Make Siting Your Tank Easy by Using Fire Protection Barriers
Safety always comes first, which is why OFTEC regulations are specific and strict when it comes to exactly where you can have an oil tank installed.
However, despite the importance of the directives, they still frustrate many domestic and commercial users as they make choosing a site for an oil tank complicated. The main problem is caused by the minimum distance requirements. If you have limited space, tricky access or if your garden aesthetics are important to you, siting your tank so that you don’t create an eyesore or lose valuable space while still being able to access it easily can be hard.
Here are the current regulations from OFTEC on minimum distances for single domestic dwellings:
Building regulations state that the protection of an above-ground or semi-buried oil tank from a fire, which may start in a building or beyond the site boundary, should be in accordance with the provisions given below:
If the tank is located 1800 mm or more from a domestic building:
No protection is required
If the tank is located less than 1800 mm from any part of a building:
Any eaves less than 1800 mm from the tank should have 30 minutes of fire resistance for integrity and insulation extending 300 mm beyond each side of the tank, and either (a) any part of the building wall less than 1800 mm from the tank should be imperforate (1) with a minimum 30 minutes fire resistance in terms of insulation, integrity and stability to internal fire; or (b) provide a firewall (2) between the tank and any part of the building which is less than 1800 mm from the tank. The firewall should extend not less than 300 mm higher and 300 mm wider than the tank.
If the tank is located 760 mm or more from a boundary:
No protection is required
If the tank is located less than 760 mm from a boundary:
Provide a firewall (2) between the tank and the boundary or a boundary wall, which has a minimum of 30 minutes of fire resistance in terms of insulation, integrity and stability to fire on either side. The firewall or fire resistant boundary wall must extend not less than 300 mm higher and 300 mm beyond the ends of the tank.
Read the full OFTEC regulations covering siting a domestic oil tank here
Using Fire Protection Barriers for your Oil Tank – A Solution to the Problem!
Installing fire barriers for your oil tank means that you can site the tank closer to buildings as the barriers provide the tank with extra protection in the event of a fire breaking out.
Atlantis Tanks’ fire protection barriers for oil tanks
We stock a selection of fire protection barriers in sizes to match any tank. Our fire resistance panels are 100mm thick and rated up to 30 minutes.
Important: For 30-minute rating protection, the panels should extend past the tank by 300mm in all dimensions. To make sure that you get the right size barriers, use our handy calculator to find out which fire barrier set is right for your tank:
You can browse our range of fire protection barriers here But, if you need more help, we’re only a phone call away. Give our team a call on 0330 999 1100 or email [email protected]
