Travis Zdrazil | Spill Containment Blog

Is Your Auto Shop Ready for a Spill?

July 24, 2017 by Travis Zdrazil

Shop mechanic changing oil.

In your auto repair shop, you have a lot on your plate. But while a little leak or spill might not seem like a big deal, a messy shop could come back to bite you in time — and slips, trips, and falls are nothing to joke about.

That’s why, if you want to be able to focus on the work that matters — the auto repairs — you must be prepared for those leaks and auto shop spills first.

Prepare for every circumstance

When you work with all the oils and fluids that come with auto maintenance and vehicle repair, you’re bound to experience a few leaks. But you can stop those leaks before they hit your floors with an Abzorb oil mat. This durable mat not only protects your floors from rust and stains but also provides non-slip protection for mechanics’ safety. Mats are great for both indoor and outdoor use and can even withstand vehicles of all shapes and sizes rolling over them without sustaining damage. They come in many different sizes to suit your specific needs and can last years before needing to be replaced.

Need a higher volume solution to drips and leaks? Drip pans are easy to empty once they’re filled, and you can replace the absorbent pillow each holds and reuse the pans long-term to save money.

Of course, you can’t always know where a spill or leak is going to happen. That’s why it’s important to have shop rags on hand for quick cleanup. And, in the event of a larger scale spill, you’ll want to have heavier duty absorbents within reach, like absorbent pads or rolls, which come in universal absorbent materials for general use or oil absorbent material specifically for hydrocarbon-based fluids.

And stains and slips aren’t the only things to worry about — if you do any work outdoors, it’s important to make sure rainwater isn’t carrying the pollutants you work with into the water system. Stormwater management products can help keep your fluids out of the sewers and local water features.

Keep employees safe

auto shop garage car repair It’s one thing to keep your floors safe and another to keep your mechanics safe. For those who stand throughout the day, anti-fatigue mats can protect their backs, legs, and ankles from strain.

Do you have stairs in your auto repair shop? How about uneven surfaces or ramps? These are common sites for slips, trips, and falls. Installing safety stair treads can help you reduce the likelihood of an employee losing his or her footing on a step and putting him or herself at risk of injury.

In your auto repair shop, you need to focus on your clients’ vehicles. When you’re prepared for spills and leaks, you can trust that your employees and your shop are protected and prepared for every eventuality. That way, you can keep your mind on your work.

Not sure what kind of absorbents and safety materials you should have in your auto repair shop? The professionals at AbsorbentsOnline can help. Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Why Should I Buy American-Made Absorbents?

May 24, 2017 by Travis Zdrazil

Whether you’re buying absorbent products for use in your home, garage, or workplace, you have plenty of options to choose from. And while it may be tempting to choose your purchases based solely on price or convenience, there are other factors to consider, too: quality, eco-friendliness, and even where products are manufactured.

American-made goods and the American economy

Made in USA on flag logo.

You may have heard that buying American-made products is good for the country’s economy. But while many often toss this concept around, they tend not to explain in depth.

There are a few reasons why purchasing from American businesses benefits our national economy. First, American businesses employ American workers. This means your purchases help create and maintain American jobs. In fact, if each American citizen spent an extra $3.33 on American-made goods, it would create almost 10,000 new jobs.

Also, when you spend your money at American businesses, that money is then passed on to the American workers employed there, keeping that money in the American economy.

Buying American is eco-friendly

Of course, buying American-made goods doesn’t just mean supporting our economy — it also means supporting our planet.

No imported products logo.

Shipping isn’t just expensive — it’s also a major cause of pollution. By purchasing products made in the US, products don’t have to travel as far, conserving fuel and reducing the environmental footprint of that product. Additionally, not every country has the same environmental regulations surrounding manufacturing. That means products created in other countries may not be as “green” as products made here in the United States. In fact, Chinese production of goods for American consumption has had a significant effect on air pollution.

And of course, the absorbents themselves can help protect the environment by preventing hazardous waste from entering bodies of water and soil as well as protecting against oil spills and stormwater pollution.

Stock up on American-made absorbents for summer

If you’re looking for absorbents from an American company that stocks many American-made products, look no further! Here are five AbsorbentsOnline.com top sellers for you to pick up for summer use, be it at home or work.

Absorbent pads: These easy-to-use absorbent pads and rolls soak up liquids quickly — and you can ring them out and reuse! They’re available in a number of materials for use on different kinds of spills.
Oil absorbent booms: These oil absorbent booms float on water to make marine spills easy to handle. They’re made from recycled materials right here in the USA!
Spill containment pallets: Store your drums on these spill containment pallets, capable of accommodating up to six drums. These modular units are low profile, easy to connect, and made in USA from recycled materials.
Rag rug absorbent floor mat: These absorbent mats are made from recycled materials and designed to absorb all types of grunge without appearing dirty. They’re even strong enough for high traffic areas.
Spill kits: No matter what kind of liquids you work with, there’s a spill kit for your needs. We can even create custom spill kits just for your facility.

When you make a purchase, you vote with your dollar — by using your money to support a business. When it comes to absorbents, why not make sure that business is American?

Have questions about which absorbents are right for your needs? Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

OSHA and Absorbents: Making Safety a Standard

May 24, 2017 by Travis Zdrazil

You have the right to a safe work environment. In fact, your workplace leaders are legally required to take certain steps, such as providing the right spill kits to handle emergencies to lessen your risk of being injured on the job. But that wasn’t always true! The Operational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created nearly 50 years ago to turn workplace safety into law. And to this day, its members are continuously making changes and updates to look out for you while you’re on the clock.

OSHA and absorbents

Oil spill.

If someone asked you what absorbent materials were for, you’d probably say “absorbing” — and you’d be right, of course! But while that may be their literal purpose, they have another purpose when it comes to the big picture: safety.

A few drips of oil that gather underneath a forklift between uses might not seem like a big deal, but they can present a slip hazard that could seriously injure workers climbing in or out of the forklift. In industrial settings, workers could accidentally spill hazardous materials and present dangers to nearby employees. Even water seems harmless until it’s unconfined or somewhere it isn’t supposed to be.

Being prepared to contain or soak up these kinds of spills is essential to protecting employees. That’s why OSHA offers a comprehensive guide to hazardous waste operations, including plenty of information on emergency responses to ensure those in each workplace have the necessary absorbents and training to handle whatever spills they may experience in their facilities.

OSHA updates, adds new rules

First aid kit and construction hard hat

Workplaces and technology are constantly changing, which means OSHA regulations need to change alongside them. Work environments today aren’t the same as they were at the time of the administration’s inception in 1970, and new technology and equipment mean new hazards to look out for.

For example, in one recent update, OSHA members created a new rule requiring greater transparency around workplace injuries and illness, incentivizing workplace safety by making safety failures public. It even includes provisions against retaliation, ensuring that workers feel comfortable reporting illness and injury.

In another recent change, OSHA updated the Walking-Working Surfaces standard. This standard exists to help prevent slip and fall injuries. Under the new Walking-Working Surfaces standard, employers have the flexibility to choose the fall protection methods that work best for their businesses, and there are stricter requirements in place for fall protection training.

Administrators sometimes make changes to regulations dealing with absorbents, too. Prior to a 2016 rule, OSHA regulation permitted exposing workers to deadly levels of respirable crystalline silica. OSHA predicts “the new rule will save more than 600 lives and prevent more than 900 cases of silicosis – an incurable lung disease – each year.”

Of course, some granular absorbents use silica, which means many facility leaders will have to switch to silica-free absorbents like Gran-sorb, Corn Cob, or Peat Moss Absorbents — or risk harming employees and receiving OSHA citations.

OSHA beginnings

Most people in the workforce today don’t remember a time before OSHA. But nearly 50 years ago, there was no law saying any business leader had to provide a safe workplace for his or her employees.

Working conditions were dangerous across the United States when former President Richard Nixon signed the Williams Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which led to the creation of OSHA. OSHA members’ goal from day one was to provide training, outreach, and assistance to business decision-makers to help them keep their employees safe, but they started out small.

Absorbents didn’t come into the picture until later: Actually, it wasn’t until March 1989 — almost 20 years after OSHA was founded — that the administration publicized an official final rule regarding emergency response to hazardous waste spills. Although OSHA members have updated hazardous waste rules in the years since, that rule was the foundation of the regulation that protects those who work with hazardous waste to this day.

Absorbents play an essential safety role

These days, having the correct absorbent materials and effectively training employees on using them are safety keys in almost any industrial workplace. OSHA requirements for spill response focus on comprehensive spill response plan creation and upkeep, including obtaining, storing, and training staff on using appropriate absorbents.

For example, depending on the kinds of liquids you handle in your facility, you need a different spill kit type. Employees who use hydrocarbons in facilities may do best with oil-only kits while those who work with hazardous liquids instead need hazmat kits.

Even if you don’t work with liquids, your workplace is still susceptible to spills! For instance, forklifts contain fluids that can easily leak onto the floor, presenting slip hazards. A forklift mat can absorb those fluids and help keep forklift operators safe.

Throughout the decades, OSHA continues to change and grow to best meet the needs of workers nationwide. Similarly, workplace leaders need to change and grow with shifting OSHA regulations to ensure workers are always as safe as possible.

To learn which spill-control products you need for OSHA compliance, contact Angie Meza at angie@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

April 11, 2017 by Travis Zdrazil

A slip and fall picture.

Slips, trips, and falls may seem like easy accidents for alert workers to avoid, but statistics tell a different story: The majority of all work accidents are due to slips, trips, and falls — and they’re responsible for 15% of all accidental deaths. The only more dangerous causes of death in workplaces than trip hazards are motor vehicle accidents!

That’s why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has produced slip, trip, and fall regulations for nearly fifty years. But, until very recently, those regulations were badly in need of updates.

The Walking-Working Surfaces Rule

As of January 2017, OSHA finally put updates that had been in the works since 1990 into place. The resulting Walking-Working Surfaces Rule fills in some gaping holes in safety regulations.

Under the old standards, OSHA only required regular inspection of ladders and scaffolds. Under the new rule, employers need to inspect every surface upon which personnel walk or work regularly and as necessary for slip, trip, and fall hazards. These surfaces include aisles and walkways, stairs, platforms, ramps, and more.

Those at each facility get to define what “regularly” and “as necessary” mean for their specific workplaces. To learn more about the new Walking-Working Surfaces Rule, visit the OSHA website.

Protect your personnel from slips, trips, and falls

You can prevent slip, trip, and fall accidents in your workplace by using safety products designed for these very purposes.

Stairs are a common place for falls, particularly outdoors. You can use safety stair treads to prevent these accidents. Non-slip tapes are affordable and easy to install, and aluminum or fiberglass treads offer more durable solutions.

forklift on absorbent mat.

If you use equipment prone to oil or fluid leaks in your facility, absorbent industrial mats make for great ways to head off slips and falls. Another great solution for equipment that drips or leaks is drip pans. These contain fluids and are easy to empty and reuse, making them cost-effective for long-term use.

Do employees stand in one place while performing their jobs? Anti-fatigue mats are not only ergonomic to protect employees’ bodies from the exhaustion of long periods of standing but are also non-slip.

Slips, trips, and falls are impossible to fully avoid, but with the right equipment and regular inspections, you can reduce their frequency and do your best to protect both your employees and your business from the consequences.

Have questions about which absorbents are right for your needs? Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Don’t Become Another OSHA Forklift Statistic

December 6, 2016 by Travis Zdrazil

Why workplace forklift accidents are no laughing matter

Forklift operators not following safety rules is a serious issue

You know an occurrence is common when it gets its own top-10 highlight reel. This YouTube video, “Top 10 Forklift Accidents,” shows that forklift safety is something worth thinking about.

And while nearly 6 million people may have found those forklift accidents hilarious, chances are you wouldn’t be laughing if they happened in your workplace.

There were an average of 107 forklift accident deaths annually between 1981 and 1990 — not to mention more than 33,000 serious injuries and over 61,000 minor injuries. In fact, forklift accidents have resulted in approximately 85 deaths, over 34,000 serious injuries, and more than 61,000 minor injuries every year since 1981.

How do forklift accidents happen?

Plenty of things can cause forklift accidents in the workplace. Here are a few of the most common reasons people get hurt while using forklifts:

Lack of training — It’s important that every employee who uses a forklift for any reason is trained on how to properly and safely operate one. In fact, it’s an Operational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirement! It’s also a good idea to supervise new forklift operators while they get used to the machinery.
Poor equipment upkeep — Like all other motorized vehicles, forklifts need regular maintenance and upkeep to function safely and efficiently. It’s also important to prevent your machinery from doing damage to your facility or making your facility less safe.
Workplace design flaws — If your facility isn’t designed for forklift use, you could run into issues like uneven ground, slick surfaces, steep grades, or curbs and ledges that get in the way.
Inappropriate use — Driving too quickly, loading a forklift incorrectly, and even run-of-the-mill horseplay can all put forklift operators at risk of injury or death.

How can you prevent forklift accidents?

The good news is you can easily prevent all those reasons for forklift accidents with a few cautionary steps!

Ensure you train employees. Operators should know that if a forklift starts to tip over, for instance, they should stay inside and brace themselves — rather than try to jump out. Being trained on forklift safety can literally make the difference between life and death.
Forklift mats absorb leaks and prevent slip and falls

Keep machinery — and the area where it’s in use — in good condition. You should service forklifts regularly, and OSHA requires that drivers inspect forklifts once per shift. Forklifts can sometimes leak fluids, so try a forklift mat to keep a handle on leaks and prevent slips, trips, and falls.
Make your workplace forklift-friendly. If a driver hits a curb or corner with her or his forklift, that could mean damage to the forklift, facility, driver, other workers — or all four! Avoid damage with column protectors, corner protectors, and wall protectors.
Heavy machinery is no joke. People might find YouTube videos funny, but the dangers forklifts can pose in the workplace are no laughing matter. Anyone operating a forklift should take her or his safety and the safety of those around her or him seriously.

If you want to become a YouTube sensation, get a funny cat. Your five minutes of fame aren’t worth ending up a statistic in a potentially fatal forklift accident.

Do you have the safety products you need to protect your workers and your facility from potential forklift dangers? To find out, contact Angie Meza at angie@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Prevent Injury and Damage: Use the Right Products

September 20, 2016 by Travis Zdrazil

Six industrial safety products to help protect your employees and facility

warehouse chemical containers The only thing more important than your equipment safety is the safety of your employees. Which is why you need the right industrial safety products on hand. In short, to keep both your equipment and employees safe under all possible circumstances. And help ensure you comply with OSHA requirements.

At AbsorbentsOnline, we carry a wide range of industrial safety products. In other words, everything you need to protect your staff members and the equipment they use every day.

Here are a few items you might consider, based on your workplace and activities:

1. Column Protectors

column protectors for industrial safety Many facilities paint their columns the same color as the walls. Which makes columns difficult to see. Particularly when operating vehicles like forklifts, tow motor lifts, or carts. A collision with a column can cause damage to your facility and your equipment — not to mention your employees!

Which is why our Column Protectors are available in a number of bright colors for high visibility. They’re made of 100% high-density polyethylene and can absorb an impact up to 8,500 pounds traveling at up to 7 miles per hour. They come in five different sizes and can fit both round and square supports. They’re easy to install and even contain UV-protectants. Meaning their highly visible colors won’t fade after long periods of outdoor use.

2. Corner Protectors

building corner protectors Similarly, you can protect high-traffic areas in your facility with Corner Protectors. Overhead door frames and the corners around loading docks can take a lot of damage from trucks backing in and unloading. Corner protectors will not just protect your building from damage, but vehicles as well! You can install them on H-frame racking and use them horizontally as rack guards or on loading docks.

They feature a high-density polyethylene construction in bright, visible yellow. These protectors are rust-resistant, stress-resistant, and even UV-protected for outdoor use. They come in two different sizes to best suit your particular applications. And are easy to install using the mounting bolts provided with your purchase.

3. Wall Protectors

wall protection industrial safety products Repairing damage to drywall, concrete, or block walls can be expensive. But you can prevent this damage with Wall Protectors. These are especially useful in drum storage areas or on loading docks where wall damage can occur.

You can install wall protectors vertically or horizontally at any height based on your facility needs. Their bright-yellow high-density polyethylene contains UV inhibitors. Which make them suitable for use both indoors and out. They are rust-resistant, stress-resistant, and designed to resist cracking and chipping.

4. Forklift Mats

forklift safety mat Don’t let fluids from your forklifts damage your floors or present employee slip hazards. Forklift Mats can protect from both of these situations. These mats are perfect for parking forklifts overnight. Or for protecting floors while performing maintenance or recharging.

Driving forklifts over these super-absorbent polypropylene mats won’t damage them. Their non-penetrable, non-skid material keeps the mats in place. It also prevents fluids absorbed into the top side of the mats from reaching the floors below.

5. Rag Rug Industrial Absorbent Floor Mats

absorbent rag rug safety mat It’s especially important to protect your floors in high-traffic areas. That’s because this is where small spills and leaks tend to frequently happen. Rag Rug Industrial Absorbent Floor Mats are perfect for these applications. For instance, to help prevent slips and trips.

They can absorb oil, coolants, solvents, and water. Because their construction uses 100% recycled materials, you can save money and stay green. The dark mat color hides grime and allows you to use the mats for longer periods of time before replacing them.

6. Abzorb Oil Mats

oil absorbent floor mat When absorbent mats just don’t cut it, try Abzorb Oil Mats with the non-penetrable vinyl backing. When you can’t fully absorb a spill or leak, it stops any leftover liquids from reaching — and potentially damaging — your floor.

These polypropylene mats are universally absorbent. Meaning you can use them to absorb oil, coolants, solvents, and water. The mats are non-flammable and come in dark grey to disguise stains. They have skid-resistant backing and a lay flat design that won’t curl or buckle. They’re so durable that we guarantee their use for three years against cracking, tearing, or leaking!

Your industrial safety products and absorbents specialists

Day-to-day industrial work can damage your facility, equipment, and employees if you aren’t careful. Protecting all of these is a top priority — and the experts at AbsorbentsOnline have the materials you need.

Do you have the right industrial safety products for your workplace? To find out, contact Angie Meza at angie@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Storm Water: Top 3 Best Management Practices

August 9, 2016 by Travis Zdrazil

What to include in your facility’s Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

factory worker with chemical drums Unfortunately, when it comes to spreading pollutants, nothing does it more efficiently than our very own water systems. Some materials might seem harmless when applied to a small area. For example, pesticide spray on lawns or motor oil spills on pavement. But, when the rain comes, any runoff water carries with it whatever pollutants it encounters.

In industrial areas, this risk is even higher: Manmade surfaces, such as pavement or buildings, don’t absorb water like soil does. Which results in higher volumes of storm water pollutant runoff. This means that what we throw on the ground in urban areas is likely to end up in bodies of water.

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that there are regulations in place to try to limit industrial storm water pollution. To ensure that you stay compliant with regulation and avoid water pollution, it’s imperative that you implement certain best management practices in your Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

A comprehensive SWPPP requires a wide variety of best management practices. However, here are three from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that are of primary importance:

1. Educate and train employees

It’s not useful to have a prevention program in place if your employees don’t know how to implement and maintain it.

Any employees who work with materials that may be exposed to storm water — as well as those who will be responsible for tasks required by your SWPPP — need to receive regular training. The EPA recommends this training occur at least annually.

Make sure to track which employees have received training at what time. That way you’ll know your staff is always fully equipped to handle any storm water concerns they may face in their day-to-day work.

2. Establish controls for properly disposing of waste and pollutants

To prevent everyday materials from ending up in storm water runoff, you need non-structural controls in place.

Non-structural controls focus on facility operations such as posted signage or defined procedures. Remember that controls also need to be regularly evaluated and updated to remain effective and relevant to your facility’s current state.

3. Understand your potential storm water pollutants

Each facility has different pollutants to deal with. Which is why it’s imperative that you put your SWPPP together with a complete foundational knowledge. Including which specific pollutants your workplace must be ready to address.

For example, anything from your vehicle-related pollutants to chemicals and trash. Make sure to analyze every part of your facility that may expose storm water to pollutants. Address each concern in your plan.

You never know when the weather will change or how long a storm could last. Which means you must make sure you prepare to deal with storm water runoff when it happens.

Do you have the right safety products on hand for your workplace? To find out, contact Angie Meza at angie@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Don’t Fall For It: Prevent Slip-and-Fall Injuries with Stair Treads

January 13, 2016 by Travis Zdrazil

Stair treads add grip to help prevent slip and falls

You want your workers to be safe — of course you do. But it isn’t just compassion that makes workplace safety important. Non-fatal workplace injuries hurt your business and your bottom line, too. In fact, it’s been estimated that employers pay out almost $1 billion per week for workers’ compensation costs alone.

And that’s not even the whole cost of injury — there are indirect costs, too, such as training replacement employees, accident investigation, implementation of corrective measures, productivity loss, repairs to damaged equipment and property, and even the costs associated with lowered morale and absenteeism. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics show that there are over 25,000 slip-and-fall injuries in the workplace every day. And even worse, studies show that the rate of falls among industrial employees is rising.

So how can you avoid “falling” into the same traps as other businesses? The most common locations for falls are doorways, ramps, uneven surfaces, ladders, stairs, and any place prone to wetness or spills. Armed with the knowledge of your most dangerous areas, you can use good housekeeping best practices and safety stair treads to stop falls before they happen.

We have a variety of non-slip products to meet your facility’s specific needs.

1. Non-Slip Tapes and Treads

Perfect for indoor or outdoor use, these tapes have an anti-slip grit surface for traction and can be easily applied with peel-and-stick adhesive backing. They come in a variety of colors, widths, and slogans and can be used on steps, ladders, inclines, ramps, or surfaces that are often wet. We even carry a line of extreme tapes for harsh environments.

2. Fiberglass Stair Treads

For use at the primary point of contact on stairs or landings for maximum pedestrian safety, the strong, mineral-abrasive epoxy grit coating on safety stair treads is cost-effective and can be used on wood, concrete, or metal.

3. Aluminum Stair Nosings and Treads

For use on worn steps, new construction, or renovations, these aluminum treads are strong enough for industrial use but attractive enough to be used residentially. They are available in seven standard colors, made from corrosive-resistant extruded aluminum, and utilize a blend of abrasive grit and epoxy filler for a super strong non-slip surface.

All of our anti-slip treads are easy to install, allowing you to make your facility safer immediately.

Want to learn more about tapes, nosings, and treads? AbsorbentsOnline can help. Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Forklift Safety Is Overlooked: Learn Why and What to Do About It

January 13, 2016 by Travis Zdrazil

forklift operator wearing PPE Since their invention in the early 20th century, forklifts have become not just useful, but necessary machines in any industrial setting. These powerful and versatile tools have greatly expanded our abilities to lift and move large objects easily — but that power, when not handled properly, can easily become dangerous.

Last month, an employee at a Florida building products company was pinned between a forklift and some metal shelving, and died after being transported to the hospital. A few months before, a New Jersey construction company employee backed his forklift over a coworker, who was left in critical condition.

There are enough tragic news stories like these. To avoid adding another one to the list, there are two main hazards that are important to avoid:

Hitting head on the overhead cage
Slips, trips, and falls (especially feet slipping off a step)

Although these may seem like simple mistakes to avoid, when you’re using a forklift every day, it’s easy to grow complacent with repetition. Make sure you’re following these best practices to avoid forklift accidents.

Keep your hands clean and dry to prevent slipping when grabbing the handhold.
Check your shoes for grease before entering the vehicle.
Grasp the handhold (not the steering wheel) with a solid grip when entering the vehicle.
Watch your footing carefully when entering or leaving the vehicle.
Lower your body carefully when exiting the vehicle (do not jump down).
Wear appropriate footwear.

To improve forklift safety in your workplace, try our forklift mat. This mat not only helps to prevent slips and falls by absorbing hydraulic fluids, oil, or battery acid that may leak from forklifts, but it has the added bonus of protecting your floors from these leaks as well.

This superabsorbent polypropylene mat has a non-penetrable, non-skid vinyl backing and won’t be damaged by forklifts driving over it — even through many years of use. Prevent slips and falls with this affordable product, which comes in rolls, allowing it to be cut to the desired length.

Do you have the right safety products on hand for your workplace? To find out, contact Angie Meza at angie@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

Do Your Part: Stop Runoff Pollution with Drain Guards

November 24, 2015 by Travis Zdrazil

Storm water pollution is a growing concern on both local and national levels. Storm water runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snow flows over non-absorbent surfaces. Such as driveways, sidewalks, and roads. These surfaces prevent the water from soaking into the ground, like it would on natural dirt or grass areas.

The real issue isn’t simply that runoff exists. The problem is that storm water picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants which then flow into a sewer system. Or, directly into natural bodies of water like rivers and lakes. Anything that enters a storm sewer system then discharges into the bodies of water that we use for swimming, fishing, and even drinking water.

This polluted runoff can adversely affect plants, fish, other animals — and, yes, even people. Which is why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strict regulations governing clean water.

There are a few major problem areas when it comes to storm runoff. For example, parking lots are a huge source of pollution. Cars and trucks drip oil and grease, which then carry into catch basins by rain water. Vehicle storage and service areas can sometimes be even worse than parking lots in terms of the oil and grease contaminants. Construction sites and industrial sites are hotbeds of vehicle and equipment fluids. And, of course, the loose dirt found at most construction sites is easily carried away into our sewer systems and natural bodies of water.

How Drain Guards keep runoff clean

Do your part in preventing storm runoff from carrying contaminants into local sewers and rivers — invest in the Drain Guard.

Drain Guard is a simple device with a design that fits most drain catch basins. A metal grate holds the guard in place so that it can filter out coarse sediments, oil, grease, litter, and debris from storm water.

Drain Guards are available in three models, based on your needs:

Oil and Sediment Model — This model has a geotextile outer material that removes oil and grease from water as it passes through the Drain Guard.
Oil and Sediment Plus Model — This model is the same as the Oil and Sediment Model. Except it also contains X-Tex absorbent filter strips to more effectively remove oil and grease.
Trash and Debris Model — This model’s design is specifically to catch larger items. Such as cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and paper goods.

Protect your local water systems and storm sewers. Install Drain Guards today and help eliminate storm water pollutants!

Have questions about which Drain Guard is right for your needs? Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.