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Fire Safety Standards for Fueling Operations at Part 139 Airports
The fire safety standards for fueling operations and quarterly inspection checklists have been updated in the Central Region Sample Airport Certification Manual (ACM). The revised fire safety standards are based on the current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fire code, which is the most common fire code in effect at certificated airports. Part 139.321(b)(7) requires certificate holders to establish and maintain fire safety standards for fueling operations that meet the local fire code. The previous fire safety standards used in the Sample ACM were based on an old FAA fueling Advisory Circular. NFPA 407 has gone through two revisions in 1990 and 2001 and the old fueling AC was replaced in 2004 with a version that references the NFPA standards. An extensive review of the current NFPA 407 and NFPA 30 fire code was recently conducted and has resulted in a much more detailed set of fire safety standards in the Sample ACM.
At airports where the NFPA fire code is in effect, FAA inspections of fueling operations will be conducted in accordance with the current NFPA fire code. If the fueling facilities are not in compliance with the NFPA fire code, there is a Part 139 discrepancy to 139.321(b)(7). Airport operators at airports where the NFPA fire code is in effect should review these new sample fire safety standards with the Authority Having Jurisdiction and their resident fueling agents. Any fueling facilities not in compliance with this fire code will need to be upgraded to meet it. Airport operators will also need to revise the fire safety standards in their respective ACMs accordingly. The new sample fire safety standards will be distributed to Central Region airports in early December.
In addition to updating the sample fire safety standards, Central Region’s airport certification staff has also prepared a PowerPoint presentation on conducting quarterly inspections of aircraft fuel servicing vehicles and airport fueling systems for compliance with the NFPA fire code. The presentation can be used to supplement the airport specific training for the personnel responsible for conducting quarterly inspections of fueling facilities as required by Part 139.321(d). This training requirement is addressed in Part 139.303(c). The PowerPoint presentation will be distributed along with the sample fire safety standards in early December. Anyone with questions concerning implementation of the new sample fire safety standards may contact Mike Mullen at 816-329-2618.
December 2005
Fuel Safety Training
Federal Regulation 14 CFR part 139.321(e)(1) requires training of fueling personnel in fire safety in accordance with the requirements of (b)(6). To accomplish this, "[a]t least one supervisor with each fueling agent shall have completed an aviation fuel training course in fire safety which is acceptable to the Administrator.” Part 139.321 (e) (2) requires that “[a]ll other employees who fuel aircraft, accept fuel shipments, or otherwise handle fuel shall receive at least on-the-job training in fire safety from the supervisor trained in accordance with paragraph (e) (1) of this section.” Recurrent Training in Fire Safety is also now required.
Any person or company submitting an Aviation Fuel Training Course in Fire Safety for review for national recognition must follow the guidelines presented within Guidelines for Submitting a Supervisory Safety Fueling Program (PDF, 51 KB) .
The Fire Safety Training courses are listed in the following order:
- Comprehensive courses that include subject areas beyond those listed in Part 139.321 (e.g., fueling procedures for various types of aircraft; use of current or advanced fuel technologies and equipment, other airside products such as oils, de-icing and hydraulic fluids, various lubricants).
- Courses that address the seven items listed in Part 139.321 (b)
All courses listed in the CERTALERT are "acceptable to the Administrator." However, Fueling Supervisors who plan to attend a recurrent Fire Safety Training course should select one of the asterisked companies. These companies have comprehensive programs that offer preparation not only in the technical areas but also in techniques for delivering the safety-first message to the employees whom they supervise. In addition, these courses are more challenging for supervisors whose fueling facilities are located on airports serving a large variety of air carrier aircraft. FAA CERTALERT 05-02 (MS Word, 98 KB) contains a listing of these courses.
FAA Washington HQ
