Chemical spills are extremely dangerous. It can affect the warehouse, and lead to injuries for the workers handling them. Also, it can impact the environment. Chemical spills can cause havoc regardless of the size of the spill. Even a leak that seems small can lead to major incidents. The best remedial step is a precaution. If you are smart about storing chemicals from the beginning, you decrease the risk of spills. Thus, reducing the risk of accidents, too.
Therefore, in this blog, we are sharing a few tips that can help you prevent chemical spills.
Use bunding trays, spill trays, and spill kits
One of the best ways to prevent chemical spills is to use bunding trays and spill trays. These pieces of equipment can hold any spill, ensuring that they do not touch the ground. They usually are detachable. Experts can detach them and dispose of the chemicals carefully. Also, spill kits are great. They have items that can contain any spilled chemical, preventing any major accident. According to the containers you are using in your warehouse, a bunding tray or spill tray is a must. Having a spill kit is necessary for all warehouses dealing with chemical storage.
Do not overcrowd the shelves
Designate shelves to different types of chemicals. Ensure that no two chemicals that can lead to disaster are on the same shelf. Also, do not overcrowd the shelves. When you overcrowd a shelf with containers, it can lead to several issues. It makes containing any spill challenging due to overcrowding. Also, it becomes difficult to determine which container was involved in the leak.
Be consistent while storing the containers
There needs to be a designated area for every container with the chemical. Also, be consistent. Do not shift or place the containers haphazardly. That will only cause a problem for the workers who are handling them. If the containers are not at the designated location. A worker can grab the wrong PPE or spill kit, or other equipment. It can lead to accidents. Thus, be consistent to avoid any such incidents.
Training employees should involve human training too
Human factors increase chances of accidents. Factors like:
- Rushing to complete a task
- Fatigue and more
Thus, training of employees needs to keep involving this too. They should understand the cost of working overtime. Or when they aren't feeling the best.
Trained ground-staff
Ground-staff who come to the warehouse to clean it every day, need training too. Ensure that they have enough knowledge, safety gear, and equipment. It will help them deal with a spill well. They should be aware of the response plan for preventing any spill from spreading.
Store chemicals at/below eye-level
You cannot store chemicals on the ground. However, storing them at a height is also dangerous as it can increase chances of spill. The best thing to do is store them at or below eye-level.
Other than these tips, ask for help from an expert and make a strategy to prevent spills. Also, a response plan should be there in case a spill happens. It will help you reduce the spread of chemicals, thus avoiding a major accident.
No comments:
Post a Comment