A petroleum technician is a professional that has two specializations within itself: petroleum equipment installer and petroleum service technician. Work performed within this profession revolves around the petroleum industry, and more specifically with fuel filling and service stations, as well as underground fuel tanks.
In Canada, the term used is a "Petroleum Mechanic", broken down into four different specializations: PM1 (servicing and installing of pumps and dispensers), PM2 (servicing and installing underground equipment), PM3 (servicing and installing aboveground storage tanks and associated equipment), PM4 (servicing and installing aboveground storage tanks and equipment with a capacity of less than 5000 L), and lastly a PHM (a Petroleum Mechanics Helper), who has to work under the supervision of a licensed Petroleum Mechanic.
The key work of a Petroleum Service Technician consists of installing, repairing, and maintaining dispensers, as well as installing and maintaining point of sale systems. Petroleum Equipment Installer works on the other side of the trade by installing above and underground storage tanks, and all the piping pumping fuel to and from dispensers.
Due to the products handled in the equipment serviced, Petroleum Technicians must conform to a range of federal, provincial, and municipal regulations in the performance of their tasks. They must have skills and knowledge to maintain a safe work site and prevent any damage to the environment.
This work has been completed on many service stations since the start of gas stations, but only now has this type of work been recognized and transformed into a certified trade.
All manufacturers require training and certification.
"Veeder Root" training is another key certification in the trade.
Various point-of-sales systems certifications such as:
Weights and Measures Inspector certification
Safety certifications
Government certification web sites
Training institution
Petroleum Mechanic training may be obtained through the Ontario Petroleum Contractors Association (www.opcaonline.org) or the Canadian Petroleum Contractors Association (www.cpcaonline.com), Both of which offer home study classes with in-class review session before the regulatory exams.The trade is not a Red Seal trade in Canada with each province determining its own standards.
In Ontario, the trade is licensed by the Technical Standard and Safety Authority.
Site-specific certification web sites
Safe Work practices: a summary of how and when to perform safe work practices on site and also appropriate certain safe practices in the event of several potential dangers.
Personal protective equipment (PPE): An overview of the requirements and certification on PPE. Specific circumstances under which regular and/or specialized PPE is required and how to use it.
Standard PPE consists of (but is not restricted to) Coveralls, Hard Hat, Safety Glasses, Steel Toe Boots, Reflective Vest, Gloves
Specialised PPE consists of (but is not restricted to) dust masks, respirators, Ear Plugs, Hazmat Suits, Fall Protection
Safety devices on site: a list of the stagnant and also functioning devices set in place to prevent, mitigate and/or control hazardous circumstances.
Fire safety: safe practices designed to prevent and/or control an on site fire.
Safety Requirements & Certification: the specific / non-specific listed safe work training and certification necessary for safe practices in the Petroleum field.
Documentation: the required record of pre-shift inspections, accidents and/or injury's.
Within the petroleum trade, multiple manufacturers for the industry design and build numerous components of the petroleum industry. Some manufacturers are more frequently used and well known then others, such as:
There are many other manufacturers that are used by Petroleum Technicians, but these are few examples of the petroleum equipment manufacturers. The Petroleum Technician and Installer trade consists of electrical and mechanical equipment, so there are many manufacturers that they must use for each specific thing. For example, with the electrical components the equipment must be explosion proof, and with mechanical components one is dealing with multiple types of piping material such as plastic, Sched 40 BP masters metallic, cast iron, and threaded, as well as the pumping and valve systems.