AST Inspection Standards
Standards referenced in NFPA 30 and NFPA 30A (2008) call for
periodic inspections of aboveground tanks. But how often is periodic
and who exactly should be performing these inspections? The
Standards referenced suggest monthly and annual inspections of
double-wall AST's under 5,000 gallons by the owner or the "owners
inspector". For double-wall AST's over 5,000 gallons the standard
calls for monthly and annual inspections inspections by the owner
(or owner's inspector) as well as a formal third party inspection by
a certified inspector once every 20 years. So, while regular
inspections should be performed on your AST, a certified inspector
only needs to be brought in for a formal inspection every 20 years
on tanks larger than 5,000 gallons.
| AST Size |
AST Type: Category 1 (includes double wall AST |
| 0 - 5,000 gals. | Monthly* AST Inspection |
| 5,001 - 30,000 gals. | Monthly* AST Inspection & Formal External Inspection by Certified Inspector every 20 years** |
* Recommends Monthly and Annual Tests which can be performed by an owner or an owner's inspector
**A certified inspector is someone who is certified by one or
more of the following:
American Petroleum Institute (API) Standard 653 Authorized Inspector
Certification with TI SP001
Adjunct Certification
Steel Tank Institute (STI) Certified SP001 AST Tank System
Inspector
