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Every situation and location is different. The contents of spill kits must be matched with the particular substance of concern or a specific area to be controlled. There are several ways to determine which spill kit is right for your workplace.
Ultimately, workplaces should aim to meet their legal obligations and ensure any spills or leakage of chemicals or hydrocarbons do not leave the site via stormwater drain inlets or soak into the ground. This compliance issue must be addressed if the liquid soaks into gravel or soil surfaces.
Should any liquids leave the site in question as ‘pollutants, there will be a compliance breach with potentially an environmental impact. If we contain and keep spills of liquids on site, they can generally be managed and cleaned up effectively as site management issues.
The local council of your business’s location will have rules to comply with, and when bulk chemicals are involved, other authorities (e.g., ‘EPA’) will have requirements that you must know and comply with.
Silverback has a Spill Kit Selector chart to ensure you obtain the correct spill kits for your application.
The type of chemical will dictate which absorbents can be used to soak it up safely. Some materials can be used on almost all types of chemicals, while there are specific absorbents to suit special purposes. Refer to the safety data sheets if you are unsure what type of chemical it is.
Spill kits are provided to match the different types of chemicals in the workplace:
General Purpose Spill Kits can be used indoors or outdoors on non-aggressive chemical spills and are available in satchel bags or easily manoeuvrable wheeled bins. They are ideal for any industrial workplace or mechanic’s workshop. They will efficiently address water-based fluids, fuels, and oils within buildings or outside except in rainy or marine conditions.
Fuels (diesel, petrol, jet fuel), Hydraulic Fluids, Solvents (kerosene, etc.), Ethanol, Methanol, Butanol, Cooking Oils, Paints (water & oil-based), Coolants, Mild Acids & Caustics (below 50% concentration), Pesticides & Herbicides, Sewage & Sullage, Foodstuffs, General Fluids and Non-hazardous fluids.
For more information, see General Purpose Spill Kits.
Oil & Fuel Spill Kits by Silverback are effective for petroleum-based liquids on land. These kits are ideal for industrial or mechanical workshops that contain petrol bowsers. Most of these kits contain Spill-Sweep absorbent, which has been tested to meet EPA standards for landfill disposal.
Fuels (diesel, petrol, jet fuel), Hydraulic Fluids, Solvents like kerosene, Ethanol, Methanol, Butanol, Cooking Oils, Water & Oil-Based Paints and Coolants.
For more information, see Oil & Fuel Spill Kits.
Silverback Hazchem Prenco Spill Kits feature medium-level industrial-grade absorbents for "Hazardous Chemical Spills" in the workplace. Hazchem absorbents have polypropylene microfibers with excellent chemical resistance and outstanding absorbent capabilities.
Fuels, Solvents, AdBlue, *Acids, *Caustics, Pesticides & Herbicides, Sullage and Other Non-Hazardous General Liquids.
*Chemicals subject to absorbent SDS requirements.
For more information, see Hazchem Spill Kits.
Acid Spill kits feature a neutralising absorbent powder which adds to the safety of the clean-up process. The advantages of using this particular purpose absorbent are to help stabilise the fluid, suppress vapours and rapidly encapsulate and “wick up” the liquid. The neutralising agent in the powder will then assist with partial pH adjustment of the acid to make handling and disposal much safer and easier in one application.
A variety of corrosive acidic liquids.
For more information, see Acid Spill Kits.
Note: for acid/alkali chemicals (Class 8 - corrosives) and HAZCHEM generally, the chemical concentration will be important in ensuring correct response options and PPE. Ensure you check safety data sheets, and any response options must include correct PPE and training for workers expected to carry out spill responses.
Marine Spill Kits are designed to effectively handle oil spills in or around waterways. These spill kits contain specially formulated absorbents to repel water and float on the surface, making them highly suitable for marine environments. They can be strategically placed in various locations such as vessels, boat sheds, aquatic refuelling facilities, factories, warehouses, and areas near rivers, storage tanks, storm-water channels, or drains.
Oils, fuels, and other hydrocarbons on water. These products are designed to repel water.
For more information, see Marine Spill Kits.
Medical spill kits are essential equipment and supplies designed to safely and efficiently handle spills in medical facilities. These kits typically include personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and goggles, absorbent materials for liquid spills, disinfectants and cleaning agents to eliminate pathogens, waste disposal materials, instructional guides, and incident reporting forms. They are stored in accessible areas and help healthcare professionals respond promptly to spills, ensuring the safety of patients and staff while maintaining a clean and hygienic environment.
For more information, see Medical Spill Kits.
Lab spill kits are specialised equipment and materials designed to handle and manage spills in laboratory environments. These spill kits are crucial for ensuring the safety of laboratory personnel, preventing the spread of hazardous substances, and minimising potential damage to equipment and the environment.
For more information, see Laboratory Spill Kits.
The amount that could be leaked or spilt will affect the sizes of liquid storage containers (IBC, drums, and bottles) and tanks/pipework.
For example, if chemicals can be accepted and stored in 20L drums, then the largest spill should, in theory, be 20L, so our spill response should be capable of containing and absorbing up to 20L of liquid.
Generally, businesses should allow for an ‘error factor’ and ensure the kit has 10-20% additional capacity.
Large volumes (e.g., from a broken 205L drum) will move very quickly to drains and if containers are near drains, special assessment and planning is recommended.
Spill kits might not be effective in these situations. If the surface is already wet from rain, the surface will absorb less, and the body of liquid will travel more quickly to the drain inlets.
Small volumes that may not flow to a drain or soak into the ground can be addressed with standard spill kits as more of a housekeeping issue. (e.g., indoor spills in warehouses, labs, clinical areas etc)
Note: All spills on hardstand should be cleaned up, even if they are small in volume and will not flow to a drain. If they are ignored, the chemical will move as polluted run-off the next time it rains. Some fuels can cause failure in pavement surfaces/asphalt and may lead to significant engineering costs to remediate if not cleaned up promptly.
Once chemicals have soaked into the ground, they can connect with groundwater and spread contamination under the surface, which can be costly and disruptive to remediate later.
Spills onto these surfaces should be dug up with the contaminated sand/soil t. This damp earth should be removed for correct disposal and replaced with new material. The longer the spill is untreated, the deeper chemicals will run.
Special considerations apply where spills may flow into the water. Leaks or spills of liquid chemicals into water will be difficult to control as they may combine with the water body and immediately impact water quality and aquatic life.
Spills of hydrocarbons generally float on the surface, and control options are available to reduce the impact. The materials used are similar to the Hydrocarbon spill kits.
Prevention of spills and leaks reaching the water body is much easier than trying to minimise impacts once a spill is in or on the water. Read more about Marine Spill Control.
Silverback has fully stocked warehouses and showroom displays in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide. If you want to discuss SPILL CONTROL products or solutions or require advice, talk to one of our experienced staff.
