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Spills can happen at any work place, it’s how you prepare for them that counts.

There are three main types of spill kits to consider when looking to arm your business with the best resources to protect it from damage caused by spills.

General Purpose Spill Kit

The general purpose spill kit is the most common spill kit and they are often found in workshops, factories and loading docks. This spill kit is designed to absorb non-aggressive liquids and contains equipment that is suited to absorbing fuel, coolants, hydraulic fluids, solvents and other common workshop liquids. The general purpose spill kit contains absorbents that are colour-coded grey and the spill kit has a grey lid for fast recognition.

Oil Only Spill Kit

Oil only spill kits are designed to handle hydrocarbons such as diesel, petrol and oils. These spill kits contain a range of components designed to contain and absorb land based hydrocarbon spills.
Some or all of the absorbents in these spill kits repel water and are perfectly suited to absorbing oils and fuels in both wet and dry conditions. The oil only spill kit contains white absorbents and the kit lid is colour coded white.

Hazchem Spill Kit

The hazchem spill kit is equipped to contain and absorb spills of acids, caustics and agricultural chemicals as well as hydrocarbons such as solvents and fuels. This spill kit has application to the widest scope of substances so ideal for sites that use a broad range of liquids. Both the absorbents and kit lid are colour-coded yellow.

As stated in Australian Standards and WHS regulations, the size of your spill kit will need to be able to clean up a spill from the largest container you have on site.

Ask your supplier to provide you with third party accredited laboratory testing to ensure that the stated spill response capacity is accurate. This accuracy allows you to effectively meet your legal obligations.

All of these spill kits contain some or all of the following items:

•  Pads and Rolls:  Multi-purpose products that are fast acting and designed for industrial clean ups, an economical solution for instant spill absorbency. In addition to cleaning up spills on the ground they can be used to wipe down plant and machinery.
• Booms and Socks: These are the primary spill containment items that are included in all spill kits. Booms can be linked across a wide from to deal with large spills.
• Pillows: Whilst not ideal spill response products, pillows are ideal for placing under slow leaks from tanks or machinery as they have a higher absorbent capacity than standard pads.
• Loose Absorbent: Ideal for spreading over large areas and provides a cost effective option for dealing with small spills.
• Disposal Bags: To be used to contain contaminated absorbents prior to disposal.
• Personal Protection Equipment: Generally spill kits contain basic PPE. You should consult you SDS to ensure the correct PPE is available for use in the event if a spill incident.

In addition to these three standard types, there are many other substance specific kits for liquids such as cytotoxic body fluids, peracetic acid and formalin.

By assessing the size of the spill kit needed, the type, its absorbency level and the types of absorbents needed you will have the necessary equipment to tackle almost any type of spill. However, a spill response plan is imperative to ensure that the spill kit is used appropriately to protect people, property and the environment.

After more than 2 years in review the Australian Standard for the storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids has been published. At over 180 pages, this Standard has significant changes related to spill control. The following is a summary of those changes and how they will impact you in regard to provision of spill response equipment.

While many Standards are intended to provide voluntary guidance on industry practices, this particular Standard is a very significant one for Australian industry as it is called up in Australian state and territory regulations.

Whilst there are many changes, the single most significant change is the introduction of the term “Spill Response Kit” into the standard and a description of what this kit should contain.

This is first seen in Section 2.3.4. In the previous version, a typical spillage kit was described in this section 2.3.4 as,

• a metal bin with a tightly-fitting lid partially filled with non-combustible absorbent such as vermiculite;
• broom, shovel, face shield, chemically-resistant boots and gloves; and
• a suitable respirator.

The current version of the standard has introduced the term “spill response kit” and updated the description to better reflect improvements in spill kit design.

• a readily identifiable, suitable container with a lid or cover containing absorbent materials
• suitable personal protective equipment; and
• suitable equipment required for spill clean-up.

Unchanged in this section is that the spill response capacity should be based on the loss of contents of the largest container kept and the requirement for spills to be cleaned up immediately is still mandatory.

Section 9.4 of the new AS1940 goes into more detail of spill response kit contents.

The title of section 9.4 of the standard has changed its title from, “Management of Leaks and Spills” to “Management of Above-Ground Leaks and Spills”

Clause 9.4.2 of this section has also had considerable revision. Previously this section had reference to the requirement of a range of neutralising agents and sand for use in response to Class 3 liquid spills. This has been removed and replaced with,

In order to deal with leaks and spills, a spill response kit shall be readily available where flammable or combustible liquids are stored, dispensed or in transit storage

Note that a spill response kit is now a mandatory requirement for sites handling Class 3 flammable liquids.

This section goes into more detail on the contents of a typical spill response kit. It states:

A simple spill response kit should consist of some or all of absorbent pads, booms, loose absorbent and contaminated waste bags that are packed in a readily identifiable weather resistant container and are compatible with the liquids stored.

Section 8 of AS1940-2017 describes the requirements for all installations where tank vehicles are filled.

Clause 8.2.6.1(d) has been introduced. It states:

• A spill response kit shall be positioned within 15 m of the tank fill point.

There have also been changes made to Section 9.8 which covers the requirements of construction and maintenance work where Class 3 liquids are kept. Clause 9.8.1 of the new Standards states:

No construction or maintenance work shall be carried out where flammable and combustible liquids are kept, unless a hazard identification and risk assessment has been undertaken, appropriate controls are in place and with written authorization from a person designated for the purpose by the occupier of the premises.

Section 9.8.3 goes on to state:

Except for routine, non-hazardous work, any work within the restricted area shall be authorized by means of a work permit.

In AS1940-2004, no consideration was given to assessing the risk of spill prior to the commencement. The new standard has added clause 9.8.3(h). This clause states that it is now mandatory that the work permit contains a statement regarding the spill response equipment required.

If a risk of spill is identified in the work permit, section 9.8.4 now requires appropriate spill response equipment to be provided.

Spill Station Australia site auditors have been trained in the new requirements as stated in AS1940-2017. If you want to make sure that your spill response capacity complies with the new standard, contact us now to arrange your spill risk compliance audit.

Spill Station Australia

Ph: 1300 66 42 66

www.spillstation.com.au