How to Select a Spill Kit for Your Workplace

How to select a spill kit to keep your workplace safe. First, it ensures compliance with green rules. However, different work settings have unique spill risks. So, selecting the best spill kit depends on key factors, like the liquids you handle, spill size, and work area.

1. Check Your Spill Risks

Start by assessing your spill risks to spot potential issues. For example, identify the types and amounts of spills that could happen. Some workplaces need several spill kits to handle different dangerous materials. Therefore, consider the chance and impact of spills. This is especially true if you store or use chemicals, oils, or fuels onsite.

2. Pick the Right Spill Kit Size

Spill kits come in many sizes, from small 15L kits to big 240L wheelie bins. But, kit size doesn’t equal how much it can soak up. Instead, choose a spill kit that can handle your largest likely spill, not the total amount stored. For instance, low-viscosity liquids like diesel need more absorbent materials than thicker ones. Thus, always check absorbency rates. Also, reduce the stated capacity by half for thin, fast-spreading liquids.

3. Choose the Best Absorbent Material

Spill kits use color codes to show what liquids they handle. So, picking the right absorbent material ensures fast, safe cleanup and lowers risks.

General Purpose Spill Kits (Yellow)
These kits work for most spills, like oils, coolants, and safe chemicals. They’re great for indoor use. However, don’t use them for corrosive substances.

Oil & Fuel Spill Kits (Red)
These kits soak up oils and fuels but not water. They’re best for outdoor use near water or soil. For spills on soil, find kits with bioactive absorbents.

Hazchem Spill Kits (Blue)
These kits handle dangerous chemicals, like acids, paints, and unknown liquids. They use safe absorbents that don’t react with harsh chemicals. As a result, they work well indoors and outdoors in risky settings.

Spill Kits – Oil and Fuel, General Purpose, Hazchem and Marine (spillmaster.com.au) Our solutions align with best practices outlined in the Safe Work Australia Guide.