Fuel Spill Kits and your friendly Gas Station
While we seem to be moving faster and faster towards electrifying our transportation, the gas station – for the time being, at least – is still a necessary part of our lives. The vast majority of us require our dose of hydrocarbon to keep moving, to drop the kids off or to make it to work. But these stations are imperfect, as they always have been, mostly due to human error.
The nozzles can fit imperfectly, and user inattention can often result in gasoline or diesel being spilt on the ground. As the ground is typically paved, it can then easily run off and enter nearby water sources. Despite such innovations as shut-off valves, drips and spills still occur on a daily basis, and over the course of a busy day, can add up to a damaging amount of spillage.
Fuel spill kits are an essential aspect of gas station operations. They should be within easy reach, and able to be deployed by any member of the staff at a moment’s notice. There is legislation in place that encourages the proper placement of a spill kit at a fuelling station, but ensuring that the kit itself is up to date and usable is nevertheless the responsibility of the station management.
Older fuelling stations, who have been excavated, have been shown to be considerable contributors to groundwater contamination in some cases – the result of years of poor practice. The current owners have then copped a considerable fine. Ensuring your fuel spill kit is ready and waiting to capture any spilt fuel could be vital to avoiding a similar fate.