If the situation is handled correctly and you have a plan in
place to deal with such an event it should work out that a chemical spillage
should not develop into a major incident, but if you don’t have those controls
in place it is far more likely that bodily harm and property damage could be
caused.
Solutions such as using hazardous materials packaging from CL Smith,
for example, should help reduce the prospect of a chemical spill in the first
instance, but if there is an incident and a spillage, here are some pointers on
how to minimize the damage.
Know what hazards you
are facing
It is always better to be proactive rather than reactive when
it comes to a situation such as a chemical spill scenario and your ability to
handle a spill competently will often be dependent on how prepared you are for
this eventuality.
It is necessary to prepare a comprehensive list of the
chemicals and other hazardous materials you will be using and exposed to in
your working environment so that you understand the risks and what each
chemical property is capable of when spilled.
You need to know how flammable, toxic, and corrosive each chemical is, for
instance, so to prepare yourself for dealing with a spillage you should carry
out a comprehensive risk assessment on each chemical you are going to be
potentially exposed to.
Create a detailed
response procedure
Next on your agenda should be the creation of a written spill
response procedure.
If everyone in that environment is trained and fully aware of
what they have to do in the event of a spillage it should enable everyone to
remain calm and bring the situation under control with greater expediency.
The sort of procedures you need to discuss and list includes
developing an evacuation plan with designated escape zones and specific
procedures, appointing someone to handle first aid, and creating a list of
safety equipment and protective clothing that you will need in this sort of
situation.
Other issues that need addressing when you are created a
detailed response procedure document includes making sure that adequate fire
suppression equipment is in place and readily available, plus having disposal
containers to hand for holding all relevant spill cleanup materials.
When a spillage occurs
Prevention is always the best approach and being prepared for a
spillage is an essential safety practice but despite all of your precautionary
measures, there is still the possibility of an accident happening.
When an incident occurs the first thing you need to do is
communicate the hazard immediately so that your emergency response procedures
can be actioned.
The severity of the incident will influence what course of
action you take and whether everyone has to be evacuated from the area and the
emergency services called.
It is important to make sure that anyone who has suffered an
injury or become contaminated should be removed from the area without delay and
given the appropriate treatment by a qualified first-responder.
If everyone has been trained and knows what to do the response
to the spillage is more likely to be measured and calm, with everyone going through
the defined response procedures.
Aim to control the spill
Safety of personnel who have been exposed to chemicals or
hazardous materials is a key priority, closely followed by the need to do what
is required to bring the spill under control and stop the situation from
becoming worse.
Make sure that workers are wearing the right protective
clothing before tackling the spill and it may also be required that respiratory
equipment is needed if there is any risk of fumes.
If fumes are a specific hazard that you have to contend with it
is best practice to try and isolate the affected area by closing doors and
windows so that it is contained as best as possible.
It is also essential that you arrange to terminate any
potential sources of heat or ignition if it is safe to do so and appropriate.
Basically, if there is a safe way to stop the spill and reduce
the chances of the situation worsening this action should be taken if it is
deemed safe to do so.
Beginning the cleanup
Once you are satisfied that the situation is fully under
control and you are ready to clean up the spill and repair any damage you can
put into place your predefined measures for dealing with the cleaning process
as safely and efficiently as possible.
A top priority should be to collect the material that has been
used to contain the spill and neutralize the spill and arrange to dispose of it
in the correct manner.
Larger chemical spills will probably require the use of an
appropriate drum or contained, but if the spillage is minor you could feasibly
use an appropriate bagging procedure.
Be mindful that certain equipment and items that you used in
the cleanup might have become contaminated and will have to be disposed of as
well. This could mean that brooms and other such cleaning materials are not
safe to use again and have to disposed of safely and replaced with new.
You also have a responsibility to label any hazardous material
that you have collected and then dispose of it in a way that complies with your
local laws and environmental regulations.
In summary, creating a spill plan is absolutely essential and
this plan should be a comprehensive document that details the chemicals you are
using on site and then lays out exactly what procedures should be followed in
the event of a spill occurring.
If you have a detailed plan and provide all workers with
ongoing training on how to contend with a spill situation, you should be able
to minimize the potential risks when an incident takes place.
Damage control is a process and having a plan for every potential
eventuality is the way to go if your line of work exposes you to potential
chemical dangers.
