Heating oil is a popular fuel used for heating residential and industrial buildings, especially where there is no access to the gas grid. The storage of heating oil is regulated by Polish law for reasons of safety and environmental protection. Properly designed and regularly maintained heating oil tanks minimise the risk of accidents and protect the environment.

Compliance with legal requirements regarding capacity, location, ventilation and safety systems is essential to avoid unwanted incidents and to take full advantage of the benefits of this energy source. Compliance with the regulations is not only a duty, but also a way of protecting one's own property and the health of householders and employees.

The details of the legal conditions addressed are contained in the Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of 12 April 2002 on the technical conditions to be met by buildings and their location. The following are the most important requirements for the storage of heating oil that must be met in Poland.

Heating oil can be stored in tanks with appropriate technical parameters.

According to the regulations, heating oil with a flash point above 55 °C can be stored in both above-ground and underground tanks. Two basic types of tanks are provided for the storage of heating oil in buildings:

Regulations in Poland limit the total capacity of tanks to a maximum of 100 m³ per building. Furthermore, in the case of tanks located in the boiler room (next to the boiler), the volume of one tank must not exceed 1 m³. A catch sump is required in the storage rooms, the capacity of which allows oil to be retained in the event of a possible tank failure.

Each tank must be equipped with systems for filling, venting and signalling the oil level to enable oil control. This allows users to monitor the amount of fuel in real time and plan for refilling.

A fuel oil storage room must meet a number of requirements for construction and equipment.

Additional provisions apply to ensure the safe operation of heating oil indoors. Such requirements minimise the risk of oil ignition, which is crucial for safety.

Storage rooms must be equipped with supply and exhaust ventilation systems. The requirement is to provide between 2 and 4 air changes per hour, which allows for the effective removal of fuel oil vapours. These rooms should also have access to a window or be equipped with fire extinguishing equipment to allow rapid response in the event of a fire emergency.

Heating in fuel oil storage rooms can only be water-based to reduce potential sources of ignition. Prevention of static electricity is also an important aspect - any plastic components must be adequately protected to avoid electrostatic discharges that could pose an ignition risk.

In addition to complying with technical requirements, owners of oil installations should carry out regular inspections of tanks and installations. It is recommended that maintenance and inspection is carried out by qualified persons who will check the tightness of the tank, the condition of the seals and the efficiency of the ventilation and fire protection systems. Such measures not only increase safety, but also extend the life of the tanks and minimise the risk of failure.

A heating oil spill can have serious environmental consequences, including contamination of soil and groundwater. This is why it is so important to comply with storage regulations and to respond immediately to potential failures. Tank owners are responsible for the safe use of their tanks and for any damage caused by uncontrolled spills.