What is a hazmat spill kit?
The word “hazmat” carries an element of fear regarding environmental catastrophes that come with exorbitant clean up costs. A hazmat spill kit contains a variety of absorbent materials used to contain and clean up an oil spill, chemical spill, or body fluid spill. Not all spills are considered hazmat. Any liquid spill can potentially be dangerous even if the liquid is not hazardous. Slip and fall accidents are common and expensive for businesses. For example, a jar of pickles can fall off the shelf in a grocery store and create a spill. The pickle juice is not on a list of hazardous materials, but the if someone slips on the juice, they may get injured.
Most spills in the workplace are a nuisance rather than an environmental catastrophe. Industrial spills are common and very rarely make the evening news. A hazmat spill kit is the ideal tool to have on hand in any facility to quickly clean up any type of liquid that is spilled, thus reducing all types of hazards. Most businesses need a hazmat spill kit, even if it’s simply to clean up the water that drips onto the floor from the water cooler or window air conditioner.
A hazmat spill kit should be kept on hand anywhere a spill is likely to occur. This includes storage areas, fueling islands, storerooms, bathrooms, garbage areas, loading docks, doctor’s offices, veterinary offices, grocery stores, construction sites, parking areas, manufacturing facilities and so on.
How to Choose a Hazmat Spill Kit
- The right size for the job
- Kit is clearly visible and accessable
- The proper absorbents for the type of liquid spilled
- Easy to refill or replace once the absorbents have been used