Effectively
Dealing with Oil Spills
When
there is mention of an oil spill it automatically conjures up images of
overturned tankers causing devastation to marine life in the ocean and along
thousands of miles of coastline for both wildlife and humans. Of course, the
scale of the damage these disasters bring about is unfathomable but there are
also much smaller oil spills on land that can cause long term problems and
chaos if not dealt with quickly and effectively.
Oil
spills can take place in myriad locations and situations, each with its own
varying degrees of hazards, containment issues, risk of contamination and of
course clean up procedures. It is important to have an understanding of where
and how an oil spill can take place and what measures you should take should
you be faced with one.
Where
are you like to be at risk of an oil spill?
Workplace
In
an industrial setting oil spills can occur from drums being knocked over by
accident or large machinery breaking down, causing spillages. If a small oil
spill has taken place most companies will have procedures in place to contain
the hazard in a small area to prevent contamination and a spread of risk and
damage. It can then wait until an effective clean-up procedure can take place.
Sometimes
however, the oil spillage could be a large one, and if you’re not careful this
can lead to disruption to production. Machinery may have to be switched off and
man hours lost if a large oil spill is not dealt with quickly and
efficiently. Employees could be in
danger of slipping and injuring themselves, machinery and everyday work
equipment may be damaged, surfaces could be permanently damaged and any
outsiders, suppliers or delivery agents for your product may have to be
prevented from entering the area until it is clear. An oil spill could cost
time and money to your company.
Be
prepared to seal off an area where an oil spill has taken place, shut down any
machinery or equipment that is in the immediate area and ensure that all
employees are safe from harm. Once you have secured the area, a professional
team of cleaners, specialised in dealing with oil spills, will be able to enter
and clean-up the oil spill.
http://www.aptcommercialchemicals.co.uk/spill-response
On
roads and motorways is the other most likely place where an oil spill could
occur, demanding immediate action to clear it up and prevent lives from being
put at risk. This can come about as a result of a traffic collision, a spillage
from a large tanker or from a leak on a petrol or diesel can.
An
oil spill on a road surface can quickly spread, covering miles of the road
network causing chaos. Not only can it cause traffic collisions on the road
itself, it can also damaging the immediate wildlife and environments
surrounding the road network it is affecting. It is imperative that an oil
spillage on a road is cleaned up as quickly as possible to prevent long term
damage to the surroundings.
When
an oil spill takes place on the road, safety is a priority with certain lanes
and in the worst cases whole stretches of road closed off immediately to
prevent further accidents for drivers. Diversions must be put in place to stop
a build-up of traffic close to the area.
At
APT we have a professional team, experienced in dealing with a wide variety of
oil spills in both the workplace and on roads and motorways. We understand the
chaos it can cause, the damage to property, the risk to lives and the negative
connotations to the productivity of your working environment.
We
have the latest equipment tailored to deal with the problems encountered with
an oil spill and have our very own, specially developed oil removal products
which are all eco-friendly. If you are faced with an oil spill and need a fast
response our team has a rapid response system in place and can be on site and
ready to begin clean-up within 45 minutes of the call on most occasions.
