Every industrial site need to assess the potential for spillages of hazardous liquids and then make provision for their successful clean-up. And the best way to clean up any spill is to use a specific type of spill kit.
Spill kits are available in many different types including:

General purpose spill kits

One of the most versatile spill kits currently available is the general purpose spill kit. Although not dedicated to any specific type of spill, these spill kits are the perfect type of kit to keep at the ready should a liquid spill occur.

Oil spill kits

Designed to specifically soak up oil and fuels, oil spill kits can actually repel water, making them the perfect type of kit to use outside or to collect spilled fuel from a river or another water course.

Chemical spill kits

These kits are designed to soak up a chemical spill whilst also coping with the chemical’s aggressive nature. They feature high quality absorbent materials and also gloves and goggles to protect the kit user.

All spill kits will contain a variety of absorbent materials including pads, pillows, sock and the associated disposal equipment so the used absorbents can be disposed of safely.

As can be seen by the protracted financial coverage of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico it is in the interests of everyone in industry that relevant spill control measures are put into place to stop spills happening.

Spills aren’t just a problem which can pose a risk to the health of your employees and the surrounding environment; they can also pose a serious threat to your bank balance, as the potential for prosecution from bodies such as the Environment Agency is very high.

For those companies who work with chemicals, oils or fuels it thus becomes pertinent to put relevant spill control procedures into place.

The owner of a firm which uses dangerous liquids has a responsibility to make sure that the health and safety of employees is not compromised and that employees are fully trained on how to handle the liquids they use. This includes giving employees training on how to store liquids and what to do in the event of a liquid spill.

Even a small spill can have devastating effects, so ensuring you have appropriate spill control equipment such as absorbents and booms is imperative.

If you haven’t got a spill response plan it is important to make provision for this so that spill clean-up is done properly and staff are appropriately trained.

Historians are looking for people who have a recollection of a major oil spill which happened in the 1960s.

The Torrey Canyon ran aground between the Scilly Isles and Land’s End in 1967 and more than 110,000 tonnes of crude oil flowed into the sea.

The incident was dealt with by the Navy and the RAF with many local volunteers helping clean-up the spilled oil from the sea and nearby beaches.

The University of Exeter are asking for people who remember the event to share their memories.

One of the historians involved in the study, Jos Smith, spoke in the Western Morning News, he said:

“We are interested in getting in touch with anyone who was there and remembers being involved, either on the Scilly Isles or on the Cornish mainland.

“Perhaps you helped in the weeks of clean-up operations afterwards. Perhaps you remember the particular impact that the incident had on the wildlife, or on the fishing, farming and tourist industries.

“Perhaps you didn’t witness the incident itself but you do remember its impact on family or community life afterwards.

“Whatever your level of involvement, and whatever your memory, we would be very interested in hearing from you.”

The university hope to create an archive of memories.

Many industrial sites use liquid storage drums around site to store liquid for process applications. However, these drums need to be stored safely to make sure that the risk of a spill is minimised.

Some of the equipment you might need to keep drums safely include:

Drum pumps

A drum pump is a device which can pump liquid into or out of a drum into another storage container. These pumps can be either mechanically or electrically operated and are available in a wide range of sizes. Most pumps are made from materials which can withstand chemical or corrosive substances.

Drum dollies

If you need to transport drums around your industrial site you’ll need a safe way to do so to minimise the chances of a spill. A drum dolly enables easy transport of the drum around the site and some have a self-contained bund where any liquid spilt can be contained.

Drum taps

If you use drums you’ll need to a way to dispense the liquid they contain. And the most popular way to do this is to use a drum tap. Drum taps are available in polyethylene or cast iron and their easy to use mechanism means only the needed amount of liquid is dispensed at any one time.

It may not always have to be the case that an existing fuel tank on site will have to be replaced when it seems to have got to the end of its usable life. Fuel tanks can now be refurbished and bunds repaired so that the expense of buying and installing a new tank is completely removed.

If it is impossible to remove a fuel tank due to prior installations around the tank area you may have little option but to opt for bund lining. And in many cases installing a new bund liner is far more cost-effective than investing in a replacement tank.

New bund lining procedures use a GRP lining system which encases the previous bund material. The installation of this new material can even mean that some older bunds can be brought up-to-date with new regulations.

If you are unsure whether a bund liner would be appropriate for your tank, it’s important to have a comprehensive survey of the existing tank installation to find out your available options. The survey will detail the tanks current condition and the potential costs for it to be relined.

All industrial sites have a wide range of different types of rubbish to dispose of. And with the correct disposal of different types of waste more important than ever, there becomes a need to segregate the disposal of this waste into different types of waste carrying containers.

Wheelie bins

Wheelie bins are perhaps the most common type of waste carrying vessel now available. Wheeled bins are available in a wide range of different sizes and colours so can be used very successfully to segregate waste. The tough high density polyethylene they are manufactured from makes them able to withstand the rigours of industry while also enables easy cleaning and maintenance. And because all the bins have wheels, they can be moved around site without the risk of injury or danger of spillage.

Recycling bins

Recycling bins are perfect to use throughout industry and also in commercial establishments to hold recyclable gods. The bins might be put in a position where toners or ink cartridges are frequently used, where bottles are disposed of or where waste paper is commonly shredded. This way the waste is segregated and recycling becomes much easier.

Clinical waste bins

Clinical waste bins are used through the health care sector as a safe way to dispose of medical waste. They are hygienic as well as secure and are resistant to acids, alkalis, UV rays, come complete with a hazard sticker and can be locked with a standard type lock.

In some situations it is impractical or improbable to move or empty a leaking container before it spills its contents onto a protected area. In these situations what’s needed is an emergency leak seal compound, which can be used as a temporary barrier until a permanent solution is found.

Leak sealing putty

Leak sealing putty can effectively plug fuel and hazardous waste liquid leaks, and can stick to numerous surfaces making it suitable for use in host of environments.

The putty is oil and petrol resistant and can be directly applied to a leaking container or vessel and will stop the contents leaking out. Most putties of this type can remain in situ on the leak site for a few days until a permanent solution is found.

Drain seal bags

Drain seal bags are the perfect solution if you need to stop contaminated waste entering the drainage system. The pipe seal bags are inserted into the drain and when inflated create water tight seal. The bags are most suited to use in emergency situations, but can also be preplaced in drainage systems and inflated when there is a spill or a leak. They are available in a number of different sizes.

Spill pallets and bunds

Spill pallets are one of the best ways to store drums and IBCs safely. The drum or IBC is sited on the pallet and so if the drum or IBC were to leak the spill pallet will collect the spilled liquid. Spill pallets usually contain a bund which is large enough to store all the spilled liquid from the stored container.

Drip trays

Drip trays are used widely in industry as an emergency device to catch drips of leaky lubrication fluid and as a place to store liquid containers whilst they are being used. The tray keeps the work area clean and hazard free. Drip trays are available in a wide range of sizes and come in many different materials.

Drain covers

It’s essential for every factory to have emergency drain covers at their disposal. If a spill of a hazardous liquid were to occur everything possible should be done to stop the liquid entering the general waste water system. And drain covers can do just this. The drain cover provides an emergency seal over the drain so no contaminants can enter.

Booms

Booms are perhaps the most well known spill containment device. Booms can stop the flow of spilled liquid entering a protected area and some booms can also soak up spills. Floating booms are especially useful for cleaning up fuel spills on bodies of water such as ponds or lakes or even the ocean.

A chemical leak from a container at Seaforth docks saw 20 workers admitted to hospital after breathing in the fumes.

The incident occurred last Monday at the docks site after a container was being unloaded from a ship. The chemical substance spilled was believed to be Pyridine.

Specialist spill crews who were based on site at the docks immediately attended the spill and removed the tank to a designated isolation area. However, the 20 workers had already breathed the noxious fumes.

Workers complained of feeling nauseous and being sick so were taken to hospital as a precaution by three ambulances which were called to the scene,

Medics at Fazakerley Hospital were warned in advance that e spill had occurred so were waiting for the casualties to arrive. An onlooker reported what they saw to the Liverpool Echo, he said:

“Two ambulances pulled up and about a dozen men in orange suits piled out. It was like My Favourite Martian.

“A couple of the lads looked ill. They all looked fed up and they were treated as soon as they arrived.”

A spokesperson at the hospital commented:

“We had activated the major incident plan because of the potential serious nature of the incident. We had additional doctors, nurses and other staff available to treat patients if required.”

It is extremely important for every industrial site to have a spill response plan in place should an incident occur. Employees trained in spill response can react quickly and minimise the impact of the spill.

For industrial sites which use hazardous liquids, there is always the possibility of these liquids being spilled. Because of this it is important that all staff on site are appropriately trained as to what to do if a spill should occur.

If a company has taken steps to prepare for a spill, the spill response time can be reduced dramatically. This is likely because employees will know what to do, where the spill control equipment is located and also how to use the spill equipment on site.

When staff at an industrial site are trained in spill response they will be able to respond quickly and stop the spill from getting worse. This can reduce the contamination to the surrounding environment and hence reduce clean-up costs dramatically.

Staff who are trained in spill control procedures can also teach other employees the importance of spill control and check the company’s spill response equipment to make sure it’s up to the job.

Spill training courses are the perfect way your staff can learn everything they need to know about how to deal with a spill. From spill prevention to spill clean-up and what absorbent materials to use, the spill training instructor will be able to give the course attendees a complete overview of spill control.