What must be done to ensure safe entry into tanks for inspections?

To ensure safe entry into tanks for inspections, it is essential to remove hydrocarbon vapors. This is because hydrocarbon vapors can be extremely flammable and pose significant risks of explosion and fire. It is crucial to eliminate these vapors to create a safe atmosphere for personnel entering the tank.

Before inspection, a thorough ventilation process must be conducted to displace any dangerous vapors with fresh air or to create an inert atmosphere if necessary. This action helps mitigate the risk of ignition or toxic exposure during inspection work.

While monitoring oxygen levels, temperature, and liquid levels are important safety measures in their own right, they do not address one of the primary hazards present when entering a tank that has contained hydrocarbons. Therefore, the removal of hydrocarbon vapors is the crucial step to ensuring both a safe and compliant environment for tank inspections.