What Do You Need In A Flammable Liquids Spill Kit? 

Organisations that carry any quantity of Class 3 Flammable Liquids have a legal responsibility to provide a spill containment system under Section 357 of the WHS Regulations. And part of this containment strategy must also include the provision of compliant spill kits. To quickly and effectively clean up any flammable liquids that may leak or spill into your workplace, it’s important that you’re equipped with the right materials and familiar with spill cleanup procedures. While most businesses will already have a spill kit onsite, you must make sure that the kit is always up-to-date, fully stocked and in good working condition. It’s also essential that the kit contains the necessary spill clean-up items that are specifically for a flammable liquids spill.

6 Safety Tips for your Flammable Spill Kit

There are many considerations during the flammable liquid spill process. Here are some key safety tips to help you to clean up oil, fuel and other hydrocarbon spills in a safe and compliant manner with your flammable spill kit.

REMEMBER: Selection is so important when looking at spill kits for your operations. For Class 3 Flammable Liquids, we recommend an Oil & Fuel Kit that includes spill kit bag, booms, heavy duty pads, gloves and a waste containment disposal bag with tie.

1. Containment of Spill

The first thing your hydrocarbon spill kit needs are materials for containing the spill and preventing it from spreading. Your spill control materials may consist of booms, pads, pillow or other absorbent materials. Depending on the scope of the chemical spill and the layout of your workplace, you may also need containment materials to block a hole, a drain or a piece of machinery that’s leaking oil or fuel.

When containing flammable liquid chemical spills, make sure you have ample materials to stop and soak up the chemicals.

Consider including the following chemical containment and cleanup items in your fuel or oil spill kit:

• Booms — these containment items can be wrapped around drums or machines. They can also be used as a containment perimeter to keep the chemical spill from spreading further into the workplace.
• Pillows — as a highly absorbent spill kit item, these pillows absorb large amounts of liquid.
• Pads and rolls — essential items for any chemical spill kit, pads and rolls can be easily dispensed so you only use what you need.
• Floor sweep – ideal for larger spills, floor sweep products are generally suitable for flammable liquid spills including petrol, solvents or paints. Always check with the individual product to ensure it’s safe to use with your flammable liquids.

The containment materials you choose will depend on the type of chemicals likely to be involved. Some universal sorbents will absorb both water-based and oil-based hazardous liquids including solvents, coolants, cutting fluids and lubricants.

MPORTANT: In laboratories and production areas that may create a mix of fluids, you may also require a colour-coded testing strip to determine what chemicals are involved in the spill.

2. Clean-up of Flammable Liquids Spill

Next, you’ll need the equipment, tools and utensils to actually conduct the flammable liquids clean-up.

Because you are dealing with fuel, oil and other flammable liquids, you need to make sure that you don’t include any tools or implements that could cause a spark. If flammable liquids meet an ignition source, you could be dealing with a chemical spill as well as a fire or explosion.

When containing an oil, fuel or hydrocarbon spill, make sure you have ample materials to soak up the spill and stop it spreading through your workplace.

Your chemical spill kits for flammable liquids may include:

• Dustpans and brushes
• Spark-proof shovels
• Hard-bristled brooms

IMPORTANT: To protect the people in your organisation from the hazards associated with a fuel or oil spill, we also recommend having high-vis warning signs, witches’ hats, and barricading tape to rope-off and isolate the area.

3. Disposal of Flammable Liquids Spill Kit Waste

Hazardous waste is a by-product of any chemical spill. Therefore, the disposal of flammable liquids and soiled spill kit items must be done in a safe, methodical and compliant manner.

As part of your hazardous waste disposal procedure, you’ll need utensils in your spill kits to assist with the safe transfer and disposal of your hazardous waste and soiled items.

Your emergency spill kit will need some type of container to hold the spilled chemicals — as well as the soiled utensils.

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Depending on the quantities of chemicals you carry you should consider including the following items:

• Buckets and pails (with lids)
• Plastic drums
• Wheelie bins
• Fold-out PVD carry bags
• Heavy duty plastic bags with ties

It’s also advisable to have labels for creating identification markers on the waste materials, as this will alert disposal crews to the flammable hazards.

4. PPE and Safety Gear for Class 3 Chemical Spill

Due to the risk of human harm caused by spilled flammable liquids, your fuel spill kit will require some type of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety gear for your staff.

The PPE you choose will be based on the recommendations of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each chemical that you carry. These recommendations will directly relate to the health and exposure hazards posed by the flammable liquids product.

When dealing with chemicals spills, make sure your staff are equipped with the correct personal protective equipment for the chemical product that you’re carrying. To ensure you’re equipped with the correct items, make sure you check your safety data sheet to learn more about suitable personal protective equipment for flammable liquids.

Your kit may require:

• Chemical resistant gloves and boots
• Aprons, protective coveralls, mittens and boot covers
• Chemical resistant eye guards or face shields
• Breathing apparatus
• Fire extinguishers and blankets

REMEMBER: PPE is only effective when fitted correctly, so consider the workers most likely to be responding to an emergency. Make sure that your staff know how to put on and take off the PPE properly, and that it’s cleaned and put away properly after the chemical clean-up and disposal has been completed.

5. Flammable Liquid Spill Process Procedure

There’s no point in having a compliant spill kit if no-one at your organisation knows how to use it correctly. When introducing flammable liquids to your workplace, you must always make sure that you have a suitable chemical spill kit, as well as procedures for how to use it.

However, when we say ‘procedures’, we don’t mean a 25-page manual explaining how to use every item in detail. We mean something simple — like a laminated checklist — for workers to read before they rush toward a hazardous fuel or oil spill.

Procedures should include:

• Hazard warnings: Remind clean-up crews of the potential fire, explosion and exposure hazards
• Personal protective equipment requirements: A list of essential PPE that must be worn (eg, gloves, boots) before attempting to begin the clean-up
• Safety checklist: (Eg, never work alone, shut off electricity and pilot lights, check area for ignition sources, rope off area)
• Notification list: (Eg, names and details of emergency contacts — emergency services, company management, internal)

6. Maintenance of Flammable Spill Kits

Just like any risk control measure for dangerous goods, a spill kit requires maintenance to maintain compliance with WHS Regulations. For example, a worker forgets their face shield and grabs one from the nearest oil spill kit — leaving the spill kit incomplete and putting other staff at risk. Anything in ‘kit’ form is notoriously vulnerable to being borrowed and broken. Therefore, it’s important for organisations to inspect and maintain their chemical spill kits to ensure that the kit is complete, and all items are in good working order.

Maintaining a complete flammable liquids spill kit is essential, as missing items can cause staff to waste valuable time in the event of a spill.

Check your flammable spill kits for:

• Items that are missing
• Items that are damaged
• Items that are deteriorated

IMPORTANT: While every effort may have been made to install a compliant spill kit and train your staff on how to use it properly, it’s the maintenance of the kit that will help your organisation stay safe. You don’t want to be dealing with a workplace fuel spill only to discover that your hydrocarbon spill kit is inadequate. Staff shouldn’t be wasting valuable time trying to track down PPE and other clean-up materials.

Compliant Chemical Spill Kits

Thanks for reading our blog on the 6 things you need to consider for your flammable liquids spill kit. While there are a range of hazards associated with storing fuel, oil and other flammable liquids, you can minimise the risk of fire, explosion, human harm and environmental damage by implementing and maintaining compliant control measures. To make sure your flammable liquids spill kit remains in date, intact, and compliant, why not access your free Spill Kit Checklist? This downloadable will help you inspect and restock the chemical spill kits in your workplace. Get your free copy now.