Spill Kit - Chemical, Oil & Fuel Suppliers

A spill kit is like a first aid kit for major liquid spills. All commercial and industrial operations storing hazardous and non-hazardous liquids need to be prepared for a large scale spill.

Obviously, the more hazardous the liquid, the more critical a spill kit becomes. But a toppled drum of any liquid is still a crisis of sorts. A properly assembled spill kit can help to quickly contain and remove the spill without harm to both people and premises.

The four main spill kit types are to clean up spills containing:

• General non-hazardous liquids
• Grease and oil
• Hazardous chemicals
• Highly flammable and explosive liquids
   

While these cover most of the likely spills in commercial and industrial situations, there are also specialized kits to clean up such things as mercury and bodily fluids.

A comprehensive spill kit capable of managing most spill scenarios should contain:

• A clearly labelled wheelie bin containing all the other items in the kit.
• Absorbent cushions to catch runoff and push it back to the middle of the spill.
• Absorbent pads to soak up most of the spill.
• Absorbent tubes to act as a fence around the spill.
• Disposable bags with ties to collect all the cushions, pads and tubes before placing them in the wheelie bin.
• All necessary personal protective equipment – gloves, goggles etc.

• What spills will you potentially need to collect?
• Are liquids stored in large drums or smaller bottles and containers?
• How big is the worst spill you could possibly have? Make sure your kit is designed to handle it.
• How many spill kits do you need? Is one mobile kit sufficient or do you need one in every potential spill location – loading dock, storage areas and liquid dispensing areas?
• What personal protective equipment (PPE) do you need? The more hazardous your liquids, the more comprehensive your PPE needs to be.

The cheapest spill kits might only be about $60, but the average cost of an effective kit is more like $350. For peace of mind knowing you have the resources in the event of a dangerous spill, $350 isn’t a lot to pay. Of course, spill kits vary according to the nature of the spill and more complex kits will cost around $1000.

• The spill kit isn’t big enough to contain the spill.
• The spill kit is wrong for the liquid it needs to clean up, eg. an oil kit is used to clean up acid.
• The spill kit is old and damaged and needs to be replaced.
• The personal protective equipment (PPE) in the kit is inadequate risking operator injury.

A spill kit can only be used once, so simply ensure all the components of the kit are intact and adequately stored in a wheelie bin or similarly safe place ready for use.

Anyone using a spill kit must be fully trained in all aspects of its safe use as well as have a thorough understanding of Australian workplace health and safety.