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of petroleum or petroleum mixtures, have had to meet conditions of
greater stringency than were applied previously.
As has been the practice for many years, all new underground
tanks continue to be subjected to an air pressure test of ten pounds
per square inch, held for twenty-four hours, before being brought
into use. The additional requirement now is that existing tanks must
be subjected to a test for soundness in their twentieth, twenty-fifth
and thirtieth year and every second year thereafter.
At the end of 1959 there were 125 underground tanks of a total
capacity of 101,000 gallons which had been installed for twenty years
or longer and all were tested under the supervision of the Public
Health Inspectors prior to recommending the renewal of licences. A
further five tanks of 5,000 gallons which were installed in 1940 were
similarly tested during the year. It is encouraging to report that only
one tank (which had been out of use but was hoped to be brought
back into use) was found to be defective. Its proposed re-use was
not allowed.
Eight new tanks of a total capacity ot 15,000 gallons were
installed in accordance with the Council's requirements and under the
supervision of the Public Health Inspectors during 1960.
Ten years ago the Home Office put forward recommendations
designed to guard against danger to petroleum storage installations
from the electrical equipment of pumps, and since that time all new
pumps set up in Wembley have been required to comply with these
recommendations.
Electrically operated pumps over ten years old and already
existing in premises for which a renewal of licence was sought from
the 1st January, 1960, were required to be brought up to the standard
of electrical equipment formerly applicable to new pumps only. This
involved the checking of 57 old pumps by the Public Health Inspectors
during 1959 resulting in 41 being renewed, rewired or otherwise
adapted to bring them to a condition in which their licensing could
properly be recommended.
Number of premises licensed to store petroleum spirit
or mixtures 150
Aggregate amount of petroleum spirit or mixtures
licensed to be stored 323,550 galls.
(Carbide of Calcium 20½ tons.)
Number of visits of inspection made to premises 373
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