The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) introduced six new requirements for heavy-duty drivers transporting petroleum products.
In a notice dated Thursday, January 19, EPRA demanded that oil marketing companies ensure that drivers of oil tankers are equipped with skills to avert loss of lives and property.
This follows the findings of a report by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) which indicated a surge in oil and gas tanker-related fatalities on Kenyan roads.
"To reduce petroleum tanker accidents, fleet owners should take their drivers through proper training before deploying them onto open roads," the Authority declared in the notice.
Effective immediately, all firms must ensure that their drivers receive adequate training on the properties they are transporting; petrol, diesel, kerosene, or liquefied petroleum gas.
Drivers should be acquainted with the loading and unloading procedures to avoid spillage and leaks and conduct routine checkups on their vehicles.
"They should be able to perform regular inspection and maintenance of tanks and equipment to ensure they are in good working condition," the notice read in part.
All men and women manning the 18-wheelers must demonstrate knowledge of the implementation of a comprehensive safety management system.
In addition, they should have emergency response plans in place and conduct regular drills to ensure readiness.
OMCs were mandated to ensure that drivers have access to personal protective equipment and be conversant on how to use them when handling hazardous materials.
In December 2022, EPRA lifted a ban it had imposed on night travel for fuel tankers stating that it had affected the supply of petroleum products to most parts of the country.
12 people died in March of the same year after a tanker exploded as people tried to siphon fuel from the heavy-duty vehicle overturned along Kakamega road.
A year earlier, 13 people were also killed when a petrol tanker overturned and caught fire in western Kenya after colliding with another vehicle on the Kisumu-Busia highway.
