Transportation of bulk fuel from terminals to gas stations countrywide requires safety, efficiency, and accurate measurements. To ensure these parameters are met, all Road Tanker Wagons (RTW) licensed to transport fuel must be verified by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) in accordance with the 1981 Weights and Measures Act. Owners of these vehicles are also required to comply with the National Standard, GYS 512:2016 – “Requirements for the transport of petroleum and petroleum products by road tanker wagons”.
The GNBS, which is the National Measurement Institute (NMI), is currently conducting its second period of verification for the year 2023 from July to September. This exercise covers the verification of all measuring instruments used in the health, transportation, retail and other sectors, to ensure consumer protection, safety, health and equity in trade.
As it relates to the Road Tanker Wagon, this equipment is defined by the National Standard as a composite unit consisting of a propelling motor and cab together with one or more tanks fixed to a chassis such that bulk transportation of petroleum and petroleum products can be done. Petroleum products include petrol, diesel, bunker-C and any other heavy oils, liquefied gas, petroleum gas, aviation fuel, kerosene and other hydrocarbon-based product of the petroleum refining process, whether in liquid or gaseous form.
In Guyana, although tanker wagons transport many of the aforementioned products on our roadways daily, they are usually associated with the transport of gasoline, diesel and kerosene from the main bulk fuel terminals to gas-stations countrywide. These tankers are either owned by the main distributors of fuel or by private fuel dealers, including owners of gas stations.
These trucks are verified by the GNBS initially when imported into Guyana and subsequent verification is done yearly to facilitate the renewal of licenses from the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA). Inspectors of the GNBS and Weights and Measures Officers conduct verification of RTWs to ensure there are no leaking valves, the tanks do not retain more than two (2) litres of petroleum or petroleum products in each compartment, and the carrying capacity of each compartment is accurate.
Verification is also required if the vehicle was involved in an accident or incident which can alter the volume of the tanker or fixtures on the unit. According to the National Standard, inspections and retesting shall be carried out by the GNBS prior to further use if the tanker shows evidence of dents, corrosion or leakages which may render it unsafe. Retesting is also required if the vehicle has been out of operation for more than a year or safety measures have not been exercised in the use of the tanker wagon. Internal inspection, lining inspection, pressure, leakage and thickness test requirements are all included in the standard.
In addition, the National Standard provides general safety requirements, and information on the design that is appropriate to reduce accidental damage. It also lists appurtenance relating to safety including fire extinguishers, warning signs, placards, and lighting. In addition, because of the flammable nature of products being transported by such a vehicle, on loading, off-loading, first aid and firefighting training shall be administered to person(s) using a tanker wagon. Further, the standard requires a contingency plan.
In order to meet the requirements of this standard and to reduce the possibility of verification and inspection failure, owners of tanker wagons are encouraged to acquire a copy of this standard and take actions to have their tanker wagons meet the requirements. Additionally, owners can contact the GNBS Legal Metrology Services Department to arrange the verification of their RTWs. For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp 692-4627 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org or facebook/gnbsgy
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