mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:
EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:no">Spills
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:
EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:no"> can have a devastating effect on
both the environment and health. The poor management strategies, while
transporting hazardous substances, can lead to unexpected spills. These sudden
and vast spills can lead to serious health, financial, and environmental
problems. To take care of this, spill kits may be the best way out. Thus it is
crucial to keep a good quality spill kit while transporting materials. A spill
kit is a combination kit of all the essential elements needed to manage a
spillage. However, just having a spill kit cannot help the situation during
emergencies. Proper knowledge about the usage of these spill kits is equally
essential. Handling these huge spill kits is not an easy task. Moreover, the
tendency of the spill to get spread within seconds also prevails. To avoid any
further spillage spread and to put things under control, spill kits are a must.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Spill kits come in different varieties, depending upon the type of spillage
that occurred. There comes another task to choose the right spill kit in a
particular situation. Spill kits broadly are of these few types:
·
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">General-purpose spill kits
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">- The Spill kits used to clean non-hazardous spills or spills that are not
harmful to the environment fall under this category.
·
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Oil and Fuel spill kits
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">- These are mainly used to clean oil or grease-based spills.
·
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Laboratory and medical spill kits
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">- These kits are mainly used in medical facility centers or laboratories to
clean up any spills that occurred during experiments or treatments in hospitals
or clinics.
·
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Chemical spill kits
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">- The spill kits used in factories, mines, industrial facilities, and
workshops fall under this category. They control any chemical spills during the
work process. They are named Hazchem spill kits; to manifest their use in cleaning
up spills of hazardous chemicals.
·
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Anti-static spill kits
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">- These kits specifically serve as a savior during spills of explosive
materials or flammable substances.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Apart from these, there are numerous other spill kits available widely in
the market or over the internet. They are used in unique scenarios to handle
spills of specific substances. For example, Mercury spill kits, body fuel spill
kits, Cadmium spill kits, and many others are available. However, merely
carrying a spill kit is not enough. The size of the spill kit must be large
enough to hold the entire spill. Spill kits are available in different sizes
ranging up to 240 liters. Let the focus be on details of a specific spill kit
type.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Management of chemical spills - Hazchem spill kits
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Chemical spills are among the most dangerous spills that can happen.
Sometimes few chemicals are extremely hazardous and harmful to human health.
Environmental risks are equally associated. However, with the backup of a
proper spill kit, the situation can be controlled efficiently.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Chemical spills are often called Hazchem spills from the initial
abbreviation of Hazardous Chemicals spills. These kits are specialized to
handle large quantity chemical spills. These kits, designed for use in
factories, industrial sites, mines, are highly essential. Chemical spill kits
are available in different capacity sizes. They can start from 8L absorbent
capacity and range up to 795L absorbent capacity.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Spill kits come in a combination pack, containing every essential element.
Moreover, spill kits also contain user manual. This is because spills are
sudden and unexpected when probably an expert in spill control might not be
present. These user manuals can then aid other people to drag the situation
under control. These kits are not only durable, but they can also be carried
directly to the spill spot. These chemical spill kits are experts in cleaning
up all chemical mess. It includes cleaning up chemicals, aggressive acids, and
bases. Apart from these, chemical spill kits can also clean up stubborn paints,
solvents, herbicides, and pesticides. The Hazchem kits are color-coded as Pink.
They are often stuffed inside large wheelie bins for more comfortable
transportation. It ensures easy identification during emergencies.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">A sneak-peak into a Hazchem Spill kit- The essential elements
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">The chemical spill kits contain the most fundamental ingredients required
to control a dangerous chemical spill. The primary component is absorbent. The
absorbents are generally, a polypropylene type of absorbent, which is inert by
chemical nature. They neither react with the absorbed chemical substance nor
degrade the composition of the content. These absorbents are generally
dust-free, which caters to non-haphazard use. In maximum brands of spill kits, Chemsorb
particulate is the primary absorbent used. This absorbent is a lightweight
option. It has a high capacity to absorb fast and offers excellent absorption
efficiency per density mass. Chemsorb is also safe to use and non-toxic in
nature. As a result, it does not impart any harmful by-products after use.
These absorbents in a spill kit are easily identifiable in large white bins or
red grab bags. This minimizes futile searches during emergencies. Apart from a
large amount of absorbent, there are other elements also stuffed in the kit.
They include absorbent mats, personal protective pieces of equipment, and waste
disposal bags. All these types of equipment come along with a cleanup manual
containing instructions to use each of the materials efficiently. All these
essential equipment come inside a slimline kit bag. It is always convenient to
keep these spill kits in workplaces or during transportation.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">The size variation in these Hazchem spill kits indicates the specialized
use of each of them. A spill kit of just 8L is appropriate for technicians who
repair and replace hydraulic fluids. Truck drivers transporting chemicals,
however, require larger capacity spill kits. The absorbent mats also come in
different sizes, according to the spill kit capacity. The absorbent mat should
keep the ability to cover up and soak from the entire spill surface.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Along with these, there are personal protective equipment and a
UV-resistant label in the kit as well. They include gloves, masks, and other
elements that can prevent a person from cleaning up the spills from harmful
health effects. Chemicals spills can be acidic on the human body. Thus direct
contact of the human skin with chemicals must be avoided. Similarly, some
compounds exert obnoxious harmful fumes that are dangerous if inhaled. In these
scenarios, it becomes challenging for the workers to manage the spill.
Protective masks can then be the only option. High length boots and gloves are
also an option to prevent direct contact of the body with the chemical spill.
All the elements in these spill kits are ready to use. As a result, these do
not require any installation or preparation during emergencies.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">The Dos and Don’ts of Chemical spill kits- Important measures to be
followed during emergencies
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Handling so many elements together, all at the time of crises, can be quite
challenging. All items in these kits contain appropriate labels for easy
identification. An instruction guide is also present inside every spill kit.
This eases the situation to some extent. However, with the proper package,
cleaning up a chemical mess can be manageable. The most important thing that is
to be taken care of is safety. Safety should always come as a primary
preference. Chemicals spills are often highly hazardous. Therefore, special
attention to safety measures is a must. The
instruction chart provided contains step-by-step information regarding usage.
It also includes a pictorial demonstration for better understanding. Apart from
this, there remains another safety leaflet. It mentions the protective measures
that should be emphasized.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">Another important fact is to choose the correct spill kit during an
emergency. A chemical spill kit should never be the option to clean up an oil
spill. The chemical absorbent is very specific to the spill compound. Due to
this, the absorbent in a chemical kit will never work in an oil spill. Instead,
it might have adverse effects on nature and the environment. Spill kits demand professional handling of the
elements. This is to ensure minimal or no environmental risks during an
emergency. Besides, a spill kit should always be maintained regularly and kept
updated. An expired spill is nothing better than a no-spill package at all.
This is because the elements inside the spill kit are subject to deterioration
over time. The absorbent might get expired, which no more would work
efficiently. The protective gloves and marks might wear off with no use over
time. These factors are very crucial to have a check on, to avoid a junk spill
kit stacked during an emergency. Even after one-time use, the materials inside
a chemical spill kit must be re-stocked. For a second time use, there should be
enough elements to handle an emergency. These are the few notable instructions
to use and preserve a chemical spill kit.
color:#0E101A;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:BN;mso-no-proof:
no">There are various brands in the market, producing varieties of chemical
spill kits. Each volume is specific to the perimeter of the spill. These spill
kits are a must for different sectors of work. They come in affordable ranges
depending on the size and purpose of use. You can choose the best among the
vast array of varieties available.