How To Use A Chemical Spill Kit

• What is a chemical spill kit?
• What is in a chemical spill kit?
• How to use a chemical spill clean up kit
• When to bring in chemical spill clean up professionals
• Contact us today

Chemical spill kits are essential to ensure a quick, appropriate response to a chemical spill. Only trained employees should use them – otherwise, you must bring in chemical spill clean up professionals.

At ICE Cleaning, we offer rapid response chemical spill clean up services. Our technicians are experts in the handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals and biohazardous waste. In an emergency, they can be on site in a matter of hours to restore your workplace to a safe environment.

Read on to find out more about chemical spill kits including how to use one.

What is a chemical spill kit?

A spill kit contains all the equipment you require to clean up and dispose of small spills of dangerous substances. There are lots of different types of spill kits designed for different substances including chemicals, oil, and biohazards.

Chemical spillage kits can help you contain and clean up aggressive and hazardous liquids, and decontaminate the affected area. By law you are required to have the adequate facilities to contain spilled chemicals and prevent the environment being contaminated.

It is recommended you keep provisions that can clean up a quarter of the liquid in storage. You should also have clear instructions with the spill kit to ensure the clean up process is carried out correctly, and replenish your kit after it is used.

Make sure your staff are properly trained in how to identify spills and leaks, and use a spill kit for chemicals so they can act quickly and effectively in the event of a spill, too. You should store spill kits in well-lit positions close to spill risk areas, as well.

What is in a chemical spill kit?

Spill kits generally contain the following items but often include more specific tools and equipment for specialist clean up kits:

• A bin for the disposal of contaminated waste
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) like goggles and gloves to keep the people clearing up the spill safe
• Caution tape so people don’t go near the spill
• Disposal bags and labels to correctly and carefully dispose of waste
• Absorbent materials like socks, pads, and cushions to contain and soak up the chemical

How to use a chemical spill clean up kit

1. Locate the chemical spill kit

When a spill occurs, find the spill kit and put on the appropriate PPE to keep yourself safe during clean up.

2. Contain the spill with the equipment

Create a barrier around the spillage with the equipment in the spill kit like absorbent socks and booms to stop it spreading further. Plug any drains to stop the chemical entering them.

3. Stop the chemical spilling

The spill must be controlled to stop it getting worse, such as plugging the leak or closing the open valve. Only trained employees wearing the correct PPE should do this as they will come in close contact with the potentially hazardous substance.

4. Absorb the chemical

Use materials like absorbent pads and pillows to soak up the spill. Some chemicals, like flammable liquids, require specific types of absorbent materials so check you’re using the right kind.

5. Clean the spill site

Remove any residual contamination by wiping down affected surfaces including floors, walls, and equipment. You should then decontaminate the site. Make sure the air quality of the area is safe for workers to re-enter and work in, too.

6. Dispose of the waste

The equipment used in chemical spill clean up will be contaminated with the hazardous substance. All chemical waste must be placed in the waste bags provided in the spill kit and tied up securely to stop the substance leaking out. Then, dispose of it according to local regulations.

You can find out more about spill responses and what you should do when a chemical spill happens in the workplace in this blog.

When to bring in chemical spill clean up professionals

If there are no trained employees on site to clean up the spillage or a large spill of a dangerous substance has occurred, bring in chemical spill specialists. They will have the training, PPE, and equipment required to clean up any chemical, no matter the type of chemical or size of the spill.

Our technicians, for example, are highly qualified technicians that can give you peace of mind all traces of the spilled material have been removed.

Contact us today

We operate nationwide, 24/7, 365 days a year. Alongside our chemical spill cleaning services we also offer mercury cleaning, bromine cleaning, and hazardous waste clean up.

Get in touch with our team on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk to get your free site survey and no-obligation quote.