What are the Main Types of Spill Kits?
Spill kits are the one-stop tool to manage liquid spills in your workplace. Spills are detrimental to the safety of your workplace, your staff and the environment. As the liquids and chemicals that Australian workplaces use range widely, different materials and techniques are needed to clean up different types. Ensuring that you have the appropriate spill kits on-site before a spill occurs is imperative to mitigate the risk of spills.
Spills can also disrupt work and waste time and resources. On a large scale, they can negatively impact a company’s reputation too. Preparing your workplace with spill kits can save you time and money in the long run. This starts with understanding which spill kits you need for the liquids that you have on your site.
Ecospill has vast experience with different spill kits, and we know which ones to use for each purpose. In this article, we explain the main types of spill kits and what they’re each used for.
THE MAIN TYPES OF SPILL KITS
The main types of spill kits cover most of the liquids in Australian workplaces. Different liquids have unique properties and require various techniques and materials to clean them up when spilt. The right spill kit will have the appropriate equipment to clean up your respective chemicals efficiently. Efficient clean up helps minimise any damage a spill may cause, to people, equipment and the environment.
Below we outline the three main types of spill kits:
Oil and fuel spill kits
Fuel and oils don’t bond with water, which makes them difficult to clean up. Oils present significant environmental hazards. If they enter waterways, they can cause harmful pollution to the ecosystem. This also means consequences for your business and a risk to your reputation.
It’s crucial to have an oil and fuel spill kit near anywhere you use oils in your workplace. For example, areas where machinery and vehicles operate or where engines are used risk fuel spillage. An oil and fuel spill kit should provide you with everything you need to contain and clean an oil spill.
Fuel and oil spill kits include land socks that should be placed around the perimeter of the spill to contain it from spreading. They also include absorbent powder and absorbent mats that you should put on top of the liquid to soak it up. Antistatic waste disposal bags within spill kits allow you to dispose of the spilt chemical and cleanup materials safely. Finally, these spill kits contain complete personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the person cleaning up the spill.
General-purpose spill kits
General-purpose spill kits are the most common spill kit for businesses because they cover the broadest range of chemical spills. A general-purpose spill kit is designed to contain and clean non-aggressive chemical spills. It’s suitable to absorb some fuels, coolants, hydraulic fluids, solvents and other common workplace liquids.
General-purpose spill kits typically contain a bioactive absorbent powder that quickly absorbs the chemical for a fast and efficient clean up. Similarly, they include a land sock for perimeter containment, absorbent mats, disposal bags and appropriate PPE. It’s always a good idea to stock up with general purpose spill kits to protect you from a wide range of spills.
Chemical spill kits
Chemical spill kits deal with hazardous and aggressive chemical spills. If you work with hazardous chemicals, it’s essential to have a chemical spill kit in your workplace. Aggressive chemicals include acids, bleaches, alcohols and corrosive liquids, among others.
A little bit more work is required when using a chemical spill kit. Firstly, as hazardous chemicals can cause severe harm, you should consult the material safety data sheet (MSDS) before you begin cleaning. The appropriate PPE will be provided in the chemical spill kit and should be worn at all times during the clean up. These spill kits should come with a step by step guide in how to operate the kit.
Like the other spill kits, chemical spill kits should include absorbents, a land sock and antistatic waste bags to dispose of the spill safely without contaminating other wastage.
SPLL KIT SIZES
When reading about the main types of spill kits, consider the size of your liquids containers. Understanding the potential size of the spills you’re prone to experience is essential to choosing a suitable spill kit. For example, a fallen drum will create a much larger spill than an aerosol can. After you’ve identified the needs of your workplace, you’ll be ready to stock up and get prepared.
ECOSPILL SPILL KITS
You should know what you’re getting before you purchase a spill kit for your workplace. Determine all of the liquids you use in your workplace to identify which spill kits you need. If you work with large fuel tanks, you should go for more significant fuel and oil spill kits. Workplaces that have a wide variety of liquids would benefit from stocking up on several general-purpose spill kits. If you handle hazardous chemicals, a chemical spill kit will be required too.
Ecospill provides all of the main types of spill kits in various sizes to meet the needs of diverse workplaces. If you need help determining what’s most suitable for your business contact us today or browse our range of spill kits.