Diesel spill

[Tommy]

Got to work nice and early this morning, all the yard coned off, with absorbant granules down.

Turns out the apprentice had filled up the tractors last thing on Wednesday, and not turned the pump off - was at least 20 minutes of full flow before it was found by security.

All the yard and surrounding area was only re-surfaced in the summer - all knackered, the carpets in the offices next door - new in october - knackered.
Red diesel in the gullies and drains, a great pool of diesel swimming in the Grit bay - contaminated.
Worst of all, Wrekin construction are just leaving the site after dredging and re-lining Lake 1, jsut getting it back to water level - now swimming with diesel.

Real major problems for the big bosses now (probably means no Grounds budget for next 5 years)

[nick65]

Wow 20 minutes of flow is a lot of diesel. The new tarmac will undoubtedly be dead and need to be removed and redone,but worse of all theres the environmental issues. All the contaminated ground may have to be dug up to a depth were the disel has not filtred and removed at great cost as it will be classed as contaminated waste.Also theres the problem with the water and how it will affect the fish and wildlife.Hopefully a swift action can contain the spill from spreading or seaping downwards to far.Other wise this could prove to be a very expensive mistake. A local firm round this way has just been fined thousands of pounds for the uncontrolled release of toxins into a watercourse. good luck.

[DNgroundworks]

Just a question, im not very knowledgeable concerning tarmac, how does the diesel do such damage?

[Tommy]

Yes, the new tarmac is already going, all the oils starting to seep, and becoming sticky. The lines painted on are dissolving.


I think it's lucky that the lake is so recently been done - there is minimal wildlife, and no fish in yet. But god knows where else it's got ???

[nick65]

Some ones gonna get a right bollicking Tom thats for sure. You could start by giving the apprentice a good kicking,sorry i mean a telling off.

[GB_Groundworks]

it dissolves the bitumen that binds the aggregate together,

been using our js130 all week and someone has filled the tank full of shit every time i climb the stock pile i have to clean out the in line filter to get it running again and get covered in diesel. the mrs isn't happy with me coming home stinking haha. tommy where abouts do you work? council yard?

[Tommy]

Well he certainly timed it right, main supervisor's day off. and his college day tommorrow, He did get a rollicking off the head of estates and grounds.

If he still has a job next week, he would be very, very lucky.


Certainly a huge setback in view to getting a mega £££ contract with european football tournament

[DNgroundworks]

cheers, well this leads to another question,

I was workin at a farm layin 9" hollow block for a car park/ tractor enclosure, when i was finished the farmer layed 100mm road planings, which he poured diesel all over whilst rolling it with a twin drum roller!

when i asked what he was trying to acheive with the diesel he said it helps bind the tarmac back together, i just assumed this was bullsh*t and left him pouring the stuff all over the place, couldnt help thinking though that surely this would seep on to his land/watercourses etc

It must have the opposite effect rather than bind it together?

[Tommy]

I did work on the council for a while. Groundsman at Keele University now though, which is where it happened.

[Dave_L]

Bloody hell Tommy, that's serious stuff.

Diesel or any kind of light oil fraction is bad news for tarmac as Giles has said, it dissolves the bitumen which is the 'binder' to hold the aggregate together.

Even worse if it has been spilt onto a newly laid surface.

I just can't begin to think of the huge costs involved in the clear up - hopefully the insurance should cover it?

[GB_Groundworks]

dn thats sounds the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard

not only would he pollute the earth below the first rain would wash it into the water system killing everything, we use old diesel to clean off tools after coming into contact with bitmac, in a bunded wash down container.

[Dave_L]

We use old diesel to clean off tools after coming into contact with bitmac, in a bunded wash down container.

Highways would love you Giles!

[DNgroundworks]

Thats exactly what i thought GB but as this was years ago i wasnt realy in the position to say anything!

[Tommy]

Bloody hell Tommy, that's serious stuff.

Diesel or any kind of light oil fraction is bad news for tarmac as Giles has said, it dissolves the bitumen which is the 'binder' to hold the aggregate together.

Even worse if it has been spilt onto a newly laid surface.

I just can't begin to think of the huge costs involved in the clear up - hopefully the insurance should cover it?

I wouldnt know about the insurance or whatnot, way above my world.

I have thought it was going to happen some stage, really poor design of the diesel tank.
tucked into a outbuilding, with a small door for the switch and the fueling pipe.
No idication of the level of fuel in the tank, nor any sort of bund or spillage protection whatsoever - which i was under the impression it was a legal requirement to prevent all sort of spillage due to fueling operations

[GB_Groundworks]

We use old diesel to clean off tools after coming into contact with bitmac, in a bunded wash down container.

Highways would love you Giles!

back at the yard of course haha, other than that its get a good fire going and get the shovels and rakes in it and scrape them off.