Hazchem Spill Kits

The simple answer is for safety. But the longer answer is that the spilling of chemicals or the releasing of vapours, gases or liquids can occur when manufacturing, transporting or processing hazardous materials. In the occurrence of this spill, the kit is the most portable, straightforward and safe way to manage the spill, without any risk to the people doing the cleaning.  

In addition, you are legally obliged to have a spill kit if your facilities and employees are at risk. It is an employer's duty of care to protect both the workers and the environment under Australian Law.

Within a spill kit there are a number of absorbents, waste disposal items and PPE (personal protective equipment). These chemical absorbents are usually made from polypropylene, making sure they are chemically resistant and can deal with caustics, acids and other such corrosive chemical spills. 

At Spill Station, you will have some of these items in your Hazchem spill kit: 

• Hazchem absorbent pad.
• Hazchem Absorbent boom.
• Contaminated waste bags and ties.
• Gloves
• Clear PVC spill kit cover. 
• Laminated instruction sheet. 

Using a chemical spill kit is something that employees should be trained to do, but in general, here is how to use a chemical spill kit:  

1. Assess the possible risk: as soon as a leak has occurred, workers should be able to identify the substance and spill volume to determine the level of risk and ensure further hazards are removed from the area. 
2. Put on the appropriate PPE: This is integral to keeping workers safe as they assess and contain the risk. 
3. Stop the spill: whether simply plugging the leak, closing a valve or putting chemical containers away, you must immediately stop further spillage from occurring. 
4. Absorb the spillage: the spill kit comes with absorbents that should be used to absorb the hazard quickly. 
5. Clean up the site: this is where you wipe down floors, walls or equipment to make sure it's free from any residual contamination that may be left behind. 
6. Dispose of contaminated waste: this means everything you used to clean the spill should be securely put into waste bags and disposed of. 
7. Report the spillage: this is important to keep track of why and where these spills occur to reduce their frequency in the future.

This really depends on the industry you are in, and a risk assessment of your specific facility. Generally speaking, here are some common storage spaces for each industry:

Loading Docks: when moving something in and out, it is common to see bumps and accidents. By having a spill kit in a loading dock you will remain prepared in the event of an emergency.

Trucks and Transport Vehicles: Leaks are often unexpected on the road, so making sure your vehicles have a spill kit will keep the drivers and environment as safe as possible.

Forklifts: forklift operators are constantly on the go, and thus are often the first to see a spill occur. This means by putting a spill kit on a forklift you can essentially have a moving spill response team.

Production Lines: if you want to prevent production stops for a long period of time, arming workers in this area with the knowledge and resources to prevent and clean spills will keep you up and running longer.

Fluid Stations: anywhere that fluids are processed or dispensed can cause accidents, and a spill kit should be on hand to address these accidents.

Outdoor Storage Tanks: Wherever there is storage, there can be a spill. Outdoors, this risk occurs with the likelihood of leaks into the drain or gutter, harming the environment as well as other workers.

When it comes to personal protection equipment (PPE), each spill kit will vary depending on the nature of the liquids your workplace manages. Different spill kits come with their own unique PPE needs, and this depends on if they are general spill kits, chemical spill kits and more.

Generally speaking, here’s the PPE you’ll see in a spill kit. 

•     Respiratory protective equipment
•     Disposable overalls or lab coats
•     Eye and face protection
•     Gloves, booties and hair nets.

There are many reasons why workplaces prefer spill stations, but when it comes to our spill kits, here are the core reasons:  

Easy to receive we make sure the ordering process is easy with Spill Station’s web ordering service.

Easy to transport: our spill kits are always highly portable, well-signed and ready for immediate use.

Cost-effective: we offer competitive prices and the ability to buy in bulk from warehouses within Australia, with no loss of quality.

Highly effective: our spill kits always do their core job, they keep your workplace safe, every time.

Managing and containing chemical spills is a legal part of your duties in Australian workplaces, but inspecting and maintaining your chemical spill kit is also of vital importance.  

Without an inspection and maintenance schedule, the chemical spill kit may prove ineffective once your employees start using them. For example, did employees remember to refill the kits after use? Are the correct chemically compatible materials available in the kit? Was the kit installed in a new location without proper personnel training and labelling? 

When it comes to maintaining your spill kit, you have to make sure the kit is fit to be used, suitable for the specific spill and is installed, set up and used as accurately and correctly as possible. On top of this, you must ensure control measures are revised regularly to keep them up to date. 

A vital part of effective spill response is knowing how to correctly use the contents of a spill kit. Even though the spill kits from Spill Station come with laminated instructions, these should not be depended upon in an emergency. Your workplace needs to ensure the right staff are trained in using the spill kit, maintaining the spill kit and even alerting others to where the spill kit is.