Oil spills are a big problem, whether they are big or small. Fortunately, there are spill kits available to clean them up fast. Read on for a guide to the available oil spill kits, and which ones might be right for your situation.
Oil spills come in all sizes. Maybe it's just a drum that toppled over or sprung a leak. Maybe it's a tractor trailer that flipped over and spilled its content. And maybe it's an oil tanker that had a spill near the coastline. Either way, clean-up is essential.
The kinds of spills you need to deal with are probably of the smaller variety But still, they can vary in size. So it's best to assess what the potential for spills are in your facility and on your equipment and choose spill kits accordingly.
1) What Type of Spill Kit Should You Get?
First of all, you need to determine which type of spill kit to get. There are three major types, Universal or general purpose, oil only, and hazmat.
You may think that obviously you're going to get the oil only one. And the oil only spill kit is indeed an excellent choice. It is perfectly designed to deal with the exact substance you're trying to handle. And if you have a spill on water, it is able to clean up the oil while repelling the water.
However, if the oil gets mixed up with other fluids, especially water-based fluids, the universal kit might also be a good option. It does work on hydrocarbons, so it will get the job done.
And you might even consider the hazmat kit, depending on your situation. That's because hazmat kits will also absorb hydrocarbons, which include oil, along with other, more aggressive fluids.
2) What's the Maximum Size of any Potential Spill
Next, you'll need to consider the size of the potential spill. After all, oil spill kits come in small, mobile, drum size versions.
So you should try to figure out how big of a spill you could possibly encounter from any single container. Not that you need to be able to handle all of it with an absorbent right then and there. there are other tools that can help you contain the spill, from spill containment berms to drain protector covers. You can then even vacuum up the spill and use the spill kits to take care of the rest.
3) What Type of Container Is Best?
You can use bucket or bagged spill kits to handle small spills. But if you have larger spills, you'll need a drum kit, or a mobile kit, possibly one with wheels.
4) Insist on High Quality
Finally, you'll need to make sure you get good quality supplies. Don't just get the cheapest one you can find. Look for quality, how many socks, pads, and pillows are included, and whether the absorbent pads are heavy or light weight.
You should also insist on safety items for your employees, for example gloves, goggles, and such. Still, those high quality kits don't have to be expensive. If you check online, you can find oil spill kits of excellent quality at very reasonable prices.
Want to know more about choosing the right oil spill kits? Find more information and all the latest absorbents and other environmental and industrial safety products on Travis Zdrazil'sAbsorbents Online website and get his FREE newsletter too. Travis is an expert on environmental safety products and has supplied businesses with products to aid in meeting EPA and OSHA requirements for more than 10 years. You may publish this article, but must keep the resource box ©2010 PCI Products Company. All rights reserved. |
