Use the right control equipment to contain your spills (Part 1)

We have mentioned previously how important it is to have safe systems of work in place. And adequate control methods, to protect your employees from the risk of being exposed to a dangerous substance or chemical. There are a few things you can do to control the risk, including using a less harmful product than the one you are currently using and enclosing the process so none of the dangerous product will escape, such as using spill pallets.

In this article and the next we will discuss the need for the correct control equipment.

Using control equipment

There are many different types of control equipment and many different ways in which it can be used. From ventilation systems to clean refuges for workers and systems to collect leaks or spills, the list is almost endless.

If you have some form of control equipment on your site, it must be kept in good working condition and hence either be cleaned or maintained on a regular basis so it continues to function as efficiently as was initially intended. A user manual should be created or a planned preventative maintenance (PPM) schedule drawn up so information can be recorded and documented. The PPM should include a description of the system, any checks that need to be done to the system and the frequency of these checks, a list of consumables or spare parts that may be needed and a description of how the control equipment must be operated or used correctly by any employee.

We will continue this discussion in the next article.