There are a lot of spill absorbent products out there. But how do you know which spill absorbent products to get?
Below, you’ll learn how to choose the right spill absorbent products for your company’s facilities.
Important Factors for Choosing Spill Absorbent Products
- If you need to absorb hydrocarbon spills, such as oils and fuels, you’re better off buying spill absorbent products that are designed to absorb these materials. A good example of these are oil pillows and oil socks.
- If you’re handling dangerous and aggressive chemicals, hazchem pads might be better. They’re better suited to absorbing aggressive acids or bases.
- If multiple types of spills are to be expected within the facility, go for general-purpose absorbents.
You need to consider other factors as well. For example, is there the potential for spill on unsealed surfaces? Soil-soaked spills aren’t easy to handle. While you can use oil pillows or oil socks to absorb free liquid, the same can’t be said if the oil spills onto soil. In these cases, you’ll want to use a different ground absorbent.
When choosing spill absorbent products, it’s important to remember that you might need more than just one tool to completely clean up the spill.
So, the more tools you have, the better.
What Kind of Spill Absorbent Products Are Important?
Onsite spills are an inevitability when handling liquids.
It’s important to have the necessary spill absorbent products for such eventualities. For example, a mini-boom or a containment boom can be especially handy when dealing with oil spills. These containment and eco-friendly solutions can handle all kinds of water-borne spills, especially oils. If you use them immediately and properly, these spill containment products can help protect water-based environments and wildlife from the adverse effects of an uncontained spill.
There are other types of spill absorbent products that you might want to consider stocking onsite as well.
For smaller spills, oil socks, pads, and rolls are useful. They can quickly soak up oil on water and sealed surfaces. However, when handling chemical agents, hazchem pads will be necessary for proper clean-up and disposal.
Remember, you can’t just buy any spill absorbent product that you can find. You need the right type of spill absorbent products for the right spill. Even if multi-purpose spill absorbent products exist, it’s still better to use a product specified for a particular use instead of a product that’s meant to be used on multiple types of spills.
Having the right spill absorbent products in-stock can make a difference between a relatively clean and safe construction site and a facility that’s just one spill away from a financial disaster.
Well-stocked spill absorbent products and well-trained staff members can help ensure the safety and efficiency of the entire site, as well as its immediate environment.
