Accidental liquid spillages are commonplace in industrial environments, so it is crucial that preventative actions are taken to reduce the risk of injury to personnel or damage to property caused by drips, leaks, and spills.
Spillages pose two main risks. Firstly, they can cause slips when employees move around the premises, which can lead to injury and absence from work. It’s important not to dismiss a slip as a ‘minor’ incident. Time off work from slip-related injuries dents your productivity, and slips can also lead to litigation if the worker claims damages from you.
Secondly, the spillage or leaking of harmful liquids, such as chemicals or oil, can be devastating to the local environment, particularly if they seep into underground watercourses. Cleaning up a spillage can be costly and, if it is not completed correctly, your business could be prosecuted.
Bunded Sump Flooring: The Benefits
Sump flooring acts as a secondary containment system to collect drips, leaks, and spills, particularly from chemical and oil drums. By allowing the liquid to accumulate safely, bunded sump flooring provides a simple way to contain the leak, preventing it from seeping into drains, and protecting the floor from damage. Sump flooring also cuts the time and complexity of cleaning up after leaks. As the spillage is contained and not allowed to remain on the floor surface, slips are less likely to happen, so your workforce can continue their activities with less risk of a fall.
Which Sump Floor Is Best For My Business?
Sump floors are available in different materials, such as sheet metal flooring or polyethylene floor bunding. Some liquids can be highly corrosive or flammable, so it's important to select your material carefully:
- Metal sump flooring: suitable for the storage and handling of toxic, hazardous, or flammable substances, to conform with European Standards. Steel bunded flooring is a high-quality modular floor, featuring collection tanks for containing spills that can be moved by forklift.
- Polyethylene flooring: Suitable for acids, alkaline solutions, oils, and non-flammable liquids, polyethylene flooring is a low-height modular system that is available in a range of heights and sump capacities.
Steps And Stillages: Helping Protect Your Workplace And The Environment
At Steps and Stillages, we can provide your business with the right type and size of sump flooring to ensure that drips, leaks, and spillages don’t cause accidents. Please get in touch today for practical, specialist advice.
