Oil & Fuel Spill Kits

Choosing an Oil & Fuel Spill Kit

Oil & Fuel Spill Kits are designed for spills involving hydrocarbons such as diesel, petrol, lubricating oils, hydraulic oils and similar petroleum-based liquids. They use water-repellent absorbents that are suited to recovering oil and fuel without readily taking up surrounding water.

This makes Oil & Fuel spill kits particularly useful around workshops, transport yards, refuelling areas, service vehicles, plant and machinery, outdoor storage areas and other locations where hydrocarbon spills may occur.

Spillmaster supplies Oil & Fuel Spill Kits in 15L, 30L, 50L, 80L, 120L and 240L sizes. The appropriate kit depends on the liquids present, the reasonably foreseeable spill, where the kit will be positioned and how quickly it can be accessed.

If you need help comparing spill kit types or choosing a practical size, see our How to Select a Spill Kit guide. You can also return to the complete Spill Kits range to compare Oil & Fuel, General Purpose, Chemical/Hazchem, Marine and Biohazard options.

Where Are Oil & Fuel Spill Kits Used?

Oil and fuel spills can occur anywhere hydrocarbons are stored, transferred, transported or used. The appropriate spill-response setup should reflect the activities and risks at the individual site rather than relying on kit size alone.

• Workshops and maintenance areas — where engine oils, lubricants, hydraulic fluids and fuels are handled.
• Transport and logistics sites — including vehicle yards, depots and areas where vehicles or equipment are serviced.
• Refuelling and fuel storage areas — where diesel, petrol and other hydrocarbon spills may need rapid containment.
• Service and work vehicles — where a compact spill kit can provide response equipment close to the work location.
• Outdoor industrial areas — particularly where spilled oil or fuel could move towards drains, soil or surrounding areas.

Where the primary risk involves oil or fuel reaching a waterway, also consider whether a dedicated Marine Spill Kit and appropriate floating containment equipment are required for the site.

How Oil & Fuel Absorbents Work

Oil & Fuel spill kits use hydrophobic, or water-repellent, absorbents intended for hydrocarbons. This is an important distinction from General Purpose absorbents, which are intended to absorb a broader range of common workplace liquids including water-based fluids.

Depending on the kit, components can include absorbent pads, socks, pillows, loose absorbent, PPE and disposal bags. Socks can help contain and control the spread of a spill, while pads and other absorbents are used to recover the liquid. Always check the individual product page for the exact contents supplied with a particular kit.

If the main spill risk includes water-based workplace liquids as well as oils and fuels, compare our General Purpose Spill Kits. For chemical spills, use the chemical involved to determine whether a Chemical/Hazchem Spill Kit and chemical-compatible response equipment are required.

Selecting the Right Oil & Fuel Spill Kit Size

Do not select an Oil & Fuel Spill Kit solely from the litre number in the product name. Spill kit litre designations identify different kit sizes within the range and should not automatically be treated as a guaranteed absorbency capacity.

Consider the quantity of oil or fuel that could reasonably be released, the number and location of potential spill points, nearby drains or waterways, the distance to the response equipment and whether more than one kit would provide faster access across the site.

Smaller bagged kits can be practical for vehicles and localised work areas, while larger mobile kits may be better suited to workshops, warehouses, depots and industrial facilities. Individual product pages provide the contents and specifications needed to compare the available sizes.

Oil & Fuel Spill Kit FAQs