Safety Procedures When You Do Work in a Dry Fuel Tank

TASK 28-10-00-910-003-A
Safety Procedures When You Do Work in a Dry Fuel Tank

WARNING: OBEY THE FUEL SAFETY PROCEDURES.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE THE FUEL PIPES AND THE EQUIPMENT AS HANDHOLDS WHEN YOU DO WORK IN A FUEL TANK. THIS WILL PREVENT DAMAGE TO THEM.

1. Reason for the Job
Self explanatory
2. Job Set-up Information
A. Fixtures, Tools, Test and Support Equipment

REFERENCE	QTY	DESIGNATION
No specific	AR	CLOTH - PROTECTIVE
No specific	AR	FLASHLIGHT
No specific	AR	LIGHT SOURCE - SPARK-PROOF
No specific	AR	MAT - PROTECTIVE
No specific	AR	RESPIRATOR - AIR SUPPLIED
No specific	AR	WARNING NOTICE(S)

B. Consumable Materials

REFERENCE	DESIGNATION
(Material No.14SBA1)	Textile-Lint free Cotton -

C. Referenced Information

REFERENCE	DESIGNATION
TASK 28-00-00-910-001-A	Fuel Safety Procedures
Dry-Fuel-Tank Pre-Entry Checklist

3. Job Set-up
Subtask 28-10-00-910-052-A

A. Safety Precautions

WARNING: BEFORE YOU DO WORK IN OR NEAR A FUEL TANK, MAKE SURE THAT YOU OBEY ALL THE SAFETY PROCEDURES. THIS WILL PREVENT INJURY TO PERSONS AND/OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

WARNING: DO NOT REMOVE YOUR RESPIRATOR WHILE YOU ARE IN A FUEL TANK (UNLESS THE FUEL-GAS CONCENTRATION IS LESS THAN 5% OF LEL (LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT)). YOU WILL BECOME ILL OR DIE.

WARNING: USE THE APPROVED PROTECTIVE CLOTHING WHEN YOU GO IN A FUEL TANK.

(1) You must obey the fuel safety procedures when you do work in a fuel tank. But where differences occur, you must use the approved precautions of this procedure (Ref. AMM TASK 28-00-00-910-001).

4. Procedure
Subtask 28-10-00-910-053-A

A. Safety Precautions
(1) Read these precautions together with the special notes and precautions which are applicable to specified maintenance operations.

NOTE: These precautions are the minimum safety standard for work in a fuel tank. But, the Local Regulations can make other safety precautions necessary.

(2) You must complete the Pre-Entry Checklist before you do work in a dry fuel tank.

Dry-Fuel-Tank Pre-Entry Checklist

NOTE: Make sure that there are no Local Regulations or conditions that will prevent you from energizing the aircraft electrical systems with fuel tanks open.

(3) A WARNING NOTICE(S) must be placed on the aircraft near to all energized ground or external power equipment to warn personnel that the fuel tanks are open.
(4) For your safety, make sure that:

The lead maintenance engineer or supervisor has identified and approved the electrical systems that can be energized
All the fuel pipes are drained, blanked and free from fuel before you go into a fuel tank
All the applicable circuit breakers are opened and made safe for the fuel tanks that will be opened during servicing
All bonding leads in the open fuel tanks and on the pipes are installed and serviceable
You are authorized by the lead maintenance engineer or supervisor to go into the fuel tanks
All the fuel tanks you go into, or are adjacent to, are dry and continuously ventilated with clean filtered air
The fuel tanks are free from unwanted material or contamination
You put on CLOTH - PROTECTIVE before you do work in or around a fuel tank
There is a safety person in position when you do work inside the fuel tank. The safety person must, if possible, keep you in continuous view
You and the safety person have the medical assessment that is applicable to your Local Regulations for entry into tanks.

(5) You can only go into the aircraft fuel tanks without an RESPIRATOR - AIR SUPPLIED when:

The fuel-gas levels of the aircraft fuel tanks are continuously monitored and are below 5% of the applicable lower explosive limit (LEL)
The fuel-gas concentration in the tank is below the occupational exposure limits (threshold limit values or equivalent).

(6) If the gas-fuel levels given in step (5) increase, you must come out of the fuel tanks immediately and tell your lead maintenance engineer or supervisor.
(7) You must do the electrical safety checks to the electrical circuits that will be energized when the fuel tanks are open.
(8) Damaged or unsafe electrical wiring must be disconnected. You must make safe and tag the applicable circuit breaker(s).
(9) If fuel goes in your eyes:
(a) Flush them with clean water for five minutes (during this time, lift your top and bottom eyelids frequently to make sure that they are fully washed).
(b) Get medical aid.
(10) You must make sure that all the equipment you use in the fuel tank is clean. Do not let oil, dirt, grit, swarf or loose paint cause contamination of the tank.
(11) Do not go in a tank until you know the location and dimensions of the work areas.

NOTE: In some of the outer wing areas you can only put part of your body into the tank.

(12) To prevent damage in the fuel tanks, do not:

Touch or push against the magnetic level indicators
Touch or push against the FQI probes
Cause damage to the internal structure, sealant, electrical cables, or conduits during maintenance.

(13) Use a MAT - PROTECTIVE on the floor of the fuel tank to prevent:

Damage to the fuel tank structure
Injury to persons.

(14) Use only approved LIGHT SOURCE - SPARK-PROOF or FLASHLIGHT in the fuel tank.
(15) You must safety, if possible:

All components before you place them inside the fuel tank
All wire locking completed outside the fuel tank.

(16) Use only an approved Textile-Lint free Cotton - (Material No.14SBA1) to dry the fuel tank internally.

[Rev.10 from 2021] 2026.04.02 07:02:04 UTC