Petroleum sites carry a risk profile unlike any other commercial property. A live forecourt is simultaneously a construction site, a retail operation, and a hazardous substance handling facility. The regulatory framework reflects that complexity — and the consequences of non-compliance are severe.
The Primary Legislation
Petroleum site safety in South Africa is governed by multiple overlapping frameworks: the OHS Act 85 of 1993 (general workplace safety), the Petroleum Products Act (licensing and product handling), SANS 10089 (installation and maintenance of petroleum facilities), the Dangerous Goods Act (transport and storage), and local municipal by-laws. A fully compliant site must satisfy all of them simultaneously.
SANS 10089 — The Technical Standard
SANS 10089 sets the technical requirements for petroleum underground and aboveground storage tanks, dispensing equipment, vapour recovery systems, spill containment, drainage, and fire suppression. Contractors working on fuel sites must be familiar with these requirements — particularly for tank installations, manifold systems, and forecourt surfacing with fuel-resistant materials.
Hot Work on a Live Fuel Site
One of the highest-risk activities on a petroleum site is hot work — welding, cutting, grinding — near fuel infrastructure. A formal Hot Work Permit system is non-negotiable. This must be site-specific, signed by a competent person, include gas testing before and during work, and specify fire watch requirements. HSEQ Consulting prepares and manages hot work permit systems as part of site HSSE file management.
HSSE Requirements for Contractors on Petroleum Sites
Any contractor appointed on a petroleum site must provide an HSSE file that includes petroleum-specific risk assessments (fire, explosion, fuel spill, vapour exposure), MSDS sheets for all hazardous substances, confined space entry procedures for tank work, and emergency response plans that include fuel spill and fire response protocols specific to the site.
Our Petroleum Site Experience
HSEQ Consulting has managed HSSE compliance on multiple live Astron Energy forecourts across Gauteng. We understand the operational constraints — sites that cannot fully shut down, contractors working around fuelling customers, underground fuel infrastructure that must be isolated and monitored. Our HSSE files for petroleum sites are written for those conditions, not adapted from generic templates.