Working with chemicals and hazardous materials in the warehouse can be dangerous, but you can mitigate the risk through safe transportation and storage of these materials. Hazardous material spills can put your employee’s health at risk, have a devastating impact on the environment, and be costly to clean up. Therefore, investing in spill management systems that reduce the risk to your employees and the environment in case of a warehouse spill is crucial.
What Are Spill Management Systems?
Spill management systems are special pallet or stillage designs that capture escaping chemicals once the original storage drum leaks or ruptures. They usually consist of a grate for the chemical drums to sit on and a sump below the grate to store the spilt liquid. A common spill management system for transportation in warehouses is the spill pallet. Also known as sump pallets, these are large hollow trays onto which a storage drum with hazardous chemicals is placed.
Spill and Sump Pallets
Spill pallets are typically made from either polyethene or steel, and each type is useful in different applications. Stainless steel spill pallets in the UK are suitable for flammable, water-polluting substances like lacquers and oils, while polyethene spill pallets are ideal for chemicals like acids and alkaline cleaning products. If a drum transporting a hazardous material springs a leak, the chemicals flow into the spill pallet beneath the storage drum rather than onto the ground.
Benefits of Spill Containment Systems
Here are some benefits of investing in warehouse spill management systems:
1) Effective spill management: Since spill pallets automatically contain and keep the spilt chemical in one place, they enable you to spot leaks and clean them promptly.
2) Reduced wastage: In many cases, drums leak for hours without anyone noticing. With sump pallets, however, all you have to do is check them for any spilt liquid, allowing you to fix the problem and reduce wastage swiftly.
3) Easier transportation: Moving cylindrical drums full of dangerous chemicals takes plenty of care, time, and human resources. Once you have one or more drums on a spill pallet, you can use a standard forklift to lift them and move them with little risk or effort.
4) Flexibility: Spill pallets allow for different transportation and storage scenarios. You could set up a permanent spill containment system, or you could opt for a more temporary setup for particular consignments. The systems are stackable, so storing them when not in use is easy.
5) Enhanced safety: Spill management systems prevent hazardous chemicals stored in your warehouse from harming your employees or polluting the environment.
Find Out More
Are you looking for storage solutions to safely store chemicals or hazardous materials in your warehouse? Look no further than Steps and Stillages. We specialise in cost-effective, spillage management transportation and storage systems for all types of product and substance. Contact us today to find out more.
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