Oil spills pose a great threat to the environment. That's especially true if a spill occurs in a body of water. Read on to find out how the spills can be contained to minimize the damage.
When prevention has failed and a spill has happened, it's time to bring out the oil spill equipment. And there are a number of options.
The first task is to contain the damage. Oil can spread very quickly, and so the key is to keep it confined to a small or controllable area. This way, it can be removed by absorbents later.
They key tools for containing oil spills are Containment Booms of various types, specifically non-absorbent booms.
Why various types? Depending on where the spill occurred, the conditions will vary, and not every containment boom is suited to every type of watery environment.
For calm and protected waters
The most popular oil containment boom is the EconoMax, a non-absorbent boom that is especially suited to calm and protected waters. You can use it to contain oil and debris in marinas, harbors, and on inland waterways. It is very compact and light in weight, which means that it floats on water. The fact that it is also quite inexpensive no doubt contributes to its popularity.
It's closed cell foam panels can be folded, which makes it easy to transport. In fact, you can keep it handy in boats, trucks, or even cars so that it's handy when there's a spill.
For smaller waterways and shallow areas
If you want something for smaller waterways, including roadside ditches, shallow ater areas, and small streams and canals, you may want to opt for the Super Swamp Containment Boom, which is very lightweight and can be transported and deployed even more easily.
For rougher waters, including shorelines
On the other hand, you may have to deal with rougher water, which calls for more heavy duty oil spill equipment. One that fits the bill is a marine grade, heavy duty oil containment boom, for example the Simplex Oil Boom.
It is perfectly suited to protect shorelines and coasts from oil spills. While it has high buoyancy and is also light in weight, it has a much sturdier construction. It is also designed in a way that allows it to be moved easily in order to let boats pass.
With its handles and anchor points as well as its heavy duty connectors, it can withstand even rough waters.
And those are just a few of the possibilities. When it comes to protecting the environment from spilled oil, there's oil spill equipment available to meet the challenge, no matter what the exact nature of the body of water.
Want to know more about oil spill equipment? Get valuable tips and the latest news about absorbents and other environmental safety products on Travis Zdrazil's Safety Maintenance News blog 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 ©2009 PCI Products Company. All rights reserved. |
