By Travis Zdrazil
Big Oil spills like the one in the Gulf of Mexico can be devastating on the environment. But that doesn't mean that smaller oil spills cannot damage the environment as well. They do, just on a smaller scale. In fact, an important lesson from the Gulf Oil spill is that clean-up has to be a priority. Read to discover four key steps for cleanup and damage control.
Here are the four key steps for oil spill clean-up and damage control: Prevention, containment, the actual clean-up, and preparedness.
1) Prevention
While prevention seems not to fit, it is an important part. Oil spills or leaks can happen on a small scale, but if you have created a back-up system of containment, the leaking oil won't have a chance to escape into the environment. This means that the problem can be solved before it ever becomes a problem.
How can you accomplish this feat? By creating extra layers of containment around the primary container. On a small scale, this means storing oil drums on spill pallets that catch any leaking or dripping oil.
2) Containment
Next, there's containment for the event that the oil has actually escaped and is leaking or flowing into the environment, for example into the ocean or another body of water.
Now, proper containment is absolutely critical. What this means is that a barrier is set up that will keep the oil in place and prevent it form escaping and spreading.
Such containment is critical for two reasons: It will reduce damage, and it will also make clean-up much easier.
Spill berms are great for use on land, and spill booms are ideal for use on water. Booms come in absorbent and non-absorbent types. You may want both. The non-absorbent ones are especially good for keeping the oil slick contained.
3) Clean-up
Finally, the oil needs to be cleaned up. This means that it will be absorbed in some way and removed. There are a wide range of tools available to clean up oil spills, including a variety of absorbents. One of the key tools for an oil spill cleanup in a large body of water will be oil absorbent booms. They can absorb an impressive amount of water, while repelling water. Once they're full, they can be pulled out and be replaced with fresh booms -- until all the oil is absorbed.
4) Preparedness
There is a fourth key to oil spill cleanup and damage control: Be prepared. In order to minimize damage to the environment, the ability to react as fast as possible is crucial. This means that if you're dealing with oil and there's even the remotest chance of a leak or spill, having the necessary equipment and supplies for cleanup close at hand is a must. This is a major lesson learned from the Gulf oil spill.
Here are the four key steps for oil spill clean-up and damage control: Prevention, containment, the actual clean-up, and preparedness.
1) Prevention
While prevention seems not to fit, it is an important part. Oil spills or leaks can happen on a small scale, but if you have created a back-up system of containment, the leaking oil won't have a chance to escape into the environment. This means that the problem can be solved before it ever becomes a problem.
How can you accomplish this feat? By creating extra layers of containment around the primary container. On a small scale, this means storing oil drums on spill pallets that catch any leaking or dripping oil.
2) Containment
Next, there's containment for the event that the oil has actually escaped and is leaking or flowing into the environment, for example into the ocean or another body of water.
Now, proper containment is absolutely critical. What this means is that a barrier is set up that will keep the oil in place and prevent it form escaping and spreading.
Such containment is critical for two reasons: It will reduce damage, and it will also make clean-up much easier.
Spill berms are great for use on land, and spill booms are ideal for use on water. Booms come in absorbent and non-absorbent types. You may want both. The non-absorbent ones are especially good for keeping the oil slick contained.
3) Clean-up
Finally, the oil needs to be cleaned up. This means that it will be absorbed in some way and removed. There are a wide range of tools available to clean up oil spills, including a variety of absorbents. One of the key tools for an oil spill cleanup in a large body of water will be oil absorbent booms. They can absorb an impressive amount of water, while repelling water. Once they're full, they can be pulled out and be replaced with fresh booms -- until all the oil is absorbed.
4) Preparedness
There is a fourth key to oil spill cleanup and damage control: Be prepared. In order to minimize damage to the environment, the ability to react as fast as possible is crucial. This means that if you're dealing with oil and there's even the remotest chance of a leak or spill, having the necessary equipment and supplies for cleanup close at hand is a must. This is a major lesson learned from the Gulf oil spill.
Want to know more about choosing the right oil spill cleanup tools? Find more information and all the latest absorbents and other environmental and industrial safety products on Travis Zdrazil's Absorbents 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.
You may publish this article, but must keep the resource box ©2010 PCI Products Company. All rights reserved.
