3 Simple Bund Wall Checks

What is a bund wall?

Bund walls are typically constructed from brick or block. Their purpose is to provide the safety catch to ensure that major (or even minor) storage failures do not turn into a catastrophe.

A secondary containment system that prevents spills from oil tanks/bunds and protects the local environment from spillages. The majority of the time, these tanks and bunds hold toxic liquid which needs to be stopped.

The bund walls are constructed at a low level with a size big enough to contain all of the liquid if the worst happens.

Whilst there is no substitute for extensive and professional bund lining inspections or concrete repair, there are some very quick, simple and free ways to check that serious problems are not already evident within your bund wall.

Check number one: Cracks

It perhaps goes without saying that any visual cracks in a bund wall are a serious safety issue. Any liquid behind that wall would simply gush out, making it next to useless.

Even hairline cracks are not tolerable and any visual signs of damage like this should be addressed immediately.

Check number two: Vegetation

It’s often said that nature has its own sixth sense of danger – well for us it doesn’t require any sixth sense if we see any signs of plant material growth next to (or even close to) any bund wall.

It is highly probable that the root system has taken hold through cracks within the wall foundations which could be affecting the integrity of any chemical resistant coatings.

Check number 3: Bund Pipes

Older bunds in particular may have pipes which run through them opposed to more modern designs which should have all pipe working going over the bund wall.

Where you can see pipe work in the former arrangement, it is important to ensure that the area surrounding both the entrance and exits points of the pipework have been reinforced.

Does you bund lining meet the legal requirements? We talk about the 3 steps taken to completing a new bund lining system.