Quoted from HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/ ... m-faqs.htm
My personal store is currently 60L of Diesel in 20L jerry cans & 20L of Petrol in 2x 10L Jerru cans and i keep the whole lot stored in a secure site safe type box as there is over £100 worth of fuel there. I will probably add some more diesel but will limit the petrol to what im legally allowed just in caseHow should I store diesel and what quantity am I allowed?
There are no specific legal requirements on how to store diesel or the quantity allowed either in workplaces or domestic premises. It is not, from a health and safety point of view, a particularly hazardous substance within the meaning of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 - its vapour flash point is too high. This means that its vapour will not ignite at normal room temperatures.
That said, there are some general issues you'll need to take into account:
no 'hotwork' should be performed on the vessel unless it is emptied and purged of any remaining vapour.
the drum should be positioned away from any source of direct heat.
the drum should be located in an area where there is no risk of collision with vehicles, fork-lift trucks etc. (diesel splashing onto a hot engine will probably ignite).
leaks and spills should be contained to the vicinity of the drum and mopped up quickly, to lessen the risk of slipping.
refilling and dispensing activities need to take account of manual handling issues etc.
While diesel is not a particularly dangerous substance from a health and safety point of view, it is an environmental hazard, with considerable clean-up costs if it should leak into a drain, watercourse or the soil. You may, therefore, wish to contact the Environment Agency for further information .
