(a) Owners and operators that use a separator equipped with a fixed roof in accordance with the provisions of §63.1042 of this subpart shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The fixed roof and its closure devices shall be visually inspected by the owner or operator to check for defects that could result in air emissions to the atmosphere. Defects include, but are not limited to, visible cracks, holes, or gaps in the roof sections or between the roof and the separator wall; broken, cracked, or otherwise damaged seals or gaskets on closure devices; and broken or missing hatches, access covers, caps, or other closure devices.

(2) The owner or operator must perform an initial inspection following installation of the fixed roof. Thereafter, the owner or operator must perform the inspections at least once every calendar year except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section.

(3) In the event that a defect is detected, the owner or operator shall repair the defect in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.

(4) The owner or operator shall maintain a record of the inspection in accordance with the requirements specified in §63.1048(a)(2) of this subpart.

(b) Owners and operators that use a separator equipped with a floating roof in accordance with the provisions of §63.1043 of this subpart shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The owner or operator shall measure the floating roof seal gaps using the procedure specified in §63.1046(b) of this subpart in accordance with the following requirements:

(i) The owner or operator shall perform measurements of gaps between the separator wall and the primary seal within 60 days after initial operation of the separator following installation of the floating roof and, thereafter, at least once every 5 years.

(ii) The owner or operator shall perform measurements of gaps between the separator wall and the secondary seal within 60 days after initial operation of the separator following installation of the floating roof and, thereafter, at least once every year.

(iii) If a separator ceases to hold regulated-material for a period of 1 year or more, subsequent introduction of regulated-material into the separator shall be considered an initial operation for the purpose of complying with paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (b)(1)(ii) of this section.

(iv) In the event that the seal gap measurements do not conform to the specifications in §63.1043(b)(2) of this subpart, the owner or operator shall repair the defect in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.

(v) The owner or operator shall maintain a record of the inspection in accordance with the requirements specified in §63.1048 (a)(2) and (b) of this subpart.

(2) The owner or operator shall visually inspect the floating roof in accordance with the following requirements:

(i) The floating roof and its closure devices shall be visually inspected by the owner or operator to check for defects that could result in air emissions to the atmosphere. Defects include, but are not limited to: holes, tears, or other openings in the rim seal or seal fabric of the floating roof; a rim seal detached from the floating roof; all or a portion of the floating roof deck being submerged below the surface of the liquid in the separator; broken, cracked, or otherwise damaged seals or gaskets on closure devices; and broken or missing hatches, access covers, caps, or other closure devices.

(ii) The owner or operator shall perform the inspections following installation of the floating roof and, thereafter, at least once every year.

(iii) In the event that a defect is detected, the owner or operator shall repair the defect in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.

(iv) The owner or operator shall maintain a record of the inspection in accordance with the requirements specified in §63.1048(a)(2) of this subpart.

(c) Owners and operators that use a separator equipped with a fixed roof and vented through a closed-vent system to a control device in accordance with the provisions of §63.1044 of this subpart shall inspect the air emission control equipment as follows:

(1) The owner or operator shall visually inspect the fixed roof in accordance with the following requirements:

(i) The fixed roof and its closure devices shall be visually inspected by the owner or operator to check for defects that could result in air emissions. Defects include, but are not limited to, visible cracks, holes, or gaps in the roof sections or between the roof and the separator wall; broken, cracked, or otherwise damaged seals or gaskets on closure devices; and broken or missing hatches, access covers, caps, or other closure devices.

(ii) The owner or operator must perform an initial inspection following installation of the fixed roof. Thereafter, the owner or operator must perform the inspections at least once every calendar year except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section.

(iii) In the event that a defect is detected, the owner or operator shall repair the defect in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.

(iv) The owner or operator shall maintain a record of the inspection in accordance with the requirements specified in §63.1048(a)(2) of this subpart.

(2) The owner or operator shall inspect and monitor the closed-vent system and the control device in accordance with the requirements specified in §63.693 in 40 CFR 63 subpart DD—National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from Off-Site Waste and Recovery Operations.

(d) The owner or operator shall repair all detected defects as follows:

(1) The owner or operator shall make first efforts at repair of the defect no later than 5 calendar days after detection and repair shall be completed as soon as possible but no later than 45 calendar days after detection except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(2) Repair of a defect may be delayed beyond 45 calendar days if the owner or operator determines that repair of the defect requires emptying or temporary removal from service of the separator and no alternative treatment capacity is available at the facility site to accept the regulated-material normally treated in the separator. In this case, the owner or operator shall repair the defect at the next time the process or unit that is generating the regulated-material managed in the separator stops operation. Repair of the defect shall be completed before the process or unit resumes operation.

(3) The owner or operator shall maintain a record of the defect repair in accordance with the requirements specified in §63.1048(a)(3) of this subpart.

(e) Alternative inspection interval. Following the initial inspection of a fixed roof in accordance with the applicable provisions of this section, subsequent inspection of the fixed roof may be performed at intervals longer than 1 year when an owner or operator determines that performing the required inspection would expose a worker to dangerous, hazardous, or otherwise unsafe conditions and the owner or operator complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this section.

(1) The owner or operator must prepare and maintain at the plant site written documentation identifying the specific fixed roof designated as “unsafe to inspect.” The documentation must include for each fixed roof designated as such a written explanation of the reasons why the fixed roof is unsafe to inspect using the applicable procedures under this section.

(2) The owner or operator must develop and implement a written plan and schedule to inspect and monitor the fixed roof using the applicable procedures specified in this section during times when a worker can safely access the fixed roof. The required inspections and monitoring must be performed as frequently as practicable but do not need to be performed more frequently than the periodic schedule that would be otherwise applicable to the fixed roof under the provisions of this section. A copy of the written plan and schedule must be maintained at the plant site.

[61 FR 34195, July 1, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 38992, July 20, 1999]