Avgas - Refuelling Risk Assessment

Dave Reid · Post by **Dave Reid** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:28 pm

I am about to embark upon writing a risk assessment for our club's refuelling arrangements.

Can anyone help me by providing a copy of theirs, or come up with any pointers? I have started by reading CAP 748, Aircraft Fuelling and Fuel Installation Management, which is helpful - but all/any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

Harry Hopkins · Post by **Harry Hopkins** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:48 pm

Dave,

I'd like to help but have no knowledge other than reading an accident report years ago about a hangar full of aircraft which went up in flames after static discharge during a refuelling. I'm sure the CAA's text mentions the necessity of grounding before starting anything.

Another (post refuelling) incident was the loss of a Beagle Basset which had been refuelled with AVTUR by mistake. It had enough petrol in the system to get airborne. You can guess the rest. A double check of what's being pumped would be sensible.

Could I ask you to let me have a copy once you've completed your task. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Good luck with your project.

Harry Hopkins

gasax · Post by **gasax** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:07 pm

I'm guessing you have already had a look at the HSE's website and the 5 steps to risk assessment and their sample risk assessments?

If not there is some good material. In theory your risk assessment should be aligned and common with other club risk assessments - if so then you will need to follow their methodology - so copying someone else's may be less than useless.

The earlier responses show the consequences can be pretty negative - the fact that there are few examples tells you the frequency is pretty low. So if you're using a ranking system here is some useful information.

Look up the HSe material on ALARP. Essentailly the theory is that you are obliged to reduce the risks to an ALARP level. ALARP is eessentailly defined as the point at which the costs of further reduction become disproporationate because of cost. The majority of measures in the CAA documents can be used as sensible risk reduction measures.

Hopefully this will help, if you find dyourself stuck drop me a pm.

Dave Reid · Post by **Dave Reid** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:13 am

Thanks for the input. I have some experience of writing RAs, but someone else usually points out a risk that I haven't considered! That's really why I would like to see a similar one from another club.

I completely agree that plagiarism isn't the best way and it's always best to go through the whole process oneself.

I will get on with it...

Thanks,
Dave

mike newall · Post by **mike newall** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:07 am

Here is a suggestion......

Refuelling aeroplanes is like refuelling your car. Be careful, use common sense, don't smoke and don't forget your loyalty card for your points.

The end

There, simple really !

gasax · Post by **gasax** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:14 pm

If you have a backgound in this area then you should be aware that the best method of identifying the hazards is to use a team approach - proper risk assessments need a spread of ability and experience - so -you can be reasonably confident of the hazards - and more particularly the effectiveness of any mitigating measures.

The obvious example is yellow tabards - virtually all the people who have been injured on airfileds were wearing one.... None of those people were injured by aircraft - it was 'support' vehicles that injured them.

So are yellow tabards an effective measure? Much better might be reversing alarms and enforcing the guidance on driver authorisation and training. Or a simple 'no reversing' rule?

Dave Reid · Post by **Dave Reid** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:17 am

Mike,

Absolutely right. However, I thought it was no smoking within 8hrs of flight and no alcohol within 50ft...

As for yellow tabards, we are going to charge landing fees to any pilot who wears one and not to anyone else.

The elfin safety people are a pain; I'm just hoping to head off some visiting idiot jobsworth in the future.

mike newall · Post by **mike newall** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:59 pm

Fab

Trevor Harvey · Post by **Trevor Harvey** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:42 pm

Aren't those yellow vest things made from static generating nylon or some such?

Dave Reid · Post by **Dave Reid** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:21 pm

No, yellow vest thingies are not made just from static generating nylon. They're made from a material that mysteriously melts into the skin when confronted by fire. Always take them off when you get into the cockpit, wear leather gloves, Nomex suits...er... hang on, that was from the sensible days when I was taught to fly and elfin safety people could spell, grocers' apostrophies hadn't been invented and everyone had a bit of common sense...

EwenT · Post by **EwenT** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:00 pm

hangar full of aircraft which went up in flames after static discharge during a refuelling

Never refuel in a Hanger - but it is surprising how many do.