(cont'd)

Ships that enter the berth carry a variety of petroleum products. Depending on the type of product offloaded, workers at the terminal will pipe it into large or small tanks. The large tanks are typically used to store gasoline, oil, and slurry, which comes from ships in large volumes. The smaller tanks are designed to store "Jet A" fuel used for aviation. Some tanks in the tank farms are insulated for heating purposes. These tanks store thick product, such as slurry, which needs to be kept warm to move from the tanks to the pipes. In recent years, the consistency of this type of product was altered to allow for easier flow into the pipes.

Initially, when a ship or barge enters the berth to offload oil, it needs to be inspected by the fire department before hoses are attached to the vessel. Upon the fire department's approval, berth employees attach hoses to the ship and the product is linked up to whichever tank will be used to store the product. Different hoses on the dock are used for the different products offloaded from incoming ships. The oil moves through the hoses to the hard piping and manifold system by the dock and onto the tank farm. The manifold consists of piping with many valves that determine where the product will flow. The product is stored in the tanks and then routed to designated refineries or shipped where needed.

Prior to the product being offloaded, tanks at the terminal need to be gauged by a certified gauger to verify how many barrels will be coming off the ship. This process also allows the workers to check for leaks that may occur during the transfer of product. When all product has been discharged from the ship, the gauger gauges the tanks once again to determine how many barrels were received from the ship. Product shipments can range anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 barrels.

All laborers working at the terminal are exposed to potentially hazardous situations and, thus, the oil companies strictly enforce strong safety requirements. All personnel must wear protective coveralls, hard hats, safety glasses, and steel-toed boots when performing their duties at the terminal. In addition, items such as gloves and safety breathing apparatuses are available for use. During a fire emergency, all laborers are required to wear yellow emergency gear. Throughout the year, workers receive ongoing fire and safety training, which helps keep the workers and the environment safe.