Built To Spill: Containment Options For Any Facility
Don't give hazardous chemicals a chance to cause safety issues with these solutions
Spill Containment Equipment Inquiry
Safety is multifaceted, from ceiling to floor and everything between. Operational safety processes boost your overall productivity and bottom line. Some kinds of safety are more apparent and easier to visualize than others; things like forklift safety or machine guarding. One safety concern that should always be addressed, but might be overlooked, is spill containment.
Spill prevention and containment are important to protect workers and the environment around your facility. No one wants the hassle, potentially deadly injuries, or costly aftermath that comes with chemical spills in a warehouse, factory or processing facility. With that in mind, what are good options to help keep chemicals contained?
Spill containment options are plentiful
Whether hauling or storing hazardous containers in and around your facility, there is a safe option available. Equipment designed to keep containers safe and away from workers, and also to protect those that move drums around is out there.
Chemical storage options
Depending on the area and type of containment needed, there is a spill pallet and deck for every application, including spill pallets or spill containment decks. To make a specification decision, you’ll need to know what chemicals you are handling and compatibility.
Decks and pallets have a chemical-resistance guides that determine which materials (steel or polyethylene) will be suitable for contact with the liquids being contained. Either option offers the ability to store chemicals where leaks can drip into sumps – special collection areas where leaks pool and can be pumped out for removal from time to time, or berms that protect against large amounts of spillage.
Pallets vs decks
- Spill containment pallets come in multiple sizes, ranging from small 1-drum units to 8-drum pallets. Some pallets nest to reduce the cost of shipping and storage. Spill pallets that fit into warehouse racks help protect your inventory from drips and messes. Steel pallets are a great choice when dedicated bonding/grounding points are required, such as when storing solvents, fuels and other flammable liquids. Steel pallets, unlike polyethylene pallets, are unlikely to crack or split in extreme temperatures.
- Spill decks, on the other hand, can be configured to your needs. Decks can be joined with to achieve the containment capacity you need. Other decks can add a bladder system to capture larger spills and help meet regulations.
Another way to ensure compliance is to store hazardous chemicals in specialized safety cabinets.
If you can’t store your drums, tanks and IBC units indoors, spill pallets and decks come in outdoor hardtop and shed units as well. The hardtops are available in 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20-drum models. Hardtops and DrumSheds have enough room to keep your drum funnels and pumps in place while not in use.
Read more: How to safely store chemicalsÂ
Drum movement and transport
You want your equipment to meet OSHA standards, and allow for freedom to safely shift drums in a spill controlled manner. High-quality drum caddies are the best way to achieve this. Most caddies offer the ability to handle 30 or 55-gallon drums and are designed for comprehensive drum handling safety, mobile dispensing capability, and built-in spill containment.
Forklift transport
Another avenue to look for safer ways is when transporting chemicals via forklift. Items like spill collectors allow for single drum storage and transport. Their rugged construction and slots for forklifts to access make them an easy choice for powered truck movement of chemicals. Adding outdoor drum storage that offers forklift access as well only increases protection from chemical spills and hazards.
Adding any (or all) of these chemical storage items significantly increases the protection from dangerous chemicals that need housing in a facility. Combined with proper labeling and training, you can create a much safer environment for your workers.
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At Cisco-Eagle, we pride ourselves on being a single source for your material handling needs with a long history of performance you can rely on. Because we also believe in empowering our customers with detailed information and options, we’re proud to offer the latest version of our company catalog.
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Evan Fleishacker is a Marketing Strategist at Cisco-Eagle. You can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/evanf