spill kit maintenance
28 Feb
Uncategorized

App Based Spill Kit Maintenance Now a Reality

Workplace spills and leaks are foreseeable incidents in most workplaces. They can range in size from less than 1 litre to thousands of litres and can occur from drums, plant, vehicles or even people. Left unattended, these spills can become dangerous to worker health and safety.

Spill kits are a common control measure used to effectively contain and clean-up workplace spills. Section 37 of the Work Health and Safety regulation requires than any control measure, “is maintained so that it remains effective, including by ensuring that the control measure is
and remains:

(a) fit for purpose, and
(b) suitable for the nature and duration of the work, and
(c) installed, set up and used correctly.

In order to ensure compliance with Section 37 of the regulation, Spill Station Australia now offer a complete electronic real-time spill kit maintenance service.

What do you get?

Our service technician will visit your site and undertake a full 18-point checklist on each spill kit and restock any used components. This spill kit maintenance checklist covers the accessibility, usability and suitability of each spill response asset. Photos are taken of the spill kit at the start and completion of each kit inspection and any defects or non-compliances are recorded.

Once all onsite spill kits have been inspected and restocked, two reports are instantly compiled and sent. The first is to your accounts department listing the items replaced, line cost and total cost. The second more detailed report is sent to the person responsible for the onsite environment, health and safety compliance. This report contains the completed checklist for each spill kit and an individualized list of components replaced.

As well as documenting compliance with Section 37 of the WHS regulation, this report also demonstrates due diligence and environmental duty of care with regard to spill response and control.

Another benefit of this data is you can track the amount of spills occurring in the vicinity of the spill kit by measuring the quantity of absorbents used. This data can be invaluable when identifying areas of stock loss, profit leakage and work practices that may need improvement.

This checklist based electronic reporting also extends to documenting compliance of chemical storage cabinets as well as safety shower and eyewash equipment.

All three of these services will provide you and your team with visibility, accountability and clarity of reporting to better allow you to plan and implement essential improvements across your work health and safety landscape.

Contact servicing@spillstation.com.au or call 1300 66 42 66 for more details

27 Nov
Uncategorized

What is a Spill Kit used for?

Industries where Spill Kits are needed

The spill kit is generally used in line with a spill response procedure which is designed to ensure that the spill is cleaned up in the most efficient and effective way, whilst maintaining the safety of colleagues and patrons. In most jurisdictions around the nation spill kits are a legal requirement and form part of the safety and environmental procedures when handling dangerous liquids. It is possible that your business could be fined for not abiding by these legal requirements.

Spill kits can be found in many business and industries, you can expect to find spill kits in warehouses, transport, laboratories, production and manufacturing, restaurants, docks, marinas and other commercial industries. However, spill kits are designed as a spill response product. All hazardous substances should always be handled by a trained professional and with the utmost care in order to minimise the chance of a spill.

Warehouses
Laboratories
Workshop
Marine
Food & Bev
Oil & Fuel

Spill Kits Main Benefits

There are many benefits to having a good quality spill kit on hand and using it in the
instance of a hazardous chemical spill.

  • AusSpill Quality Compliant

  • Laboratory Tested Capacity

  • Protect People and Assets

  • Environmentally Responsible

  • Fast ID Colour Coding

  • Australian Made

What is a Spill Kit?

The spill kit is generally used in line with a spill response procedure which is designed to ensure that the spill is cleaned up in the most efficient and effective way, whilst maintaining the safety of colleagues and patrons. In most jurisdictions around the nation spill kits are a legal requirement and form part of the safety and environmental procedures when handling dangerous liquids. It is possible that your business could be fined for not abiding by these legal requirements.

Learn More
Enquire Now

To ensure the safety of yourself and others in the case of a spill or when using a spill kit, your work area should permanently contain a safety shower and eyewash station compliant with AS4775:2007 as a minimum precaution. All staff should be trained on how to use these appropriately and how to assist a colleague who may need to use one in the case of any emergency.

There are many benefits to having a good quality spill kit on hand and using it in the instance of a hazardous chemical spill.

Spill kits can be customised to your needs and come in a variety of sizes and absorbency levels that will soak up and contain a leakage or spill. The varying types of sorbents can be used for oil spills in water as well as spills on general surfaces such as concrete.

Enquire Now

Spill Kits Categories

Spill kits can be customised to your needs and come in a variety of sizes and absorbency levels that will soak up and contain a leakage or spill. The varying types of sorbents can be used for oil spills in water as well as spills on general surfaces such as concrete.

Learn More

Having and utilising a spill kit is much like any other equipment your business may have and use. It is essential that the relevant staff familiarise themselves with the kit, how it work and the types of spills it is suitable for. Contact Spill Station Australia today for more information on our accredited spill response training.

Maintenance of emergency and safety equipment is mandated in the WHS regulations.This obligation can be met and coordinated through the Spill Station service team.

When properly used a spill kit it is an essential safety measure that can protect against harm to people, property and the environment.

Spill Station Certifications

Spill Station® Australia is an independently accredited ISO9001:2008 company and a Recognised Australian Defence Force Supplier.

Have a question?

Contact Us
Concrete Batch Plant Solutions
23 Mar
Uncategorized

Concrete batch Plant Solutions

Concrete Batch Plant Solutions.

All industries pose some type of risk to the environment and the concrete, cement and aggregates industry is no exception. One of the primary risk points on a concrete batch plant is chemicals and sediment laden water discharging through stormwater drains.

Though most sites manage these risks effectively, there is always the opportunity to improve practices. To assist in this continuous improvement, Spill Station have assembled a tailored range of products for concrete batching plants. 

Chemical management and handling, including waste chemicals is one identified environmental risk area. Spill Station Australia offer a range of spill trays for containers from 20L to 1000L IBC’s. Where a dedicated roofed structure is not available, we have covered bunded units for outdoor storage of chemicals.

Where containment of substances over a larger area is required, RoBund is an excellent solution. It is a modular polyurethane product that bolts to the ground to contain spills but allows vehicles to drive over. Because it is polyurethane it will not chip or crack and can be easily retrofitted to existing sites.

Sediment laden water entering the stormwater system is a constant issue on almost all batching plants. Drain Guards collect solids that wash into stormwater drains and significantly reduce the strain on triple interceptors. They are easily fitted under the drain grate and the installation process occurs above ground so no confined spaces protocols are required.

These Drain Guards are designed to never block even when full. Because they are made from polypropylene, they have the additional feature of removing 99.8% of hydrocarbons that may wash down into the stormwater during a rain event.

Safety shower and eyewash units are a critical piece of safety equipment on all batch plants but are often found in poor condition and therefore non-compliant. The most common problem is that the eyewash dust covers are not replaced or lost and the aerators become blocked. The other problem is the shower/eyewash is exposed to the sun and the water heats up above compliant temperatures.

To combat these common problems, Spill Station offer a self-draining safety shower with a covered eyewash. The eyewash valve is integrated into the lid. This means that in order to turn off the flow of water, the eyewash cover is closed therefore covering the aerators. When the safety shower is turned off all of the water in the shower is drained out of the system, preventing any water from becoming over heated.

Spill Response Kits are a basic piece of environmental/safety equipment found on almost all sites in Australia. The Spill Station Hazchem Spill Kits are a result of over 38 years of experience and are suitable to use common batch plant chemicals as well as oils, fuels, coolant and hydraulic fluids found in vehicles attending the site.

In addition to these products, Spill Station also offer spill kit and safety shower/eyewash compliance audits to ensure your equipment maintains compliance with Australian Standards and WHS regulation.

Contact Spill Station today on 1300 66 42 66 for more details on how we can help you.

Pollution Solutions
11 Feb
Uncategorized

Pollution Solution: Stormwater Protection

A $15,000 fine issued to a western Sydney glass recycler has increased the awareness of how serious the EPA is about preventing solids from entering the storm water system.

EPA Director Regulatory Operations Cate Woods said, “The glass can break and enter the environment as wind blown particles or be washed into the storm water system.”

In an effort to make it clear that they are applying an equal focus to all players in the recycling industry, Cate Woods went on to say, “The EPA wants to ensure there is a level playing field for all resource recovery operators and that includes complying with the terms of their Environment Protection Licence and the law.

“This is a timely reminder for all licence holders that they must comply with all conditions of their licence”, Ms Woods said.

The Flat Drain Guard is an efficient and low cost solution to preventing solids and sediment from entering on site drains. Once installed, this passive filter sits out of traffic areas under the grate allowing for the normal operation of the area.

Installation and monitoring are easy as it all takes place above ground so no confined spaces protocols are required.

The Flat Drain Guard has the added benefit of acting as a hydrocarbon filter. Independent laboratory testing shows the Flat Drain Guard removes over 99% of oils and fuels. This makes it ideal for carparks and areas where oil contaminated wash down is entering the drains.

CLICK HERE for more information on the FLAT DRAIN GUARD

Compliant Oil Fuel Spill Kit
09 Feb
Uncategorized

Spill Station Goes Lime Green

Australian Standard AS4123.7 designates a yellow bin and lid for use as a clinical waste container. Spill kit users are having to ask the question, “Is that a clinical waste bin or a spill kit?”

By June 1 2021, Spill Station will transition all of our spill kits to the unique lime green bins. Unlike yellow bins, the lime green colour is not in conflict with any Australian Standards.

This same Australian Standard designates red bins for radioactive waste and blue bins for office paper.

We believe that the AusSpill Quality Guidelines provide a significant improvement for all spill kit users and our community as a whole. As well as recommending the bright lime green colour body, it designates white, yellow and grey lids for oil kits, chemical kits and general kits. The guidelines also suggest kit describers with text a minimum of 50mm high on a contrasting background to ensure fast recognition and rapid spill response.

All of the spill kit bags will also be in lime green by June 1 to ensure a consistant appearance to all kits across the range.

These guidelines are not a legal requirement but we believe that having spill kits in a uniform unique colour we are providing a net benefit to the health and safety of Australians and our environment.

Contact Spill Station today to find out how we can help you to transition to AusSpill Quality Compliant spill kits on your site.

$500 rebate
09 Feb
Uncategorized

SafeWork $500 Safety Equipment Rebate For Small Business

SafeWork $500 Safety Equipment Rebate For Small Business

In order to help small business to improve safety, SafeWork NSW has introduced a $500 rebate to small business owners and sole traders in NSW to buy and install equipment to make their workplace safer.

Eligible items include bunding, dangerous goods cabinets and spill containment systems.

To be able to claim the $500 rebate your company must have fewer than 50 employees and you are conducting a business producing goods or providing services in NSW. SafeWork has published the full terms and conditions on their website.

Claimants are required to watch a webcast such as Management of Hazardous Manual Tasks

A full list of eligible events can be found on the SafeWork website.

Contact Spill Station today for information on a range of eligilble items.

Ph: 1300 66 42 66

enquiries@spillstation.com.au

Polluter pays
09 Feb
Uncategorized

“Polluter Pays” to be Formally Adopted into Law

Ammendments made to the Environment Protection Act 2017 will come into force on 1 July 2021. The principle of “Polluter Pays” is one of the 11 principles of the Act. This means that regardless of fault, if your activity causes pollution, you are responsible for the cost of returning the damage area to its original state.

Failure to do so can result a remedial notice being issued. Remedial notices are issued if it is found that on reasonable grounds a duty holder:

  • isn’t complying with the Environment Protection Act 2017 (the Act).
  • waste or contamination is present that requires treatment.

If the polluter does not comply with the remedial notice, criminal enforcement may apply. These same amendments will see maximum fines increase to $3.2 million.

A guiding principle that applies not only to this situation but to all environment, health and safety issues is “An ounce on prevention is worth a pound of cure”. By assessing your risks, deploying the correct equipment to offset the risks and training staff in how to respond, the problems associated with the cost of remediation can be removed.

Until 28 February, Spill Station are offering a complimentary Spill Response Capability Audit & Report* to ensure you are ready to respond should a spill incident occur.

Spill Station - Hazchem Spill Response Kit
01 Nov
Uncategorized

Spotlight Question

Are all green spill kits compliant?

The short answer is “no”.

In November 2018 the Australian Spill Control Industry Association, the AusSpill association, published voluntary product quality guidelines for industry participants. These guidelines set out appearance, labeling, packaging and performance parameters  for spill kits. Spill kits in this range, manufactured and sold by Spill Station Australia, comply with these guidelines.

The guidelines have been designed to be a first step in overcoming a range of significant shortfalls. One of those points of confusion is the lack of uniform appearance. Currently spill kits are sold in a range of colours including yellow. Australian Standard AS4123 identifies yellow bins for depositing clinical waste. To overcome this glaring conflict, AusSpill selected bright lime green bins as, unlike yellow bins, this colour is not in conflict with exisiting Australian Standards.

The other critical part of the quality guidelines is that for a spill kit to be compliant, the absobent claims must be confirmed by independent laboratory testing using the British Standard Test Method BS7959-1.

The AusSpill Quality Guidelines also has requirements for labelling, inspection tagging and maintenance.

A green bin is not enough. If your spill kit carries the AusSpill mark of compliance, you can be confident you have an AusSpill Quality Compliant Spill Kit.

Poor Sanitiser Storage
01 Nov
Uncategorized

Poor Sanitiser Storage Could Cost

Poor Sanitiser Storage Could Cost $30,000

Although it has become a required substance in every Australian workplace, alcohol based hand sanitiser is still a dangerous good and has to be stored in a legal manner as per Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations and Australian Standards. Failure to comply with WHS regulations could result in a $30,000 fine.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has specified that provided hand sanitiser formulations contain 80% ethanol or 70% isopropanol, they are exempt from TGA regulations. At these concentrations they are classified as flammable liquids and must be stored accordingly.

AS1940:2017 is the Australian Standard for storage and handling of flammable liquids. It recommends a compliant flammable liquid storage cabinet as a complaint method of storing flammable liquids in your workplace.

The current circumstances has also seen rise to the amount of aerosol disinfectant products such as Glen 20 increase significantly. This is classified as a Class 2.2 flammable gas and as such must be stored safely. An aerosol storage cage provides a safe, secure and ventilated storage area for all aerosols as required by the standard.

Both AS1940 and WHS regulations state that storage areas need to be provided with spill containment to capture and contain spills. Any spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible, using appropriate equipment and materials for dangerous goods. Spill Station spill kits provide a fast and simple method for containing and cleaning up any spills that may occur.

Contact Spill Station today on 1300 66 42 66 for advice about our compliant storage solutions.

EPA
01 Nov
Uncategorized

New Law Sees EPA Powers Increase

When the Environment Protection Act 2018 comes into effect in July 2021 the EPA will be able to issue stronger santions and penalties to make polluters and potential polluters pay with fines up to $3.2m and jail time for deliberate breaches.

The centrepiece of these new laws is the general environmental duty (GED). It is a powerful demonstration of how human safety and environmental safety are becoming more entwined as the occupational health and safety law (OHS) is the template for building the GED.

The GED is the legal obligation that applies to all citizens. It requires that you must be aware of the risks your activites could pose to environmetal and human health and take all reasonable steps to eliminate or minimise the negetive outcomes.

In an Australian first The Environment Protection Act 2018 makes the GED criminally enforcable in Victoria.

The new sanctions available to the EPA include civil penalties as an alternative to criminal prosecution. Monetary benefit orders allow any profit made from breaching environmental laws to be stripped away from the offender.

Another available sanction is restorative project orders that will require a business to carry out a project to restore or enhance the environment. The EPA can also require a business to set aside a certain amount of money to cover remediation or clean up costs.

An important addition to the Act empowers citizens through third party rights. This allows individuals to make direct application to the courts if it is believed that the EPA has not acted where it should have in a reasonable amount of time.

Spill Station Australia have been helping Australian businesses meet their environment, health and safety obligations since 1983 with our range of products, training and aftersales service. Contact our team to attend your site to identify any gaps in your current spill response and control systems and assist in making you ready for the new laws.

123