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What’s in Your Acid Spill Kit?

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battery acid spill kitAcids and corrosive substances are on hand at many worksites — automobile repair shops, heavy equipment storage yards, and manufacturing facilities, to name just a few. However, the corrosive materials these and other businesses depend on can be dangerous — and even deadly — if a spill occurs and they’re caught unprepared. Having the proper materials on hand to respond to an acid spill is imperative.

What you need
Your worksite should have spill kits placed in all areas where acids are used. These kits should include acid neutralizers and absorbents that are specifically made for acids and corrosives, as well as other basic items for spill cleanup.

Make sure your acid spill kit includes the following items:

  • An appropriate container: You need a container that can hold acids or other aggressive fluids, like the bucket in the Battery Acid Spill Kit. This container is labeled and highly visible, waterproof, and can be used to store contaminated sorbents until they can be disposed of properly.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE): Depending on the materials handled at your site, your acid spill kit may need a variety of PPE to protect users from aggressive liquids. Basic PPE may include safety goggles, chemical-resistant gloves, aprons, boot covers, and a respirator.
  • Absorbent materials: Hazmat spill kits should include absorbent pads and rolls, and hazmat absorbent. Your kit may also need an acid neutralizer, which absorbs and solidifies acids and then changes colors to signify complete neutralization. (Note that acid neutralizers may not be safe for all acids. Contact AbsorbentsOnline’s knowledgeable staff for answers to any questions you have about which absorbents are suitable for your environment.)
  • Cleaning supplies: Hand brooms or scoops can help spread and clean up absorbent neutralizers. You’ll also need disposal bags to hold used absorbents and contaminated materials.

Your source for spill solutions
AbsorbentsOnline sells many of these items individually, or you can take advantage of our Battery Acid Spill Kits that include PPE and cleanup tools as well as acid-specific absorbents.

You can also contact us about making custom spill kits to meet your needs. Get in touch by email or call toll free at (800) 869-9633. We have hundreds of customers that order special spill kits, and we’re always available to develop the perfect spill solution for your unique business.

 

Fuel Spill Containment Plan: Is Your Company Prepared?

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[sc:date]petrolDoes your company have a fuel containment plan in the event of a spill? Whether it’s petrol-based gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc., fuel is a highly flammable liquid that can lead to fires and explosions. And since most industrial companies and businesses use fuel to power machines and vehicles, spills are an all-too-common occurrence. Allowing fuel to spread unchecked, however, places nearby employees at risk for injury. This is why it’s imperative for companies to have a fuel spill containment plan in place.

Are There Drains Nearby?

When you’re creating a fuel spill containment plan for your company, check to see if there are any stormwater drains nearby. If fuel were to spill and travel down a stormwater drain, it could end up polluting nearby ponds, rivers, lakes and water reservoirs, damaging the eco-system while leaving your company vulnerable to fines and sanctions handed down by the EPA.

Covering a drain is a quick and easy process that takes less than a minute. You can read more about drain covers in our previous blog post, but the idea is to cover it with a fully-reversible waterproof mat made of professional-grade polyurethane. Once the mat is laid over the drain, it creates a waterproof barrier which prevents any liquid, including fuel, from passing through. It’s not a bad idea to keep drain cover mats around each of the stormwater drains in your workplace.

Spill Berms

The first step in a fuel spill cleanup is containment. The farther it spreads, the more damage it will do. So, how do you contain a fuel spill? The solution to this problem is a spill berm. Basically, these are flotation devices used to create a perimeter around the fuel. Once the berm is wrapped all the way around the spill, the fuel will remained contained inside. Fuel, like oil, floats to the top of water, which is why some berms don’t have a bottom. Fuel floats to the top where it’s trapped by a berm on all sides, making it easy to control and clean up.

Cleanup

With the fuel contained within a spill berm, you then next step is to remove it. There are several different ways to approach this scenario, some of which include the use of pads, pillows, absorbent wipes, booms and spill kits. Choose the method that’s best suited towards your particular needs. And when in doubt, stick with a universal spill kit.