• Posted by: Ecospill Spill Kits

A Spill Kit Scenario

You don’t become Australia’s second busiest airport and one of the busiest import/export airports in the world without great service and high standards for safety. However, even at a world-class facility like Melbourne’s Tullamarine International Airport, accidents happen.

Just a few months ago, an acid leak in the freight section of the airport caused one person to come in contact with the chemical and eight total people were hospitalized. Local and airport firefighters moved in quickly, cleaning the leak with spill kits and moving the faulty containers to hazmat drums. Quick work and easy access to chemical spill kit supplies helped prevent the hydrofluoric acid from seriously hurting anyone else. Thankfully, all eight of the hospitalised were sent home and there were no major disruption in air traffic.

Hydrofluoric acid is used for serious cleaning applications and metal treatments and can cause serious burns to skin and airways. At its worst, it can lead to blindness and death. Thankfully this happened on land and not in the skies. A major crisis averted indeed! So hats off to firefighters for a job well done.

It’s examples like this that show the importance of having safety supplies on hand. Even at the most well established places, accidents happen. The proper placement and upkeep of safety equipment, like spill kits, can mean the difference between a major contamination and a small, controllable problem. If you are ever unsure about what equipment you need or where you should place them, contact a local professional that will assist you in having the maximum effectiveness in a crisis. No matter if the spill is big or small, the faster it is cleaned, the faster people and your business can feel safe again.