Maintaining a safe workplace is essential for companies that work with hazardous materials, not only to meet OSHA and EPA requirements, but also for the well-being of employees. Whether handling, transporting, or storing hazardous chemicals, it’s important to take steps to prevent hazardous chemical spills, as well as prepare for them. Accidents happen, but a hazardous chemical spill doesn’t have to lead to an unsafe situation when you’re prepared with the right spill containment solution. Read on to learn about the unparalleled advantages of urethane spill control solutions and spill containment barriers.
Wait, What’s Classified As “Hazardous?”
“A hazardous material is any substance or agent (biological, chemical, radiological, and/or physical), which is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to humans, the environment and property,” writes Tufts University. Hazardous chemicals come in many forms and could be combustibles, explosives, flammables, corrosives, solvents, or oils. Industries that typically deal with such materials and require chemical resistant seals include hospitals, airlines, government sectors, oil and gas industries, chemical processing and manufacturing facilities, consumer product plants, and semiconductors.
Prevent Hazardous Chemical Spills in Your Workplace
Prevention starts with taking the right precautionary measures. Failure to do so can increase the risk of a spill occurring, and should one occur, worsen the outcome. You could end up putting employees’ health in jeopardy, paying OSHA or EPA fines, and dealing with costly equipment downtime.
- PLAN – Have a chemical spill response plan and procedure in place. Ensure that all employees are familiar with the plan, understand where the spill containment barriers are located in the workplace, and can implement the solutions if need be.
- STORE – Store hazardous chemicals in covered areas on secure shelving, where they are not exposed to the elements, especially rain. Rain increases the volume of liquid that could contaminate the workplace, increasing the severity of a spill and making it more likely for spills to occur.
- LABEL – OSHA regulations stipulate that all companies carrying, handling, or transporting hazardous chemicals must clearly label all containers holding chemicals. Labeling chemical containers is the law, but it’s also what’s best for employees. Correct labeling ensures everyone is aware of the dangers at hand and knows what precautions to take. It can also help ensure a speedy cleanup if a spill occurs.
- EDUCATE – Employees and staff members should be trained in the proper planning, chemical storage, and spill containment labeling and preparation of, how and when to take action in the event of a spill. Make education an ongoing priority in the workplace so that everyone is aware of possible spill scenarios and knows how to respond to the chemicals in your workplace.
- GEAR UP – Spill control solutions and containment barriers should be stored near areas where chemicals are stored. As your business or product line changes, ensure that you always have the right spill control solution for the chemicals at hand and the physical environment the spill could occur in. Your workplace may need a combination of spill control solutions, including drain protectors, conical plugs, and barrel patches.
Prepare with Urethane Spill Control Solutions
Your spill control solution will vary depending on the quantity, type, and location of the chemical spilled. If your company handles a variety of materials in multiple locations, it may be best to prepare for a variety of possibilities and spill situations.
PSI’s sealing products are some of the strongest, most reliable spill control solutions available. How strong? PSI’s urethane drain protectors, urethane conical plugs, and urethane barrel patches can resist chemical degradation and maintain a seal when exposed to every chemical, long enough for the spill to be cleaned up. In most cases, depending on the chemical spilled, you can wash our product and reuse it. Please review PSI’s complete Chemical Compatibility Guide.
PSI Urethanes offers nearly every urethane spill control solution your company could need. Request a quote online at any time or call (800) 888-5156 to speak with an experiences polyurethane professional about your spill control requirements.