correctly? Replace!!

Did you crash in it?
For starters, most people are aware that you must replace a helmet after any crash where your head hit. The foam part of a helmet is made for one-time use, and after crushing once it is no longer as protective as it was, even if it still looks intact. Bear in mind that if the helmet did its job most people would tell you that they did not even hit their head, or did not hit their head that hard. And the thin shells on most helmets now tend to hide any dents in the foam. But if you can see marks on the shell or measure any foam crush at all, replace the helmet. (Helmets made of EPP foam do recover, but there are few EPP helmets on the market. Yours is EPS or EPU unless otherwise labeled.)

You can also crack the helmet foam or damage it by dropping the helmet on a hard surface. The cracks may be small and hard to see, so you need to look carefully. Cracks in the foam always require replacement of the helmet.

You may be reluctant to replace a helmet that looks almost as good as new, but if you did hit, you don't want to take chances on where you will hit next time. If the foam is cracked under the thin shell, it will be more likely to fly apart in your next crash. Many manufacturers will replace crashed helmets for a nominal fee, and most will also inspect crashed helmets to see if they need replacement. Call them if you are in doubt. For contact info check our list of manufacturers. (You can also ask them if they think the advice on this page is valid!} Is it from the 70's?

If you still have a helmet from the 70's without a styrofoam liner, replace it immediately. That would include the Skidlid (with spongy foam), 1970's Pro-tec (spongy foam), Brancale (no foam) and all leather "hairnets." They just did not have the protection of helmets made after 1984 when the ANSI standard swept the junk off the market.

The better 1970's helmets were reasonably good ones, but were not quite up to current standards. It is probably time to replace that old Bell Biker, Bailen, MSR, Supergo or similar model from the 70's or early 80's. (We have a page up on replacing the Bell Biker.) The hard shells were great, but the foam liners were not thick enough to meet today's ASTM or Snell standard. The Bell V-1 Pro was designed to today's standards, but the foam is very stiff, and if you are over 65 you probably should replace that too. If you have one of the 1980's all-foam helmets with perhaps a cloth cover, we would recommend replacing that one. Lab tests showed some years ago that bare foam doesn't skid well on pavement, and could jerk your neck in a crash. The cloth doesn't help much. In addition, some of them had no internal reinforcing, and they tend to break up in a crash. That's not serious if you just fall, but if you are hit by a car the helmet can fly apart in the initial contact and leave you bare-headed for the crack on the pavement.

Is it newer? With what standards sticker inside?

Newer helmets from the late 1980's and the 90's may or may not need replacement. First look to see what standards sticker is inside. If it's ASTM or Snell, the helmet was designed to meet today's standards for impact protection, and you may even find that Consumer Reports tested it in one of their articles. Most manufacturers now recommend that helmets be replaced after five years, but some of that may be just marketing. (Bell now recommends every three years, which seems to us too short. They base it partially on updating your helmet technology, but they have not been improving their helmets that much over three year periods, and we consider some of their helmets since the late 1990's to be a step backwards, so we would take that with a grain of salt.) Deterioration depends on usage, care, and abuse. But if you ride thousands of miles every year, five years may be a realistic estimate of helmet life. And helmets have actually been improving enough over time to make it a reasonable bet that you can find a better one than you did five years ago. It may fit better, look better, and in some cases may even be more protective. For an alternate view that agrees with the manufacturers, check out the helmet FAQ of the Snell Foundation. Snell knows a lot about helmets and their views on this subject should not be dismissed lightly, even though we disagree with them.
Occasionally somebody spreads rumors that sweat and ultraviolet (UV) exposure will cause your helmet to degrade. Sweat will not do that. The standards do not permit manufacturers to make a helmet that degrades from sweat, and the EPS, EPP or EPU foam is remarkably unaffected by salt water. Your helmet will get a terminal case of grunge before it dies of sweat. Sunlight can affect the strength of the shell material, though. Since helmets spend a lot of time in the sun, manufacturers usually put UV inhibitors in the plastic for their shells that control UV degradation. If your helmet is fading or showing small cracks around the vents, the UV inhibitors may be failing, so you probably should replace it. Chances are it has seen an awful lot of sun to have that happen. Otherwise, try another brand next time and let us know what brand faded on you.
At least one shop told a customer that the EPS in his three year old helmet was now "dried out." Other sales people refer to "outgassing" and say that the foam loses gas and impact performance is affected. Still others claim that helmets lose a percentage of their effectiveness each year, with the percentage growing with age. All of that is nothing but marketing hype to sell a replacement helmet before you need it. There is some loss of aromatics in the first hours and days after molding, and helmet designers take account of that for standards testing. But after that the foam stabilizes and does not change for many years, unless the EPS is placed in an oven for some period of time and baked. The interior of your car, for example, will not do that, based on helmets we have seen and at least one lab crash test of a helmet always kept in a car in Virginia over many summers. Helmet shells can be affected by car heat, but not the foam. The Snell Memorial Foundation has tested motorcycle helmets held in storage for more than 20 years and found that they still meet the original standard. EPS is a long-lived material little affected by normal environmental factors. Unless you mistreat it we would not expect it to "dry out" enough to alter its performance for many years.

An honest manufacturer: MET

The Italian company MET says in their 2010 catalog: "We are often asked 'For how long is a helmet safe?', or 'how often should I replace my helmet?”' Until now it has been difficult to find any reliable figures to help answer these queries. MET have now developed a series of tests which are conducted on aged helmets to determine a 'best before' date (unless the helmet is involved in an accident. In that case it should be replaced immediately.). The results indicate that, if used properly accordingly to our owner manual, our helmets will still do their job up to eight years after they have been made. Not only is that good news for the customer, it’s great news for the environment!"

We applaud MET for undertaking an actual testing program on helmet life and for making that statement. We regard it as a triumph of integrity over marketing. MET's helmets are made with industry standard shells and liners, so there is no reason we can see that their recommendation should not be good for many other helmet brands as well. If another manufacturer comes up with a testing program that shows earlier deterioration in the protection from their products we will review this page.

In sum, we don't find the case for replacing a helmet that meets the ASTM or Snell standards that compelling if the helmet is still in good shape and fits you well. Are you using it for non-bicycle activities?

Since 2003 helmets have been available that are actually certified to skateboard or ski standards as well as the CPSC bicycle helmet standard. If you are using a bicycle helmet for skateboarding or any other sport where you crash regularly, see our writeup on helmets for the current season for more info on that.

Otherwise, we would recommend buying another helmet designed for the activity you are pursuing, whether or not you replace your bike helmet. We have more on that subject on our page on other helmets. Note that most "skate-style" helmets currently on the market are actually bicycle helmets certified only to the CPSC bicycle helmet standard. They have CPSC stickers inside, but no ASTM Skateboard standard sticker. Do you still like wearing it?

Your helmet is of course a piece of wearing apparel as well as a safety appliance. If you consider yourself a stylish rider and your helmet is not as spiffy as the new ones, go for it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look good, and if you do, fashion is a valid reason to replace a helmet.
Is it a better helmet than the ones available today?

As new styles have become more "squared-off" and designers have begun adding unnecessary ridges and projections that may increase the sliding resistance of a helmet shell, there is good reason to stay with one of the more rounded designs of the early to mid 90's. Those round, smooth shells like the original Bell Image that Consumer Reports rated highly in 1993 are more optimal for crashing than some of the newer designs. So think twice about "moving up," and look for a rounded, smooth-shelled design when you do. We have a lot of info on the new ones up on our page on helmets for the current season.
Inspecting a Helmet
We have a page up with step by step instructions on how to inspect a helmet.

Safety Bicycle Helmet Inspection For Biker 03

Inspection

You need to look at the helmet's main elements: Outside Shell

The exterior plastic of a helmet is important to hold it together in a crash. Look first for cracks or abrasion on the surface that show evidence of an impact. Even if you think the helmet has never been impacted, look carefully. Many riders don't know they hit their head. Small cracks around the edges or anywhere else on the shell indicate aging and a need to replace.

Press carefully all over the helmet to see if you get a "beer can" effect where the shell can be pushed in and it pops back. Most cheap helmets show some of that when new, but that should be all over the helmet, and very little. If the shell dents more than a little bit, that indicates crushed foam underneath, and a need to replace. If there is crushed foam you would usually see abrasion of the shell where it indents. Note that more expensive helmets that are molded in the shell should have no beer can effect whatsoever. With those helmets any flat spot on helmet surfaces that were formerly curved would indicate damage.

Check the shell color for fading. The helmet below was ridden across the US by Brian Hanson. It was vibrant yellow when he started. With constant sun exposure it faded badly, probably from lack of sufficient UV inhibitors in the plastic. If your helmet fades, the plastic has probably become brittle, and it should be replaced. Brian replaced his.

Liner

Remove the fitting pads if they come out, and inspect the styrofoam liner carefully for any signs of cracks or compressed foam. If in doubt about a spot on the helmet, measure the foam thickness and that of an identical spot on the other side, or if you have another helmet of the same model and size, use that. If you discover any cracked or crushed foam, replace the helmet. Remember that EPS liners do recover some of the crushed thickness, but the foam that was compressed will not perform well in the next hit. Even if you find no damage, if you know the helmet has taken an impact you should replace it. The damage can be difficult to identify even with careful measuring.

If you have one of the few bike helmets with an EPP (Expanded PolyPropylene) or other multi-impact liner, do the inspection as described above anyway. EPP recovers, but not 100%. In time if you crash more than once you will find foam damage and need to replace your helmet.

Buckle and Strap

Check the straps on the helmet for signs of wear, and replace if they seem worn, faded or any of the stitching is beginning to fail. Salt accumulations should be washed out before inspection. Check the buckle and replace if you see any missing parts. The plastic blades that lock into the female side of most buckles can break. The buckle will hold together weakly with one blade, but will fail in a crash.

Rear Stabilizer

The rear stabilizer on many of today's helmets is not really part of the retention system that holds the helmet on the head, but a means of adding some stability for comfort. It should still be inspected for structural integrity and to be sure the adjustment is working. Stretching or tugging it with moderate force will usually tell you that.

Standards Sticker

Some older helmets had impact protection as good as anything on the market today. If yours has a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker in it and passes the other inspection points, it is probably still a good helmet. If is is older than that, it should be replaced.

More on replacement

We have a page up on when you need to replace a helmet, with more detail on what makes it necessary.

Rentals

In addition to cleaning a helmet when it is returned, the inspection steps are critical for renting. Many riders will not tell you when they crash, or will not think they hit their heads. With experience the steps above can be quickly done, but you must remember to do them each time.

Checklist

Here is the info on this page as a helmet inspection checklist. in .pdf format for printing out.

Biker Safety : Bicycle Night Visibility And Lights

The Question

>I was wondering about solutions for *BICYCLE* visibility at night.

The Response:

I have used many devices over the years, since I commuted for about 20 years and still ride a lot at night. I started with white bicycles, then tried 3M's glass bead reflective paint. It looked great under headlights but was dull otherwise. I am now using neon orange bikes, and may go to neon lime green. I think all of those approaches are improvements over a standard dark frame, since seeing a frame identifies the vehicle immediately as a bicycle, at least from the side and some other angles.

The concept you have to keep in mind is that you want to establish your identity as you catch the driver's eye so they know what you are. Motorcycle research shows that if you want to be seen on a motorcycle there is one thing that beats daytime headlights, orange vests, flags, big windshields or any other device -- be a cop! It turns out that drivers usually see a police motorcycle. We have asked motorcycle cops and they agreed, although there are exceptions. So you are not just trying to catch an eye. You are really trying to register on a driver's brain that you are a vehicle moving on the road, and establish that you are a bicycle so that the driver has some idea of what your speed and position on the roadway are likely to be. Often you are doing that in the midst of incredible urban light clutter from other vehicles, traffic signs, streetlights, commercial signage, porch lights, windows and many other sources.

For headlights I use a car light. Nothing makes a driver respond quicker, even in the midst of urban light clutter, since they are conditioned from childhood to look for oncoming cars, and at night that means they are looking for oncoming car lights. The little bike lights may be bright, but they look like a pinpoint, and can just get lost among all the other light sources in the background. Car lights have a cutoff beam that does not blind others on a trail, and puts the light on the roadway where you need it.

The nicads to run my car light were heavy and required charging every night, but they were cheap from surplus sources. For years I used D cells from power packs for an NEC 386 laptop. Then I converted to NiMH batteries, and tried using C cells due to the higher energy of NiMH cells, but went back to D cells eventually because the C's just did not seem to hold up and lost capacity. I used 11 (NiMH)or 12 (NiCad) cells rather than ten to provide extra voltage and keep the light bright. Again, the cheap NiMH D cells did not hold up that well in daily use, and I now have to charge that battery almost continuously to have it work. In the fall of 2006 I started phasing in a 5.5AH Powerizer Lithium Ion / Polymer battery that weighs 18 oz (500gr), puts out 14.7 volts for a very bright headlight and may melt down some day the way lithium cells sometimes do when cell protection circuits fail. The vendor says "for R&D use only and NOT for individual customers." I charge it in my bike parking area and use it while riding outdoors, so that's a concern but seems like a reasonable risk similar to those that laptop users are running. I am looking for one in the safer LiFePO4 chemistry that self-extinguishes if a protection circuit fails.

For tail lights I started with two leg lights, showing red to the rear and white to the front. Those have the advantage of going up and down, attracting attention and identifying the bike. But they are visible only on one side, so for a while I used two of them. I still use one sometimes as an identifier. I added yellow blinkers, starting with a 7 inch barricade light. Those are ideal for bikes, since they attract attention by the blink, have a big reflective band around them, and are identified in a car driver's mind with stationary objects on construction sites, so they grab a driver's attention. As with any blinking light, the blink saves a lot of electrical power, since the light is mostly off. The fresnel lens is very efficient, and the bulbs are designed to resist tremendous vibration from passing trucks. I run my 6 volt ones from a 9v alkaline cell or from NiMH AA or C cells. Their only disadvantage is the size and weight, but if you are still hung up on that you just have not ridden enough at night.

After the barricade light I added smaller yellow blinkers. The best was something called the Far Out Flasher, sold by Schwinn stores in the 80's and by the late Ed Kearny (Bicycle Lighting Systems). The Belt Beacon was another, and I used those on my helmet, mounted with Velcro, juiced up by adding chrome tape to make a reflector behind the bulb. Yellow is still the best color for a flasher, since the population is aging, and red eyesight gets dim as eyes age.

I have tried turn signals, but never felt that they were really recognized by the motorist. The rack-mounted ones are too close together to give much of a directional indication. I tried one back in the 1980's that attached to my wrist and blinked only when the arm was raised, but you would need two of those, and again I had no way to know if the motorist behind me knew what the blinker represented or not, since they had probably never seen one before. That idea was revived in 2008 and updated with LED's by Safe Turn in Australia. They seem to have disappeared, but others have new ones out.

Beginning about 1990 I added the now-standard red LED blinkers, since they had taken over as the light signature of a bicycle and that increases the probability of being identified early as a bike. I had one on my helmet, mounted with hook-and-loop. Their only problem is that they are too small, and to a driver small means far away, so the car may not realize how close you are. There are some improved LED lights out now, that I first saw at the September, 1999, Interbike show, including a Vista that has "wings" with 15 LED's in the center and five in each adjustable wing. Vista also has a standard size tail light with multiple LED's that is very bright, but costs $60 and is designed to plug into their rechargeable system. At the same show I bought a very large LED flasher being test-marketed at a Chinese exporter's booth designed for use by cars as an emergency road flasher, and packaged as a "Highway Safety Light." It is 4" x 6", and has 18 extremely bright LED's in three rows. It's called the Fast Field Model HW-18, and it cost me $10, probably the dealer price. The light runs on 4 AA cells, with a claimed life of "at least 25 hours" which is about what I get from it. It looks like the biggest, brightest led flasher you have ever seen. But it had no bike mount, so I had to make one from aluminum bar stock. I have one now on all the bikes we ride at night. It is heavy for an led light, at 9 oz. with the batteries. It was hard to find at first, since they are imported in car parts channels, but our local Target had them for while, and now there are at several sources on the Web. Not all of them are equal, and some are disappointly dim. One decent one is probably the Real Light by Necessary Options. It even comes with brackets for mounting on a bicycle.

In December of 2001 I got an email from an importer who claims that his product is not only the bright version but has bike mounts. It is sold only through bike stores, so you have to go to your local LBS and hope they have them. I don't know how to tell you how to distinguish the high output ones from the low output ones, so you are on your own.

I have replaced the incandescent blinking Far Out Flasher on my helmet with an Innova 24/7 led blinker. This is an octagonal light about 2" by 3" (50mm by 75mm) that velcros on well. It runs on a CR123 lithium primary cell. It is not approved for lithium rechargeables, but could run on two NiMH 1/5 AA cells. The CR123's are expensive in stores but cheap on the Web, and one lasts me for many night rides. The light has a rectangular LED area with a rotating switch that selects different blink patterns and colors of LEDs. I use the one that flashes rapid red then white then yellow and looks vaguely like a police car flasher.

I got a sample at Interbike of a single yellow led that screws onto a shraeder valve and goes around. It uses hearing aid batteries. Another one introduced in 2002 has flashier led blinkers, but they are smaller. Either model adds to rotating weight right at the rim and uses an expensive battery. Saw another good idea at Interbike--a string of LED's that you weave around the spoke nipples. They are doubled up, with one facing each side, and about 8 inches apart on the rim. When the wheel turns fast enough (over 15 mph) it creates a ring of fire. It runs on two AA cells in a holder zip-tied to the spokes near the hub. I installed mine on my night bike and it looked great! They were available from Mr. Happy's Galactic Tracers under the trade name RimLites, but I don't see their Web site any more. I had problems with the battery contacts, and the instructions say don't use it in the rain (!) Mine self-destructed when I got a stick in the spokes, and I am not using them any more. Somebody was also exhibiting a "Whale Tail" led blinker for helmets. I tried a small high-output red led flasher on my helmet to replace my old yellow Belt Beacon. It is attached with hook-and-loop. At present I am using an Inova 24/7 light on my helmet. It has red and white leds that blink in a very bright emergency light pattern, and runs happily for months on one CR2 photo battery.

In 2004 I sent for a Californeon helmet light. It's a neon-like band about a quarter inch (7mm) wide that goes around the helmet and sticks on with a 3M adhesive. The battery pack takes a 9 volt battery and clips on your belt. Looked ok in the basement shop, but the circuit board burned out in less than 10 minutes of use, and before I had a chance to see what it would look like outdoors.

In general, I believe in redundancy, with at least two of everything just like a car. Redundant filaments in my car headlight let me use the high beam with a handlebar trigger flasher as a warning or passing through short tunnels, and also would provide an emergency option if the low beam ever dies. (Car lights have a very long filament life.) Redundant tail lights are essential, since nobody has ever produced a completely reliable light for a bicycle. I also like to "layer" my tail lights, with one at the level of the wheel axle, one under the saddle, and one on the helmet. The more I observe about urban light clutter the more I favor big, big lights and lights that have a signature. You will find this concept better developed on Ken Kifer's Web page discussion of the Flashing Neon Light Display, although I would not favor his use of a diesel generator to power the array.

In 2010 the battery powering my car light failed once again and I bought a new Magicshine system from Geoman Gear. It is LED powered and uses a Soul P7 SSC LED with four led's on one die. The heat sinking is adequate, and it lights up the road. Unfortunately, it lights up a lot of other territory as well, and can blind people coming the other way if not adjusted carefully. On trails I push it downward when people approach. I use two of them. The original batteries were recalled, and I have the new replacement. If this light had a shaped beam with a sharp cutoff above the pavement it would be ideal.

Those who ride off road at night have found helmet-mounted lights useful. If you use one, be sure to mount it with hook-and-loop or the kind of breakaway mount developed by Jet Lites. And please don't flash your light in my eyes on a dark trail.

There is now a category of lights called LED flares. They are designed for traffic situations. They should be durable. I have not seen them in use yet.

Some things can help in addition to the active lights that you should primarily rely on. For reflectors I use the hottest 3M product I can lay my hands on to add reflectivity to pedals, shoes, cranks (flashes as the cranks go around), panniers, clothing, helmet, anywhere else. 3M markets a "snake" in Europe that weaves around the spoke nipples, and under headlights looks like a ring of white, identifying the bike immediately. The 3M demo video is very impressive. I am trying a similar product now from a company called Techflex. Their product is called Reflex, and was originally developed for electricians to make electrical cables in big buildings easy to find and trace. They sell it for brake cables, but other than adding a point of light I don't think that helps identify a bicycle very well. As a round circle in your wheel, however, it can be much more effective. I am using one on the front wheel of my night bike, but my panniers obstruct it in the rear.

You can find 3M Scotchlite in many local stores, but for their hotter stuff, you have to go to the Web to places like Itendi-tape. Be prepared to spend more, but the results are pretty impressive. I use it on helmets and some other spots, even though it adds only points, not an identifying signature.

Unfortunately, all reflective products depend on being in the beam of a headlight to have any light to reflect, so for a lot of situations they are not much help. But I frequently find that flashing pedal reflectors are my first warning that a cyclist without a headlight is approaching on a dark trail.

Flags are great for daytime. I use two on my recumbent. One has a blinking white strobe light on the top of the shaft. The blink of a strobe disappears too fast for the eye to follow it well, but combined with the flag it's better, and it gives a 360 degree flash. I asked a more experienced recumbent rider if his flag slowed him down. He said he did not know, but maybe, and for sure he felt slower with the flag.

notes on bike safety equipment other than helmets, including gloves, mouthguards, flags, lights, horns and more.

Gloves

The most-used bicycle safety equipment aside from helmets is probably the glove. Gloves protect the skin on the palms of your hands when you fall on pavement. Some are padded to protect the hands from compression stress from the handlebars on long rides. They keep your hands warm in winter. When you ride through a patch of glass they let you stop and wipe the glass bits from your tires before the glass penetrates the tread fully. (Don't try this while still moving!) Gloves are highly recommended. We like the washable ones for summer use. For winter we find that the ones with non-breathable membranes get wet on every ride, and have to be dried out thoroughly before another use or they turn rancid inside. Down mittens are the warmest thing we have found for winter, but they also get wet.

Mouthguards

Many contact sports use mouthguards to protect the participants. That includes boxing, football and many others. There is evidence that blows to the chin do a lot more than mess up your teeth. Energy transmitted by the jaw joint can be channeled straight to the brain, producing the same effects seen in fighters when they are hit too hard. A good mouthguard or jaw-joint protector stabilizes the jaw by engaging both the upper and lower teeth. That can be expensive, or just a few bucks from a sporting goods store for a "boil and bite" that conforms to your teeth after heating briefly in boiling water. Most riders find a mouthguard confining because it can interfere with mouth breathing, spitting and shouting at dogs, cars and pedestrians. There are designs that have central vents to minimize those problems.

Full Body Armor

We have yet to see any full body armor for cyclists that would provide real impact energy management. The armor on the market is mostly designed to spread the effect of hitting something sharp. Nothing out there that we know of will really protect against broken collarbones, for example. Armor is confining and hot in warm weather. We think that parents looking to prevent an active boy from harming himself can do more with education than outfitting the kid with body armor!

We have received a tip from an "extreme freeriding" rider that armor has improved and that some riders credit it with preventing injuries in that sport. His advice:

Shin/knee armor does provided impact protection for high speed collisions. Additionally, body armor can save someone from broken ribs or vertebrae. Those who have fallen on their backs while wearing body armor and jumping over rocks or concrete stairs can attest to this... For most children this sort of gear is totally unnecessary, but for those select children who take interest in extreme riding, parents need an established source to consult for safety advice.

Flags

Low profile recumbents and others who are concerned about being out of sight in traffic often use a bike flag. Long distance tourists favor them for increased visibility on highways. They are readily available at big box retail stores as well as bike stores, usually in orange or white for high visibility. Do they drag? Some. Do you care? Maybe.

Active Lights

There is no substitute for active lights if you ride a bicycle after dark. No reflective device or material can achieve the visibility that electric lights can achieve. We use the largest headlights we can, plus the typical blinking rear lights that identify a bicycle as a bicycle, and always have some redundancy to accommodate the notorious unreliability of bike lights. Here is a page on the bike lights used by a member of our staff. Active lights unfortunately require active maintenance, but we think no rider should be without them at night. MH4>Horns We don't find that horns do much for safety on a bicycle. Your voice is faster to react and adapts better to different situations. The primal scream produces good adrenalin-based reactions in motorists and is probably your best defense in most bike/car situations. It requires no evaluation by the driver, since the panic in your voice is obvious, and it can move a car over a lane almost instantly. Curse words will not improve on that, by the way, since you will get a quicker reaction when the motorist is scared, not angry.

Reflective Materials

We use a lot of reflective tape on bicycles and helmets. But we recognize its limits: there is nothing to reflect back to a car until the car's headlights are shining on the tape. At that point it may be too late. And there is no scientific evidence that reflective material actually helps to either identify the bicycle, pinpoint its location for the motorist, or grab the driver's attention any sooner. Still, we would not be without it, since it does not rely on maintenance or reliability of the bicycle's lights. We often see cyclists at night because of the CPSC-mandated reflectors on their bikes even if they do not have lights.

Toe clips, clipless pedals and cleats

Under some conditions the rider cannot have their feet clipped to the pedals, but usually you can, and doing it helps to eliminate the crashes that result when a foot slips off the pedal at the wrong time. Whatever system you use must be adjusted properly and maintained well, or you will fall over some day because you are unable to get your foot out fast enough.

Tires

Bike tires are not all equal in adhesion to the road, particularly when conditions are rainy or icy. Tread may not be the answer, and a softer rubber compound may be more important. We don't know enough to advise you on brands or models, but you should be aware that tires can make a difference. You can identify the softer tread compounds by feel, or by asking a knowledgable bike shop employee. You want a tread that feels like pencil eraser rubber when the eraser is fresh.

More wheels

A staffer here has not broken a collarbone since he bought a four wheel bike to ride when conditions are wet or icy. Here is a page on four wheel bike and tricycle sources.

Your brain

The most important safety equipment on any bike is the brain of the rider. You can avoid more injuries by riding safely than equipment can possibly protect you against. Give it some thought, and make a conscious choice on the level of safety you want to pursue in your every day riding. Maybe you don't care that much if you are injured - - but maybe you do. Thinking about it in advance can give you behavioral guidelines for those occasions when some wild emotion or being late for something makes you want to throw caution to the winds! If you are an extreme freerider, you have already made your choice to pursue a dangerous experience. In that case, you will probably want to evaluate some extreme protection to go with your choice.

How To To Do A Workplace Safety Inspection : Seo Safety

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. A 2010 study published by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago reports that eight of 10 workers in the U.S. rank workplace safety first above other labor issues. Conducting regular safety inspections helps to keep the workplace free of hazards.

Step 1
Check for safety hazards, including unsafe work practices or potentially harmful workplace conditions. A hazard cannot be controlled until it is identified. Inspect each work area in a methodical and thorough manner. Workplace inspections should be conducted on a routine basis, whether twice each year, quarterly or more frequently.

Step 2
Take note of what types of equipment or machinery are used in a work area. Observe and document whether the machinery and equipment are properly operated and maintained. Review the manufacturers' safety manuals.

Step 3
Document potential physical hazards caused by noise, temperature, radiation, electricity, weather or pressure. Describe the hazard at length. Take photos or draw sketches, if necessary.

Step 4
Assess the nature of a hazard carefully, weighing the probability that harm could occur to employees exposed to it. Outline the possible consequences should an incident occur. Indicate whether a hazard requires immediate action, temporary action or permanent action.

Step 5
Examine the company's past accident and incident reports to find out how many employees were injured or became ill after working in a certain area.

Step 6
Check for chemical hazards, involving fumes, liquids, solids, gas, vapors and dust. Verify that all workers handling chemicals have received special training. Check to see that the labels on chemicals include information about storage, handling and waste disposal. Make sure employees wear the appropriate safety gear when exposed to hazardous substances.

Step 7
Inspect for biological hazards triggered by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Examine equipment and policies for routine maintenance and repair. Make inquiries about the company's policies for waste disposal and spill clean up. Ensure that workers eat only in regulated areas away from hazardous work areas, and that they are provided lockers for changing between work and street clothes. Question employees about hand-washing procedures that can reduce the spread of infectious organisms.

Step 8
Evaluate ergonomic hazards. Take note of improper work methods or improperly designed workstations. Awkward postures, temperature extremes, repetitive and forceful movements, and poorly designed tools and equipment can put excessive physiological and psychological stress on a worker.

Step 9
Write a report identifying any corrective actions the company must take to minimize or eliminate potential risks. Recommend the actions to be taken by indicating a date by which the problems must be corrected.

Health & Safety | Global Issues | Chevron

Health & Safety | Global Issues | Chevron

Our commitment to the health and safety of our employees and contractors is recognized in The Chevron Way, managed through our Operational Excellence Management System, and reinforced at all levels of the corporation.

Safety
Chevron's efforts to create and maintain a safety culture include starting meetings with safety lessons, tracking and awarding business units for strong safety performance, sharing best practices and lessons learned, and using behavior-based safety evaluations. Our Zero Is Attainable awards are granted to eligible organizations that complete 1 million work hours or 1,000 days worked with no days away from work incidents and no fatalities. In 2010, 76 organizations received 163 awards.

Although we had our safest year ever, we did not meet our target of zero fatalities in 2011. To prevent any further loss of life, we continue to pursue our goal using a variety of tools. Each fatality is thoroughly investigated, and the chairman reviews the results. Incident reports and lessons learned are distributed throughout the company.

For an in-depth look at Chevron safety statistics, read the 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report.

Health
Chevron invests in the health of employees to improve productivity, reduce costs related to employee health, and help our employees optimize their physical health and mental well-being. Our programs include an award-winning HIV/AIDS training program and policy, as well as programs to support employees who want to make positive lifestyle changes.

Chevron is continuing to implement a Fitness for Duty process, which confirms or identifies the circumstances under which employees are able to safely perform essential physical, psychological and cognitive requirements of their job without risk to self, others or the environment. In addition, we are continuing to implement our occupational hygiene process and its medical surveillance procedure, which seeks to affirm that workers are protected from potential workplace hazards such as noise and chemicals. We are developing standards and deploying them to business units, as well as creating a medical surveillance data tracking system.

Chevron launched a cardiovascular health program in 2007 and continues to deploy it in more countries around the world. By the end of 2011, the program had been launched in Angola, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States and Venezuela, with 48 percent of eligible employees participating. The program includes a risk assessment and personalized recommendations and coaching.

Jay Pryor, Chevron's vice president of business development, noticed that his numbers were starting to slowly creep up after his annual physical. His doctor advised him to exercise and lose weight to get them going back in the right direction. At about the same time, Jay saw an e-mail about the cardiovascular health program. "It sounded like the program could help me with exactly the same things I needed to improve—exercise, nutrition and weight loss—so I took the cardiovascular risk assessment and signed up for a health coach." Guidance he received on portion sizes and incorporating regular physical exercise helped Jay lose 30 pounds and improve his numbers. "Little steps have added up to a big change!"

Seo Safety : 2 dead, 8 injured in Downtown Line Bugis scaffolding collapse

SINGAPORE - Two workers were killed in a deadly underground scaffolding collapse at the Downtown Line Bugis Station worksite this morning.

Both bodies were found after a search that took more than five hours from the time the accident took place at about 6.50am. The first body was found at 10.40am, and has been extricated, while the second - a metre away from the first - was found at 12.53pm and extricated at 4.05pm.

Both deceased workers were from China.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it is "deeply saddened by the loss of the two workers as well as the injuries suffered by the other eight workers".

"We will cooperate with the Ministry of Manpower in their investigation into the cause of the accident. We will also exercise extra vigilance to prevent a similar occurrence," said the LTA in a statement.

The first body was found submerged in cement and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had to use water jets to keep the cement from hardening, so that the body could be removed before the cement hardens. It took the SCDF one hour to extricate his body.

The second worker took a further two hours to find, though he was lying just 1m away from the first body, as both were submerged in cement and pinned down by planks of scaffolding.

The SCDF said part of the second body was stuck under the scaffolding. It was a long and tedious process to extract the body as the SCDF wanted to do so with minimal damage to the body.

Of the eight workers who were injured when the underground scaffolding collapsed at the construction site, at the junction of Victoria Street and Rochor Road, five have been discharged from Raffles Hospital. The remaining three are still under observation in hospital.

All other workers have been accounted for.

The scaffolding that collapsed at about 6.50am was holding up the roof of a linkway that is being built between the existing Bugis station and the Downtown Line extension. The scaffolding structure was about 4 metres high.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a press release that based on preliminary information, it appeared that the workers were pouring concrete into a mould when the scaffolding structure supporting the mould collapsed. The accident happened about 4m deep beneath the surface.

The MOM added that its Occupational Safety & Health inspectors went down to the accident site immediately. The ministry has instructed all work to cease onsite, and investigations are currently ongoing.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has also revoked the construction permit for the Downtown Line Bugis station linkway site while further investigations are ongoing. BCA's engineers also went to the site to investigate and has assesed that the collapse is localised and there are no structural safety concerns on the surrounding buildings and the road above.

LTA engineers and personnel have been mobilised on site to assist SCDF and the Police to manage the situation. SCDF got the call at 7.20am, and were on scene by 7.25am. Firefighters were sent down to search for the two workers. Search dogs have also been spotted on the scene, and a stretcher was seen being brought underground.

"The DTL Bugis station structure is substantially complete and structurally sound. The incident poses no risk to surrounding developments and the public," said the LTA.

"Similar scaffolding structures at other DTL worksites have been checked and confirmed to be safe."

The Bugis project is a Joint Venture between Soletanche-Bachy and Koh Brothers, according to the MOM.

Seo Safety : Above Ground Storage Tank Question

Question: What types of aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) are regulated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM)?

Answer: ASTs containing flammable or combustible liquids are regulated by OSFM. The OSFM does not exercise jurisdiction over tanks containing liquids that are neither flammable nor combustible (e.g., tanks for water storage, food additives, nonflammable or noncombustible processing chemicals, etc.). Therefore, a product must have an associated flash point or fire point to be regulated in accordance with Part 160 or 180 of the Rules. Some products that may not appear to be volatile to the layperson, do indeed have flash points - such as fresh and waste motor oils, transmission fluids, antifreeze, etc. There are also many products that will not flash when subjected to testing, such as water and many food additives. Tanks containing liquids that do not have an associated flash point are not required to comply with Part 160 or 180 regulations.

Question: Do I need a permit for the installation of ASTs?

Answer: Yes. The installation of regulated tanks (flammable or combustible liquid storage tanks or LP-Gas tanks) requires the filing of a permit application with OSFM prior to installation. All storage tanks intended to be used for dispensing fuels are subject to application submittal and subsequent field inspection by OSFM. All bulk liquid storage tanks of greater than 110 gallons capacity are subject to the submittal and field inspection process. For LP-Gas tanks, singular tanks of greater than 2,000 gallons capacity, or multiple tanks at the same facility with an aggregate capacity of greater than 4,000 gallons, or any size tank that will be used for dispensing LP-Gas into smaller cylinders or vehicles, are subject to the OSFM permit application and field inspection process.

Question: Do I need a permit if I am replacing an existing AST with another AST or relocating an existing AST on the same property?

Answer: Yes. Whenever a different tank is being introduced to a site, regardless of whether an AST already existed at the site, a permit application must be filed with OSFM. When a tank is being relocated on the same property, a permit application must also be submitted for approval (to ensure that the relocation remains in compliance with applicable separation distances prescribed by codes).

Question: Is there a fee associated with the installation of an AST? 

Answer: No, not at this time. Unlike the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program, OSFM does not impose a fee for the review of AST permit applications or the field inspection that is conducted upon installation.

Question: Is there a list available of all registered ASTs in Illinois? 

Answer: No. It must be realized that only new installations (or relocations) of ASTs are required to complete a permit application. At this time, there is not a requirement for all existing ASTs to be registered with OSFM. Therefore, no comprehensive list of ASTs in the state is available.

Question: What is the approximate turn-around time for AST Installation Permits?

Answer: Typically, AST permit applications are reviewed and corresponding documentation of findings are returned to the applicant within one week to 10 days of application receipt by the agency.

Question: Do Illinois rules address different types of ASTs? 

Answer: Yes. Illinois has established separate administrative rules for ASTs intended to be used for dispensing fuel into motor vehicles as opposed to those used for bulk storage purposes. Furthermore, tanks containing liquefied petroleum gas (i.e., propane, butane, etc.) are addressed by yet another separate section of the Illinois Administrative Code.

Question: What are the applicable Illinois codes for AST installation and operation?

Answer: Dispensing Tanks = Title 41 Illinois Administrative Code Part 180 Bulk Storage Tanks = Title 41 Illinois Administrative Code Part 160 LP-Gas Tanks =Title 41 Illinois Administrative Code Part 200

Question: Is the permit application for an aboveground dispensing tank also used for an aboveground bulk storage tank?

Answer: No. Although the permit applications appear similar, they are different and distinct applications for applying to install a bulk tank versus a dispensing tank. If the wrong application is received, it will be returned with a blank copy of the correct permit application. Likewise, there is a separate and distinct permit application for the installation of a LP-Gas tank.

Question: Does the Illinois OSFM allow installation in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard #30 for flammable or combustible liquid storage tanks?

Answer: No. The OSFM has not adopted NFPA Standard #30 for AST installations in Illinois. Although the applicable Illinois Administrative Code sections do reference specific sections of NFPA #30 (e.g., for certain definitions and venting requirements) the rules do not adopt the NFPA standard in its entirety. AST installations that are designed in accordance with nationally recognized model codes, including NFPA #30, may not comply with Illinois' code. (A common mistake made by designers and installers is to space ASTs too close to each other or too close to adjacent property lines and buildings because NFPA #30 has less stringent distance separation requirements that the code adopted and enforced by the OSFM).

Question: What do plan reviewers look for when reviewing an AST permit application? 

Answer: Whether the permit application and plan pertains to an aboveground bulk or dispensing tank, or a LP-Gas tank, plan reviewers examine the permit application for compliance with applicable codes. Primary criteria verified by the reviewers include:

Adherence to separation distance requirements to property lines, buildings and other tanks
Provisions for electrical grounding of the tank
The capacity of the tank(s) is within the maximum allowable limits
The number of tanks at the facility is within allowable limits
The presence and capacity of normal venting
The presence and capacity of emergency venting
The tank(s) to be installed are labeled/listed tanks
The material of tank construction
The method of secondary containment for the tanks(s)
The presence and method of collision protection
The fire rating of adjacent building walls or interior storage rooms (if applicable)
Either fencing or other forms of tamper protection are present (for LP-Gas tanks)
Listed and labeled dispensing devices are to be installed (for dispensing tanks)
Presence of documentation verifying the condition of used tanks
Nearby electrical equipment installations are code compliant

Question: How are liquefied petroleum gas tanks classified for application procedures and rule enforcement in Illinois?

Answer: LP-Gas tanks are addressed separately from either fuel dispensing or bulk storage flammable and combustible liquid storage tanks. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), meaning that the product is stored as a liquid under pressure in the tank, but at normal pressures and temperatures, the product is a gas. Therefore, different rules apply (Title 41 IL Adm. Code Part 200). In addition, there is a separate permit application for the installation of a LP-Gas tank.

Question: If a LP-Gas tank is installed underground or mounded in earth who has jurisdiction over the tank and what rules/applications apply? 

Answer: LP-Gas tanks, whether installed above or below ground, are still considered LP-Gas tanks by the OSFM and NOT an Underground Storage Tanks. Therefore, underground LP-Gas tanks, although required to undergo the OSFM's application and field inspection process upon installation or relocation, and being subject to Ill. Adm. Code 200 rule requirements, are not required to be registered or pay annual fees under the OSFM's UST regulatory program. (NFPA Standard #58 does contain special rules when a LP-Gas tank is installed underground or under a mound of earth).

Question: How many aboveground tanks am I allowed to install at my facility? 

Answer: The answer to this question depends upon the purpose for which the tank will be used. The rules allow a maximum of two aboveground flammable or combustible liquid storage tanks per facility if fuel is going to be dispensed into vehicles from the tanks. (The rules also allow that if the installation is a farm, four aboveground storage tanks may be installed). For bulk storage tanks (those that will not have product dispensed directly into the fuel tank of a vehicle from the tank) there is no limit on the number of ASTs that may be installed, however tank-to-tank and tank-to-property line separation distance requirements, which increase as the volume of the storage tank increases, may limit the number of tanks that can fit on a site.

Question: Is there a limit on the size/capacity of aboveground tanks?

Answer: Similar to the answer to the question above, this depends upon the purpose of which the tank will be used. The rules limit the capacity of a tank intended for dispensing fuel into vehicles to 2,500 gallons. (Because only two aboveground dispensing tanks area allowed, this limits the total fuel capacity at the facility to 5,000 gallons). Even though farm sites are allowed to have up to four aboveground dispensing storage tanks, they are also limited to a maximum of 2,500 gallons capacity each, and no one product can constitute more than 5,000 gallons of the total storage at the site. For dispensing storage tanks located at airport facilities and used only to fuel aircraft, the capacity is allowed to increase to 10,000 gallons per tank. Similarly, at mining and coal-fired electrical generation facilities, ASTs that are used to store specifically diesel fuel for off-road equipment are allowed to have capacities of up to 12,000 gallons. For bulk storage tanks (not used to dispense fuel directly into the fuel tanks of vehicles) there is no limit on the size or capacity of an AST, however, the rules prescribe tank-to-tank and tank-to-property line separation distance requirements, which increase as the volume of the storage tank increases.

Question: Are all aboveground tanks required to be equipped with secondary containment?

Answer: The OSFM currently requires all flammable and combustible liquid storage tanks other than Class IIIB liquid storage tanks to be provided with secondary containment regardless of the capacity of the tank.

Question: What are the allowable means of secondary containment recognized by the OSFM?

Answer: The OSFM currently accepts the following as methods of secondary containment for regulated ASTs: concrete dikes, earthen dikes, steel catch pans, double-walled tanks, concrete encased tanks, vaulted tanks, sealed room enclosures with raised doorsills and remote impounding.

Question: Are cinder blocks an acceptable method of secondary containment?

Answer: No, not by themselves. Cinder blocks are porous, and flammable or combustible liquids will leach through the material. If cinder blocks are used as a method of secondary containment, a lining material or sealant must be applied.

Question: What is the required capacity of secondary containment dikes or pans?

Answer: The secondary containment area must be able to contain the capacity of at least the largest tank contained within the secondary containment area. (It is not required that the secondary containment area be able to hold the total capacity of all tanks contained within a dike).

Question: Are steel or concrete secondary containment installations allowed to be equipped with a drainpipe?

Answer: Yes. The OSFM will allow this as a method of removing rainwater from the secondary containment area of small dikes or steel pans. However, three conditions apply:

The piping must be equipped with a lockable valve that is kept locked in the closed position and only under the control of responsible personnel at the facility. The opening created when the pipe passes through the secondary containment wall must be sealed with appropriate material that will resist the passage of product to the outside of the containment area.

Only one such penetration is allowed per secondary containment area.

Question: Are there any relaxation of the rules for Class IIIB liquids storage tanks? 

Answer: Yes. In consideration of the absence of fire history related to the storage of Class IIIB liquids along with an examination of the nationally-recognized standard for the storage of flammable and combustible liquids - National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard #30 the OSFM now, by policy, modifies the applicable rules for the regulation of Class IIIB combustible liquids in aboveground storage tanks. Aboveground storage tanks for Class IIIB combustible liquids are now granted the following exceptions to the requirements set forth in Title 41 Illinois Administrative Code Part 160 "Storage, Transportation, Sale and Use of Gasoline and Volatile Oils: Rule and Regulations Relating to General Storage" :

Aboveground Class IIIB liquids are not required to be equipped with secondary containment.
Aboveground Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are not required to be electrically grounded.
Aboveground Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are required to be separated from combustible material by a minimum separation distance of 5 ft.
Aboveground Class IIIB liquid storage tanks of less than 12,000 gallons are required to be separated from buildings, property lines that are, or can be, built upon and from any public way by only 5 feet.
Aboveground Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are required to be separated by only 3 ft. from other tanks storing Class IIIB liquids. (Tank-to-tank separation distances from Part 160 rules would continue to apply if the adjacent tank is other than a Class IIIB liquid storage tank).
Aboveground indoor Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are not required to be physically separated from other areas of an occupancy by fire rated barriers or by fire-rated tank design (regardless of occupancy classification).
Aboveground indoor Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are not required to have vent piping extend to outside the building enclosure.
Aboveground indoor Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are not required to be filled or emptied from connections located outside the building.
Aboveground indoor Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are allowed to be located in the basement of buildings.
Aboveground indoor Class IIIB liquid storage tanks are allowed to be located in buildings of combustible construction.
Aboveground Class IIIB liquid storage tanks continue to be required to:
Complete and submit an OSFM "bulk storage" AST application and undergo field inspection processes for new or relocated tank installations;
Comply with UL listing requirements appropriate for the aboveground storage of combustible liquids;
Be provided with proper regular and emergency venting applicable to the AST; Comply with collision protection requirements;
Have any attached product piping testing upon installation in accordance with Part 160 rule requirements;
Have each connection below normal liquid level through which liquid can normally flow equipped with an internal or external valve located as close as practical to the shell of the tank.

Question: In some cases the rules differ if the stored liquid is a Class III-B Combustible Liquid. How is it determined if a liquid is a flammable or combustible liquid, and how is the class of a liquid determined?

Answer: Liquids are classified as flammable, combustible, or not regulated by the OSFM, based upon their flash point. Liquids that do not exhibit a flash point when tested are not regulated by the OSFM under Parts 160 or 180. Liquids that do exhibit a flash point are regulated and sub-classified as follows:

Classification Flash Point (°F)
Flammable Liquid Less than 100
Combustible Liquid
Class II At or above 100 and below 140
Class III-A At or above 140 and below 200
Class III-B Above 200

Question: What class of liquid is Waste Oil? Diesel Fuel? Gasoline?

Answer: Waste oil is normally considered a Class III-B combustible liquid by the OSFM. (Although please see Q#21 which addresses public waste oil collection sites). As a Class IIIB combustible liquid, it is subject to several relaxed requirements (e.g., absence of secondary containment, less restrictive tank-to-tank and tank-to-property separation distances, not being required to be filled from or vented to the exterior of a building, etc.). Gasoline, with a flash point well below 100°F, is classified as a Class I Flammable liquid. Diesel fuel, commonly having a flash point range of 105-120°F is classified as a Class II combustible liquid.

Question: How does the OSFM classify Waste Oil collected at public collection sites. Answer:

Facilities that allow the public to drop off or deposit waste oil into their aboveground storage tanks may be subject to having the contents of the tank regulated as other than a Class IIIB combustible liquid (and thereby losing several of the relaxed restrictions that are allowed by the OSFM for Class IIIB liquid storage tanks). The OSFM has concerns regarding the contents of liquids being deposited by the public and specifically about the possibility that the liquids being deposited may not contain only waste motor oil but may also contain flammable liquids that will lower the flash point of the overall AST contents and thus make it more volatile. However, the OSFM also recognizes the existence of programs that impose specific requirements for accepting public waste oil and ensuring the contents of the storage tank to remain as Class IIIB. Therefore, the OSFM will consider public waste oil collection tanks as Class IIIB combustible liquid storage tanks if:

• Acceptable products for deposit are limited to waste motor oil, waste transmission fluid, waste hydraulic fluid.
• The aboveground waste oil collection tanks are not accessible to the general public during times that an attendant/employee is not present to monitor the liquids being placed in the AST.
• Visual examination of the liquid to be deposited in the AST is conducted by an attendant/employee of retail occupancy accepting the product (this is primarily to check for separation of product - oil does not separate).
• A written log is maintained to indicate the name and address of the person depositing waste oil products into the AST.
• Tanks are marked with signage that indicates "Used Oil Only".
• Customers are limited to depositing no more than 5 gallons per visit.
• A program approved by the OSFM is in place either by the vendor where the AST is located or by the company that collects product from the AST to conduct periodic testing of deposited liquids to ensure that the flash point is greater than 200° F (and thus qualifies as a Class IIIB liquid). Records of these periodic tests must be maintained for the past year of operation and be available for submittal to the OSFM if requested.

Question: Part 160 rules require that concrete dikes have footings located below the frost line. Is this required on all concrete dikes?

Answer: No. The OSFM has not been requiring such deep-poured footings on concrete dikes that surround relatively small installations. Plan reviewers will note the need to have dike footings installed below the frost line if necessary.

Question: What are the U.L. standards applicable to ASTs?

Answer: U.L. 142 Aboveground Steel Storage Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids
U.L. 2080 Fire Resistant Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids U.L. 2085 Protected Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids U.L. 2245 Vaulted Tanks U.L. U.L. 2244 Tank Systems

Question: What is the difference between U.L. Standard 2080 and 2085? 

Answer: U.L. 2080: "Fire Resistant Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquids": this standard requires ASTs to withstand a two-hour fire test during which a single point temperature may reach 1000°F but the average tank temperature may not exceed 800°F.
U.L. 2085: "Protected Aboveground Tanks for Flammable and Combustible Liquid": this standard covers tanks with insulated secondary containment and requires tanks to withstand a four-hour fire test of 2000°F during which no single point temperature may exceed 400°F.

Question: If an AST is protected or fire resistant can it be placed closer than normally required to buildings, property lines and other tanks?

Answer: Yes. If a tank is listed as fire resistant (as indicated by compliance with U.L. Standard 2080 or an equivalent) or protected (as indicated by compliance with U.L. Standard 2085 or an equivalent), it may be placed directly adjacent to a building, a property line, or other tank. However, for dispensing tanks, any vehicle being fueled from the tank must still maintain a 30-foot separation distance to all buildings, property lines and other tanks. (Therefore, the dispensing hose must be of sufficient length in order to allow the vehicle being fueled to be placed 30 feet from any buildings, property lines or tanks).

Question: The rules require a noncombustible base for ASTs. Does this mean that a concrete pad must be poured below all tanks? 

Answer: No. Paved or gravel surfaces will suffice. Furthermore, skid type tanks may be placed virtually on any surface if the ground is solid and relatively level. Regardless of the material of the base, the area must be kept free from vegetation and other combustible material.

Question: Must all wiring within 30 feet of an aboveground fuel-dispensing tank be in conduit?

Answer: Yes. Not only wiring that supplies the dispensing unit, but also all wiring within 30 feet.

Question: Part 160 rules require a 5-foot minimum separation distance between tanks regardless of capacity. How strictly is this enforced and are there exceptions?

Answer: The OSFM does not require the 5-foot separation distance for smaller capacity tanks, such as waste or fresh motor oil tanks under 1,000 gallons capacity. It should be noted that NFPA Standard #30 requires only 3-foot separation distances, even for large volume storage tanks. It has been the policy of the office to allow the 3-foot separation distance allowed by NFPA #30, if the entire project complies with other NFPA #30 requirements, and if the local fire department indicates no objection to such tank-to-tank spacing. (Such alternatives are usually reserved for the re-installation of tanks at existing tank sites where the pads are already in-place).

Question: Are tanks allowed to be multi-compartmented?

Answer: Yes. Tanks can be subdivided as long as the total number of tanks, and total capacity limitations are followed. An aboveground tank that contains multiple compartments is considered a singular aboveground when applying the rules that restrict the number of aboveground tanks allowed per facility. For example, the rules restrict the number of aboveground fuel dispensing storage tanks to two tanks of up to 2,500 gallons capacity at a facility. The installation of two dual-compartmented tanks containing 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel and 1,000 gallons of gasoline in each tank would be within the rules and would count as a total of two ASTs, not four ASTs.

Question: Can Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) piping be used on ASTs?

Answer: No, not if the FRP piping is located aboveground. FRP has a low melting temperature that makes it susceptible to failure when exposed to fire or high heat. Furthermore, FRP is subject to deterioration by some flammable and combustible liquids.

Question: Can a listed UST be installed as an AST?

Answer: No, at least not unless the UST has also been evaluated and listed by U.L. as an aboveground liquid storage tank. While several manufacturers produce both USTs and ASTs, the OSFM is not aware of any singular tank that is listed for installation as either an UST or AST. USTs are designed to have backfill serve as an essential part of the structural support for the tank, especially the tank ends. Therefore, when an UST is installed aboveground, without the assistance of backfill to offer structural support, it is subject to failure. In addition, USTs are not designed with emergency venting because they are not subjected to fire/high heat conditions.

Question: Can a tank truck or railroad tank car be used as an AST?

Answer: No, tank trucks and cars are not designed for permanent storage. Pipe and appurtenance openings are not always compatible with permanent storage tank needs. Furthermore, tank trucks and tank cars are not U.L. listed ASTs. The State Administrative Rules prohibit off-loading directly from a tank car to a tank truck or other vehicle.

Question: What are the types of emergency venting devices?

Answer: Methods of emergency venting include: pop-up devices, flip-up devices, loose-bolt manhole covers, weak roof-to-shell seams and weak top design in vaulted tanks. (It should also be remembered that on some smaller capacity tanks, the capacity/size of normal vent openings may be sufficient to service both normal and emergency vent purposes).

Question: Can regular (normal) venting serve as emergency venting if it is large enough?

Answer: Yes. Part 160 rules reference NFPA Standard #30 for determining the size/capacity of emergency venting. NFPA #30 allows all vent openings present on the storage tank (normal and emergency) to be credited when determining the available venting capacity for the tank. The required capacity of emergency venting is dependent upon the size of the storage tank (with larger tanks requiring more emergency venting capacity). This results in smaller tanks sometimes being able to comply with emergency venting requirement simply by the size of the normal vent piping placed on the tank. Essentially, the code is recognizing that the venting capacity offered by the normal vent that is designed to allow the tanks to breathe during filling or off-loading operations, is sufficient to provide venting of vapors under emergency conditions. Caution should be used however when installing an aboveground tank installation that does not present an emergency vent, separate from the normal vent. While indeed this may be a legitimate arrangement, the owner should ensure that normal venting is sufficient to serve as emergency venting.

Question: Must emergency vents for indoor tanks terminate outside of buildings?

Answer: Yes. Part 160.90 of the Administrative Rules requires that emergency venting must be installed in accordance with NFPA Standard #30. NFPA #30 in turn, requires that both normal and emergency venting terminate outside of a building, except when serving tanks that contain Class III-B liquids. Therefore, all indoor storage tanks, other than those storing exclusively Class III-B liquids, must have regular and emergency vent piping terminate outside of the building.

Question: What is special about kerosene storage tanks?

Answer: Kerosene tanks are addressed separately from other combustible liquid storage tanks within Section 180.20 d-f of the rules. Although kerosene is indeed a combustible liquid, it has long been treated differently in the OSFM rules. This section of the rules allow for the indoor storage and dispensing of kerosene in tanks of up to 60 gallons in capacity. Furthermore, outdoor aboveground kerosene storage tanks are allowed to be installed even at self-service retail gas stations, only eight feet from roadways. (Dispensing from an aboveground kerosene tank is not allowed to be by self-service but rather must be performed by an attendant at a self-service station.)

Question: What is special about Airport dispensing tanks?

Answer: Airport dispensing storage tanks are specifically addressed in Section 180.22. Unlike regular dispensing sites, airports are allowed to install two tanks of up to 10,000 gallons capacity each, for a total storage capacity of up to 20,000 gallons. However, with this increased capacity allowance comes several restrictions: The tanks must be fire-insulated, U.L. 2085 listed tanks; The tanks may only be used to dispense fuel into aircraft, not vehicles; The tanks must be equipped with overfill and spill prevention equipment; The installation of such tanks requires the approval of not only the OSFM, but also the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics. The OSFM offers a special application for such airport tanks.

Question: What is special about Marina dispensing tanks?

Answer: Marina facility tanks that will be used to pipe fuel to piers for dispensing into boats and watercraft are further regulated beyond regular vehicular dispensing tanks because of their close proximity to waterways and the potential for high water/flotation problems. Marina dispensing tanks are required to be provided with double-walled piping with flexible fittings. Furthermore, emergency and manual shutoff means are required. Dispensing areas must be provided with spill containment means. Dispensing at marinas must be supervised by an attendant. (Self-service is prohibited). The application must indicate that the tank is to be installed above the high-water mark for the area, or indicate a method of anchoring to prevent tank flotation.

Question: Are Rainshields allowed on aboveground tanks?

Answer: Yes, but only if installed in accordance with certain parameters. The rainshields cannot prevent methods of secondary containment from being effective.

Question: What is the A.P.I.?

Answer: American Petroleum Institute. This is an organization made up of petroleum processors and equipment manufacturers. Similar to the NFPA, the A.P.I. develops and publishes standards relating to their industry. A.P.I. #650 is referenced by Part 160 as the standard for the installation of field-erected ASTs.

Question: What is the S.T.I.?

Answer: Steel Tank Institute. This is a trade organization made up of steel tank manufacturers. You may be familiar with an STI-P3 underground tank. This tank was one of the first to offer corrosion protection for underground installation. The S.T.I. organization developed the criteria for the manufacturer of the tank. Manufacturers who constructed tanks to the S.T.I. specifications were allowed to place the STI-P3 mark on the tank. Likewise, the S.T.I. has developed standards for aboveground flammable liquid storage tanks.

Question: What have been the predominant sources of fires/accidents associated with aboveground flammable or combustible liquid storage tanks?

Answer: Inadequately sized or absence of emergency venting Unattended delivery of product causing overfilling/spillage

Question: Can combustible/flammable liquids be stored inside a building? Answer: Yes. While the Part 160 rules do not adequately address the subject, the OSFM does allow indoor storage of flammable and combustible liquid storage tanks. Until rules can be modified to address the issue, the OSFM governs such installations by policy. (All nationally recognized codes allow for the storage of indoor flammable and combustible liquid storage tanks, and the OSFM, in an attempt to allow reasonable business practice while ensuring fire safety, also allows such storage with particular restrictions). Indoor storage tanks must be separated from the remaining areas of the occupancy by 2-hour fire rated construction or a fire resistant or protected AST must be used. Tanks must also be filled from, and vented to, the exterior of the building. Also, OSFM policy now allows relaxation of the rules specifically for Class IIIB combustible liquid storage tanks.

Question: If I am only installing a temporary (AST) must I submit an application to the OSFM?

Answer: Not necessarily. The OSFM defines temporary for an AST installation as six months or less. ASTs that will be in place for less than six months are not required to file an application for installation with the OSFM, and the installation is not typically inspected by the agency. However, tank owners are cautioned that the absence of an application submittal or field inspection does not alleviate the need for owners to comply with applicable regulations.

Question: Are fuel dispensing tanks for farm use addressed any differently by the applicable AST rules?

Answer: Yes. The Part 180 rules do address aboveground fuel dispensing storage tanks at farms differently than those located at other vehicle fleet locations. The rules allow for up to four aboveground fuel storage tanks for dispensing purposes to be located at a farm or agricultural facility (as opposed to the two aboveground fuel dispensing storage tanks allowed at other facilities). Furthermore, the rules for farm sites recognize relaxed standards that allow for gravity dispensing of fuel.

Question: Are fuel dispensing tanks for mines and quarry sites addressed any differently by the applicable AST rules?

Answer: Yes. Recent rule modifications allow for aboveground fuel dispensing storage tanks at mining, quarry, or coal-fired electrical generating facilities to be up to 12,000 gallons in capacity. This allowance is made only for the storage of diesel fuel and only for the fueling of equipment that is not capable of being driven to a service station. Furthermore, the local fire department having response jurisdiction over the tanks location must offer written agreement to the oversized aboveground tanks. Setback distances for these over-capacity tanks are also increased when compared to the normally allowed 2,500-gallon capacity aboveground tank.

Question: Are other testing laboratories or listing organizations than Underwriters Laboratories recognized by the OSFM?

Answer: Yes. There are other third party testing and product listing organizations that are recognized by the OSFM. For example, ASTs listed in accordance with the standards of Southwest Research Institute are acceptable as are tanks constructed in accordance with the standards of the Steel Tank Institute. Although ASTs manufactured in accordance with Underwriter's Laboratories standards are acceptable, it is not the intent of the agency to exclude the testing work conducted by other legitimate independent testing organizations.

Question: Can a previously used AST be installed?

Answer: Yes. The applicable rules do not mandate that a new AST be installed. However, a used AST is subject to compliance with all of the rules and criteria applicable to a new AST (i.e., listed by a recognized testing agency, properly vented, provided with secondary containment, etc.). Furthermore, the OSFM requires that the tank owner or installer provide evidence that a used tank has been re-inspected or retested prior to installation.

Question: What if I have a previously existing AST that is not labeled or was not constructed to any recognized standard for flammable or combustible liquid storage tanks?

Answer:It is the policy of the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal to allow the use of such tank only if one of the following two criteria are met:

the tank is recertified by a recognized listing organization; or documentation is submitted to the OSFM under the signature of an Illinois professional registered engineer (P.E.) with expertise and experience in the evaluation of storage tanks and/or tank construction materials, indicating that the design and construction integrity meets or exceeds a recognized listing standard for aboveground atmospheric storage tanks, and indicating in accordance with what standard the tank was evaluated. Furthermore, if tanks are relined, the documentation must indicate that the relining material is compatible with the contents to be stored in the tank.

Question: What is NFPA #58 and how does it apply to tank installation in Illinois? Answer: National Fire Protection Association Standard #58 is titled The LP Gas Code. The 2004 edition of the NFPA #58 standard has been adopted by the OSFM as the applicable rules for liquefied petroleum gas handling, use and storage. NFPA Standard #58 is adopted into 41 Illinois Administrative Code 200. This is the standard that is applied to LP-Gas tank installation in Illinois.

Question: If the OSFM approves an AST installation is an owner still obligated to comply with local regulations?

Answer: Yes. The rules of the OSFM are intended to be applied concurrently with the regulations, ordinances or standards adopted by municipalities or fire protection districts. The OSFM often encounters installations that are approvable under the rules applied by the state, but not compliant with local regulations. Tank owners and installers are cautioned to ensure that their installation complies with all applicable rules - both state and local - before setting an AST.

Question: What is a vaulted AST?

Answer: A vaulted tank is the term that was originally used to describe any tank that was surrounded in concrete and/or offered fire resistance beyond that of a bare steel tank. However, with advancements in the design and manufacturing of AST's in recent years, the term vaulted has taken on a different meaning. The industry now reserves the term vaulted for a tank that is installed in a below-grade concrete enclosure. Such tanks are classified as aboveground tanks by nationally recognized codes, and by the Illinois OSFM, despite the fact that they are actually installed below-grade. The enclosure containing the tanks, being the equivalent of a large concrete bathtub without a drain, allows visual inspection of the tanks, and does not allow leaking product to contact the surrounding earth. These vaults are not backfilled. (Backfilling the vault will essentially classify the installation as an underground tank site). There are strict rules within NFPA standards for such vaulted installations. The rules include provisions for forced ventilation of the vaulted enclosure, separation of the tanks within the vault, methods of fire suppression agent delivery into the vault and construction standards for vault tops, etc. Although the NFPA rules on vaulted tanks have not been formally adopted in Illinois Administrative Code, the OSFM uses the NFPA rules as a guideline, considering the absence of rules within the administrative code pertaining specifically to vaulted tanks. Vaulted tanks are listed by Underwriters Laboratories in accordance with U.L. Standard 2245 Vaulted Tanks.