Standard grounding clamps used for LPG and ADR tankers tend to corrode after just a few months. Unfortunately, the operator often discovers the problem too late, as inspections are typically carried out only once every three years. To enhance safety across its fuel station network, a leading Polish oil company has implemented an advanced tanker grounding controller: the Earth-Rite MGV system. As a result, the risk of human error has been significantly reduced and the safety of fuel deliveries to stations has been improved.
Problem
- Even when traditional grounding methods and procedures are followed, they do not fully guarantee a safe fuel transfer.
- Before offloading flammable media such as LPG, the operator must ensure proper grounding – otherwise, a serious explosion hazard is created.
- Years of routine work make tanker operators less vigilant, causing them to underestimate the level of risk.
- Our partner, Serwis-Gaz, identified this risk at a Polish fuel company and set out to address it through a systematic solution.
Solution:
- We recommended what we consider the most reliable tanker grounding solution on the market – the Earth-Rite MGV system from Newson Gale.
- We developed a professional educational campaign supported by a video to demonstrate the risks of using unreliable grounding methods.
- We prepared the technical specifications for the tender for new fuel tankers, enabling manufacturers to integrate the Earth-Rite MGV system already at the production stage.
- The Earth-Rite MGV system eliminated key risks and significantly reduced exposure to human error.
Safe tanker unloading largely depends on one critical element – the grounding system. During transfer operations, flammable atmospheres can form when released vapours mix with air, and electrostatic discharges can act as an effective ignition source for gases, flammable vapours and most combustible dusts.
This scenario is highly probable. Any industrial process that involves movement, contact, and the separation of materials (such as gas offloading at a station) leads to electrostatic charging – the build-up of like-charge on equipment.
If a tanker undergoing electrostatic charging maintains a reliable connection to earth, accumulated charge will dissipate immediately. If not, charge will build up and the electrostatic potential of the vehicle will rise. When a lower-potential object comes close (for example, a person), an electrostatic discharge can occur. A static spark has sufficient energy to ignite many explosive atmospheres. This is why electrostatic discharges pose a direct threat to the safety and health of tanker operators and anyone present at the station during the transfer process.
ADR requirements alone are not enough to ensure tanker safety.
Because of the risks involved, effective grounding during loading and unloading of tankers is mandatory. This requirement is defined in the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) as well as in national regulations governing the transport of hazardous materials. The ATEX Directive also obliges tanker operators to ensure proper grounding.
In Poland, however, the Road Transport Inspection (ITD) does not provide detailed guidelines or recommendations regarding tanker grounding, particularly the quality and performance of the grounding equipment used. The regulation that specifies road traffic safety requirements for vehicles carrying dangerous goods dates back to 1965 (!) and merely states that a vehicle transporting hazardous materials must be equipped with a device to ground the vehicle while stationary during a storm and during loading and unloading of the tanker.
As a result, the most common grounding method is a simple clamp, similar to a welding or battery clamp. It does not provide reliable contact, especially on surfaces covered with paint, rust or grease. What’s more, the clamp often corrodes and loses conductivity after just a few months – in some cases literally falling apart in the operator’s hands. The yellow-green grounding cable also becomes brittle at low temperatures, as its PVC insulation lacks sufficient durability.
What makes the situation worse is that, under current regulations, inspections of road tankers, including their grounding equipment, are carried out only once every three years. This means that for roughly 30 months between inspections the operator has no guarantee that the clamp and cable being used are in proper working condition.
The absence of a requirement to verify grounding continuity before loading or unloading is particularly concerning. Upon arrival, the driver is only obliged to attach the grounding cable to the designated point, with no checks on whether the connection is effective, the cable is damaged, the grounding strip is corroded, or even properly connected to earth. This means that every tanker unloading operation is, quite literally, playing with fire.
Using traditional grounding methods, such as a clamp and cable, carries a high level of risk. It leaves room for operator negligence and technical failures that can result in inadequate grounding or excessive resistance in the grounding connection.
Polish fuel company chooses for mobile tanker grounding controller
A company that takes the safe transport and transfer of hazardous materials seriously must eliminate three key risks:
- Lack of grounding due to faults on the tanker side
- Lack of grounding resulting from poor coordination on the station or terminal side
- Failure to take the required action by the person responsible for unloading
However, tanker operators are usually drivers with no training in electrostatic hazards.
“Just a few months after a tanker left our workshop with a fully functional grounding kit, the condition of the clamp and cable deteriorated significantly. This was alarming, especially since drivers cannot assess whether the grounding connection is safe or whether the grounding equipment is still fit for use,” says Michał Kołakowski, representing our partner Serwis-Gaz.
When Serwis-Gaz learned that the fuel company was planning to purchase 50 new LPG tankers, they saw an opportunity to introduce a safer and more reliable approach. They presented GRUPA WOLFF’s proposed solution to enhance the safety of fuel deliveries.
Our specialists recommended the Earth-Rite II MGV grounding verification system from Newson Gale, designed to eliminate the three main risks during tanker unloading at stations: incorrect installation, infrastructure negligence, and human error.
How Earth-Rite II MGV Works
Earth-Rite II MGV is a grounding controller designed for installation directly on vehicles transporting flammable and explosive materials. It is particularly effective for road tankers transporting fuels, liquefied gases, solvents, alcohols, and powders.
Main functions of the Earth-Rite II MGV
- Grounding verification: system verifies that the grounding point provides a low-resistance path to earth, ensuring safe dissipation of electrostatic charge from the vehicle.
- Continuous grounding loop monitoring: Once grounding is confirmed, the system continuously monitors the resistance of the connection between the vehicle and the grounding circuit throughout the entire transfer process. The resistance must remain at ≤ 10 Ω.
- Status indication: An intuitive GO/NO-GO interface with red/green LEDs informs the operator of the grounding status. A green light confirms a safe grounding condition and permits the transfer to begin.
- Relay outputs: Two volt-free contacts can be used to interlock pumps or other equipment if a safe grounding condition is not present.
Innovative Tanker Grounding Controller: How to Prove Its Value
Because neither ADR nor TDT regulations define the exact grounding equipment required for tankers transporting flammable and explosive substances, most operators are not interested in investing in better quality devices.
To help the company’s representatives understand that traditional grounding methods — even when procedures are followed — do not guarantee a safe fuel transfer, we prepared an educational video. The production was supported by our partner’s expert, Michał Kołakowski, Head of Metrology and Technology at Serwis-Gaz.
As Simple as a Clamp. Effective Against Human Error
Earth-Rite II MGV is an innovative solution on the Polish market that significantly improves safety in gas transport. Its strength lies in simplicity and ease of use – the grounding control system is operated just like a standard clamp and cable.
At the same time, Earth-Rite II MGV effectively eliminates human error. The operator simply connects the clamp to the grounding point, and the grounding control system automatically performs all tests and monitors the connection throughout the entire transfer. If the driver forgets to connect the clamp, the tanker’s bottom valve will not open – and that is exactly the point.
“There are around 1,500 fuel tankers operating on Polish roads. Only a few dozen are equipped with grounding monitoring systems that ensure a fully safe unloading process at stations, so there is still a lot of work ahead of us,”
summarises Michał Kołakowski from Serwis-Gaz.
Recognised for Promoting Grounding Systems in Poland
Newson Gale, the manufacturer of Earth-Rite II MGV, acknowledged our efforts to educate companies in Poland – both large and small – on electrostatic hazards in explosive atmospheres.
In April 2025, after the implementation was completed, our grounding specialist, Krzysztof Szopa, received an award from Damian Gwardecki, EMEIA Regional Sales Manager at Newson Gale, for his contribution to promoting safe electrostatic solutions on the Polish market.
Looking for Innovative ATEX Safety Solutions for Your Transport Fleet or Industrial Site?
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