Occupational & Safety – Emergency Spill Kit / Spill Control Equipment
Spill Kit
The basic procedure for the treatment of a spillage is to control the spread of the substance, to render it harmless and to dispose of it safely. A spill kit is a well-organized set of equipment that has been specifically designed to deal with cleaning up substances, from simple spills to more problematic leaks of all manner of substances.
Such as, but not limited to:
- Body fluids.
- Chemicals including acids and alkalis.
- Oils.
- Fuels, for example petrol, diesel.
- Solvents.
- Cooking oil and other foodstuffs.
- Sewage.
Most common contents of spill kits
- A wheelie bin or other bin. You must properly label your bin and ensure its easily accessible. Your wheelie bin must contain a full supply of the rest of your spill kit contents at all times.
- Absorbent socks. These socks are flexible tubes made of absorbent material that you should place around the edges of a spill to contain it. Ensure you purchase socks that are compatible with the substances you might spill.
- Absorbent cushions. You should also purchase compatible absorbent cushions. If a spill occurs, you should use them to catch any small runoffs and drag the liquid back to the body of the spill.
- Absorbent pads. You should place absorbent pads over the body of the spill to soak up excess liquid. Again, you should ensure you purchase compatible pads. For example, oil-only spill kit absorbent pads are designed to repel water. This makes them ideal for cleaning up oil spills on water bodies, but they would be ineffective if you were cleaning up a large volume of antifreeze.
- Disposal bags and ties. Once you have soaked up the spill, you should collect the used absorbent materials and place them into appropriately labelled disposable bags. You must have enough disposable bags and ties to hold all the used absorbent materials. Remember that you must treat used absorbents as you would the substance before it’s been spilt and dispose of the waste appropriately.
- Personal protective equipment. The final thing you should include in your spill kit is appropriate PPE, such as disposable coverall, gloves and goggles.
Most common types of spill kits:
1. Oil spill kits
Oil spill kits are a vital safety tool in any workplace that is dealing with oil. This includes areas of an organization where external objects or machines, such as construction machines or a car, are brought in with grease or oil inside them. If there is a risk of them leaking their internal contents, an oil spill kit is needed.
The contents of this kit can be customized for indoor, outdoor and near waterway use. They are designed to clean up the spill safely and efficiently, whilst preventing it from spreading further. The smallest type of oil spill kit available is able to clean up a spill of 7 liters, but the spill kits can also be large enough to clear up to 475 liters.
An oil spill kit will contain spill solving materials, absorbent mats, PPE including aprons or overalls, specially designed disposable bags, googles, gloves and shoe covers. Depending on the oil spill kit available, there will either be a tank vacuum or a dust pan to dispose of the spill.
2. Chemical spill kits
It is Australian standards to have an efficient chemical spill kit on hand when chemicals are present in the workplace. There is a plethora of chemical spill kits available including kits for caustic acids, hazmat or Hazchem. Chemical spill kits contents can be customized to perfectly suit a workplace and reduce the risk of injury effectively.
Chemical spill kits will always contain absorbents. This may include absorbent pads (popular in commercial spill kits) or universal spill pillows. Chemical spill kits may also come inclusive of sand or bicarbonate sodium which can be mixed to work as an absorbent. This method of absorption is never a good option for clearing hydrofluoric acid spills.
Chemical spills can be detrimental to personal health and the damage caused can be devastating to a company’s revenue. Due to this, chemical spill kits will include neutralizers such as calcium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.
Due to the nature of chemical spills, PPE should be included at the most accessible part of the spill kit. Trained people cleaning up chemical spills should always use goggles, a face shield, specialized gloves, disposable coats and vinyl shoe covers.
When it comes to actually cleaning the spill, the tools generally found as part of the chemical spill clean-up kit contents will include a dust pan, a large bucket with a lid for chemical storage and occasionally a vacuum if the substance is so hazardous that it can’t be near human skin.
3. Universal / General spill kits
Universal spill kits are suitable for smaller and less potentially damaging spills. These general-purpose kits are commonly used to absorb coolants, paint, blood, fluids, degreasers and less damaging chemicals.
Universal spill kit contents will need to contain PPE, no matter how small the spill is considered to be. They also need to contain a secured bucket for safe disposal of the spill and an effective absorbent such as absorbent pads, to stop the spill spreading.
