Steps to Contain Spills in the Workplace
Incidents of hazardous chemical spills in the workplace is something that scares the workers themselves. The reaction of most people in the event of a spill is to try to do something to prevent it from spreading. This is far from being the right solution. Workers should not put themselves in danger trying to stop or slow down an unsafe spill. There should be spill containment training sessions which will outline to the workers the proper procedures in containing spills and this training should be addressed to those people who are exposed daily to hazardous agents.
This problem is better solved with the right equipment that can contain chemical spills. As a primary safeguard against spill hazards, there should be spill pallets and spill containment berms to use. Perhaps the best weapon for this is to make sure that there is proper management of production and storage areas which are the most common places where spills take place. Transportation corridors should also have proper management and maintenance. If there is a way to channel the spill safely into a secure temporary or disaster holding spaces that area away from sparks, open flames, electrical circuits or employees, then the simplest thing that the workers can do is to deactivate whatever device they are using and then leave the area when there is a spill.
External tanks can leak if they are overfilled or when they are deteriorated . Diking can be a solution to this problem. The dikes have to surround the tanks so that it can collect spills and prevent the distribution of the spilled or leaked liquids which can be flammable, corrosive, or harmful. OSHA recommends diking and is some cases even mandated by the law.
People should consider vehicular traffic in the storage space before diking. The OSHA should not stop them from installing dikes near chemical containers.
The use of diatomaceous earth is recommended by OSHA to control spills. You can spread this chalk-like substance to stop potential hazards. The effect of this method is a successful stoppage of the spill to spread around. If worker can use diatomaceous earth as an element of a disaster response plan that does not put them in any harm, then it can be a competent option for containing a spill.
There are also chemicals that can be sprayed to the spill through pressurized applicators. The spill spreading process can be stopped by the sprayed chemicals. This chemical will not only reduce the effects of the fumes, ti can also solidify hazardous substances in question. The spills can harden or can change their chemical composition to change its combustibility. A hardened chemical spill can easily be disposed of and after that there will be no more fear of danger when the spill is removed. Fast-acting agents can also used to produce quick barriers because they can affect the primary edges of a spill to swiftly lost its fluidity.
