We've all spilled liquid before, but it's a bigger deal in the workplace than it is at home. Do you know enough about spill kits and bunds?

 

Spill Kits and Bunds

There's a lot of different spill kits on the market - general purpose, biohazard, oil & fuel, etc. These all have their own niches depending on the risks of your workplace and the types of spills you're likely to experience. Choosing a spill kit is complicated, but:

General purpose spill kits are blue, contain grey absorbents and are for mixed liquid spills, typically of low quantity.

Hydrocarbon (oils & fuels) spill kits are yellow, contain white absorbents, and are for any situation where you need to clean up only oils or fuels, particularly when they leak into water.

Chemical spill kits are red, contain pink absorbents, and are for aggressive acids or bases.

While not all workplaces will require spill kits - due to limited risk of spill or a minimal amount of liquid - establishing whether you need a spill kit should be part of your workplace risk assessment. Some workplaces may just need to use absorbents to clean up any messes they make.

In most cases, the tools in a spill kit are a balance of the following items: 

  • Booms - To contain and divert the spill
  • Pillows - To contain and absorb the spill
  • Pads - Used to absorb and clean up the spill
  • Ground and floor absorbents - To contain and absorb the spill
  • Gloves and disposal bags

 

Spill bunds, also known as spill pallets, are designed for Australian conditions and provide a 'floor' fully prepared to catch spills, with removeable grates for easy access and cleaning. Bunds are perfect for spill-likely areas and can easily keep both workers and the environment safe, by preventing slips (from liquid being on the floor) and contamination of drains or bodies of water.

Bunds can also be joined together for a customised work platform of a variety of sizes, and can have large storage capacities with thousands of litres per bund. 

If you have questions about, or are looking to buy, spill kits/bunds, feel free to contact us or check out Global Spill's resources