Fuel System Inspection (FSI) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A Fuel System Inspection (FSI) is a comprehensive, proactive service designed to check the integrity and operational efficiency of your entire fuel infrastructure. This typically involves a detailed, multi-point assessment to safeguard your tanks, pipework and fittings, ensuring compliance and preventing costly failures.

Regular inspections are essential for several reasons:

• Prevent downtime: They help identify small defects (like corrosion, blocked filters or minor leaks) early before they escalate into large, disruptive and costly failures that interrupt your operations
• Ensure compliance: As a fuel user, you have legal and environmental responsibilities. Regular inspections help ensure your fuel infrastructure is maintained to meet environmental regulations and safety standards, helping you avoid large fines from bodies like the Environmental Agency
• Preserve assets: Inspection and preventative maintenance extend the lifespan of your tanks and equipment, helping to maintain fuel quality by preventing degradation and contamination

We recommend having an annual Fuel System Inspection to provide complete peace of mind and protection of your valuable assets.

Our comprehensive inspections involve a 60-point suite of checks of your fuel storage system. This includes:

• Visual inspection: Highly qualified engineers visually inspect the fuel supply lines, return lines, filters and fittings for signs of wear or leaks
• Fuel sampling: Technicians carry out fuel sampling to identify any defects or contamination within the fuel itself
• Detailed reporting: Following the inspection, you’ll receive a detailed site report providing a complete overview of your current installation, along with recommendations and any compliance issues that were identified

While not a legal requirement, fuel users are legally obliged to ensure their fuel infrastructure is maintained according to environmental regulations and safety standards. Regular inspections are a key part of maintaining this compliance as they enable you to address potential pitfalls before a breach of regulations occurs.

Fuel system failures can manifest in various ways, some of which are often overlooked. Common symptoms include:

• Clogged fuel filters or injectors
• Cloudy or degraded appearance of the fuel
• Corroded or rusting tanks
• Decreased fuel efficiency
• Bad odour (indicating fuel leaks)
• Visible fuel leaks or spills
• Clogged or leaking fuel lines

Our Fuel System Inspections are carried out with minimal disruption. Most checks are visual or performed via sampling, and we aim to work safely without requiring system shutdowns whenever possible.

If the inspection flags any concerns or defects, you’ll receive a full report with suggested corrective actions. This report may recommend further investigation using non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques to diagnose integrity and structural issues. We can then help you plan and execute the necessary repairs or diagnostics.

The consequences of a poorly maintained fuel system are significant. If your tank is compromised and fuel leaks, the reactive costs are huge. These can include:

• Expensive cleanup and rectification costs
• Replacement of the tank and lost fuel
• Large fines from regulatory bodies
• Voiding insurance premiums
• Damage to your business reputation – regular planned preventative maintenance is the key to avoiding these high reactive costs

Any organisation that stores or uses fuel should have regular inspections. This includes commercial, industrial, agricultural, construction, transport, healthcare and emergency service sites, as well as standby generator installations.

Fuel System Inspections can be carried out on diesel, gas oil, HVO and other fuel storage systems, including above-ground and below-ground tanks, day tanks, bulk storage tanks and associated pipework and fittings.

All inspections are completed by our highly trained and experienced engineers with specialist knowledge of fuel storage systems, environmental compliance and industry best practice. They have vast experience working with a range of sectors and hazardous sites.

The duration of an inspection depends on the size and complexity of your installation. Most inspections can be completed within a few hours, with minimal disruption to your operations.

Yes. Following the inspection, you will receive a comprehensive written report detailing findings, photographs where relevant, compliance observations and clear recommendations for any remedial actions required.

Yes. We can provide Fuel System Inspections across single or multiple locations and offer planned inspection programmes to help organisations manage compliance across their entire estate.

Yes. Inspections assess environmental risk factors such as secondary containment, spill protection, drainage and potential pollution pathways to help reduce the risk of environmental incidents.

A Fuel System Inspection is a preventative, visual and operational assessment of the entire fuel system. Tank testing, including non-destructive testing (NDT), is a more detailed diagnostic service typically recommended if potential integrity issues are identified during an inspection and looks at just the storage tank.

By identifying contamination, water ingress or degradation early, our Fuel System Inspections will then recommend what steps you can take to help maintain fuel quality and reduce the risk of equipment damage or operational inefficiencies.

Absolutely. Annual Fuel System Inspections can be built into a planned preventative maintenance schedule, providing long-term protection, cost control and peace of mind.

Simply contact our team to discuss your site requirements. We’ll arrange a convenient inspection date and tailor the service to suit your fuel system and operational needs.