Stop spills in their tracks

We have discussed previously the importance of having an emergency spill response plan in place should a hazardous liquid spill occur at your industrial site. And we have seen that there are a number of ways a spill could occur. For this reason it’s important to have a detailed itinerary of all the locations where a hazardous liquid spill could occur on your site and have a plan as how to react to each of them.

When a spill of a hazardous liquid occurs, it may not just be the surrounding area that is affected but the spill could also find its way into:

• The surface water table

• Regular waste water drains

• Marine or river environments

• The soil around your site

It’s important to remember that many hazardous liquids also release noxious fumes when spilled, so this scenario should feature heavily in your plans.

A spill may not only damage the surrounding environment it may also damage your reputation and your bank balance when you are prosecuted by the Environment Agency. Making sure that employees receive adequate training in spill response and there are a range of spill kits available at various sites around your factory can be the difference between a disaster and a well executed spill response.