If you want to know what absorbents and spill kits are, we prepared a guide to the legislation behind them. Click below to view the article.
Spill Kit Absorbents Tutorial
There are many different styles of absorbent products, to suit every size, shape, space or spill. Spill kits generally contain different variants of the following:
Socks
Socks are ideal for coiling around machinery to contain or absorb any leaks of drips. They can be used to form a ring around spills to act as an absorbent blocking barrier to contain the spill.
Pads/Rolls
Pads and rolls have various uses, including absorbing liquid trapped in the centre of a sock, generally wiping down a dirty/oily surface, being placed down as a walkway to catch oily drips or footprints and acting as a handy matt to place down tools or equipment.
Cushions
Cushions can be inserted into drip pans/trays to soak up the contents, or be placed under leaky/dripping machinery. They are also used similarly to how pads are, by being placed in the centre of a spill, which has been encircled by a sock.
Booms
Booms are floating barriers, which are often used to contain the spread of oil on water (These are often the white absorbent, with hydrophobic qualities). The booms are enclosed in a strong outer netting for durability, as well as being equipped with hooks and rings to allow them to be linked together, in order to create any length required.
Drum toppers
Drum toppers are essentially pads that are pre-cut into the shape of the upper side of an oil drum. This helps to prevent leakage right at the source of the leak, rather than allowing any spillage to drip down the side of a barrel and onto a pad on the floor.
In 2016/17 29% of all workplace injuries resulted from slips and trips. It makes sense then that spill kits are the best solution to prevent these situations. This guide will show you which spill kit is best suited for your workplace sector.
General purpose Spill Kit
What does a general purpose spill mean?
General purpose spill kits are perfect for:
- Solvents
- Oils
- Water-Based Spills
They offer an immediate answer to spills such as these in the workplace. However, they are not effective against any chemicals. Being a general purpose kit, they are suitable for every business sector that doesn’t deal with chemicals.
For a general spill, get a general purpose spill kit.
Chemical Spill Kit
When would you need a chemical spill kit?
Chemical spill kits are perfect for:
- Acid
- Caustic Chemicals
- Solvents
- Aggressive Liquids
They are made from pure Melt Blown Polypropylene, making them stable when in acids and caustics. Chemical spills include but are not limited to: Laboratories, chemical storage companies and Manufacturers who deal in chemical components.
Body fluid Spill Spill Kit
Body fluid Spill kits are most suitable for the healthcare sector.
These kits are used to clean up the following:
- Blood
- Vomit
- Urine
- Aggressive Liquids
The reason for these kits is to reduce the spread of potential diseases, by cleaning up the spills safely and hygienically. They are most suitable for those working in the healthcare sector such as hospitals, medical centres and nursing/care homes.
Vehicle and Oil Spill Kit
Why get a vehicle spill kit?
Vehicle spill kits are essential for the following:
- Vehicle oil spills
- Carried goods spills
They provide a quick response to a sudden leakage when on the road. They help to prevent a problem from becoming a crisis. Sectors that would benefit from these kits: Transport & logistics, vehicle hire and any business that deals with the regular transport of goods amid the heavy use of vehicles.
ADR Spill Kits
Will I need an ADR kit after Brexit?
ADR refers to the” European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road”. In a post-Brexit world, the expectations are the UK will continue to follow the requirements of ADR. Though, this will come with an update on the legislation.
Chemical and hazardous spills on the road can cause a great deal of harm to other road users. Chemical spills also concern the environment, as in one case around 400 litres of diluted cyanide spilt into a nearby park. For businesses that transport dangerous goods, it’s a necessary requirement to have the right equipment on hand.
