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Best Management Practices dictate that any business that poses a hazard to the environment undertake safety measures to prevent these hazards from causing the environment any harm. The baseline provisions of the Clean Water Act of the US serve as guidelines in the application of the BMPs by both private and government corporations engaged in businesses that involve environmentally harmful materials. These provisions protect the integrity of the country's water supply or natural bodies of water. To comply with these provision, industrial companies normally put in place spill response mechanisms that ensure that none of the environmentally harmful materials will accidentally find their way to the country's waterways.
Oil absorbents are the most common components in most spill kits. All spill cleanup pads and rolls are oil absorbent and capable of soaking up hydrocarbons such as oil, fuel oil, gasoline, and lubricant oil. Absorbent pads as universals, oil only, and hazmat are oil absorbents. Various materials and design are used in manufacturing these absorbents depending on the intended use for spill cleanup. Those oil absorbents that are for oil spills alone are manufactured differently from those that are used for chemical spills and unknown liquid spills.
Some of the widely available absorbent pads and rolls are:
1. Universal Maintenance Absorbent Pads - these pads are manufactured of lint-free spund bond fabric and meltblown polypropylene sorbent that are ultrasonically bonded to each other. It comes in a gray color that enables it to mask dirt. These pads can be reused after wringing out the absorbed liquid. These can be used in everyday maintenance tasks like repairs and small spills. Among those liquids other than oil that can be absorbed by these oil absorbents are water-based fluids and other chemicals.
2. Economy Oil Absorbent Pads and Roll - these oil absorbents are capable of soaking up only oil and oil-based fluids. It is made of one layer of hydrophobic oil only polypropylene with a stacked weave design to increase surface area and make it more effective in soaking up small oil spills. These pads and rolls are bright white in color, making it easy to see if they are already fully saturated with oil. These pads can be used in land and water oil spillages.
3. Anti-Static Absorbent Pads and Roll - aside from being good oil absorbents, these pads and rolls are good protection for oil spill cleanups in areas where sparking is a possibility. These are made from one layer of oil only meltdown polypropylene pad that is specially treated. These absorb all oils and hydrocarbons. These are used for spill cleanups of fuels that could be volatile in cold, dry, and low humidity areas. Spill cleanups of gasoline, diesel, and lubricating oils are among the proper uses of these oil absorbents.
4. Boat Bilge Boom - these mesh sleeve encased poly sock skins filled with polypropylene are highly absorbent. Since the filling has a double layer of outer covering, it will not shed and will not sink. These booms are often used in boats to absorb engine oil as well as any other hydrocarbon that might come its way.
Oil spills can happen to anyone. Whether you are a large company who owns ships or you are just fishing with your boat. Most people have the idea that oil spills only happen in water. But contrary to the popular belief, oil spill cans also happen in lands. People who stores or transfer hydrocarbon containing materials are prone to experiencing oil spill.
Even with a preventive measure to avoid oil spill, there is always a chance for accidents to happen. You can only control things up to a certain point. There will always be variables that you can't account for. Oil spills have detrimental effects to the environment and to the people around it.
It is best to know what to do when accidents do happen. No one can predict it but your chance of surviving an oil spill relies on your ability to effectively deal with the immediate situation. Consider it as a first aid solution you administer to people who needs it. You need to prevent the problem from progressing while waiting for help to come.
The importance of providing trainings for your employees is a must. Don't be bothered with the training cost. Equally important are the materials you need in controlling the oil spills. Examples are oil spill boom, absorbent pads, chemicals, and etc. Consider these as an investment on your part. Invest in your people and your safety procedures. Because once an oil spill happens you are likely to be charged with fines and pay for the damages resulting from the oil spill.
Oil spill booms are one of the best investments you can get. It is used to surround and contain the oil spill from spreading. Especially on water, oil spills can spread instantly. The most important thing to control oil spills is to contain it in a specific area. It contains the oil spill by repelling water that enables it to float in waters. It limits the damage it causes. Not only it contains the oil spill, it also absorbs oil or hydrocarbon spills. Oil spill booms are made up of a tough outer mesh that covers an absorbent polypropylene filter. These filters are supposed to stay together even under a difficult situation. Oil spill booms come in segments. You can choose from 5" or 8" diameter. And it reaches from 10 foot or 20 foot in length. A nylon rope reaches through each boom. Carbon steel connectors are commonly found at the end of each boom enabling it to connect with other booms. These connectors will allow you to control the numbers of booms to use. With the ability to determine how many booms to use, you'll end up saving money.
Here are some general guidelines in using oil spill booms in containing the oil spill:
Step 1: Wear protective gears and equipments
Step 2: Assess the size of the spill and the type of contaminants
Step 3: Connect the boom segments
Step 4: Throw the oil spill booms around the spill
Step 5: Secure any possible exit points for the oil spill