Clean Up Made Easy: 4 Must-Have Day-to-Day Absorbents

Industrial workplaces are bound to see more than a few accidents during operation, especially spills and leaks. They are the most likely to cause other accidents too if not contained and allowed to trickle away from their starting point.

Thus, it’s not only handy but in the rules of workplace safety to have absorbents nearby to clean up at a moment’s notice. You’ll find an array of spill equipment to do the job once you start searching, but which one is best for your situation? In this guide, you’ll learn about four of the most essential absorbents, from absorbent rolls and spill pads to absorbent socks and spill kits.

Spill Pads

For soaking up liquids, you won’t find much better out there than a set of spill pads. From concrete to carpet, these are designed to quickly suck up spills or wipe down a leaky piece of apparatus. Alternatively, spill pads can be placed on a work surface ready to catch any leaks and spills from a disassembly job, for example. The versatility and absorbing power of a spill pad make it an incredibly viable option.

Absorbent Rolls

Compared to spill pads, absorbent rolls are a quicker and more disposable alternative. They come in larger widths and therefore can cover a greater surface area in a shorter timeframe, which would come in handy when the spill spreads quickly. What’s more, they can easily be retrieved as they are just like a kitchen roll.  Best of all, they can be cut to any particular length to fit bespoke spaces and ultimately save on wastage.

Absorbent Socks

Away from soaking up spills directly, absorbent spill socks, also known as booms, are long, flexible tubes that can encircle a spill area to prevent it from spreading further. These are the best equipment for containing spills while dealing with them, and should be as easy to reach as any rolls or pads in your workplace.

Spill Kits

If you’re thinking you could use all of these in a convenient package, consider spill kits a saving grace. They are kits made up of all the necessary absorbents, containment products and waste disposal equipment you need to handle multiple types of spills.

Inside, all spill kits contain absorbent pads, absorbent socks, disposal bags & ties and a contents & instruction sheet. At Spill Shop, these are available in a wide range of sizes and types of kit so you can bulk up or specialise in handling chemical, oil & fuel or more general spills. You may find that other kits include extra equipment such as drip trays, absorbent rolls, absorbent cushions, drain seals and barrier tape to caution others. Whichever one you opt for, you’ll be well-equipped to handle a myriad of situations from now on.

Whether a spill kit is right for you or simply a set of absorbent socks, any of these pieces of equipment are an essential tool for an industrial workplace. With their convenience, versatility, safety benefits, and environmental advantages, they provide a comprehensive solution for tackling spills whenever problems arise. Investing in a spill kit is a smart decision that can help to keep your workplace clean, compliant and safe.

Warehouses are fast-paced environments with plenty of heavy-duty equipment and hazardous chemicals, so warehouse hazards are abound. In fact, according to OSHA, 16% of all fatal workplace injuries occur in the transportation and warehousing industry every year. Thus, it’s crucial and legally obligatory for warehouse operators to prioritise warehouse safety and identify potential hazards.

At SpillShop, we are the UK’s most trusted name when it comes to spillage control equipment, and provide many warehouses with solutions to several key hazards. In this blog, we’ll provide a comprehensive list of hazards commonly found in warehouses and how SpillShop’s products and services can help prevent them.

Cleaning Up Spills

Even if the liquid spilt isn’t hazardous itself, spills can result in serious injury to workers if not taken care of quickly. In a warehouse, many types of spills can happen, from simple water or wet floors to oil and chemical spills. As such, there are many pieces of equipment that are pivotal for dealing with any type of situation.

At SpillShop, we offer all-encompassing spill kits that package everything you need to recover from an incident without delay. They contain the essentials such as absorbent socks, absorbent pads and disposal bags, and are contained in either a shoulder bag, plastic bag, hard carry case, plastic bin or wheeled bin. The advantage of these kits is having an ample amount of all cleaning equipment for cheaper than buying individually, and SpillShop offers different types of spill kits that are each tailored to a specific type of spill, such as oil & fuel, chemical, mercury, body fluid and general purpose spill kits.

Preventing Slips and Falls

According to Ashton Knight, slips, trips and falls are one of the most common causes of workplace injury, and a key cause of this is spills travelling far away from the original spill area and causing slippery surfaces. To prevent this, use spill containment equipment that surrounds the area. Absorbent spill socks and booms form a barrier that soaks up any travelling spill residue. Sizes extend to over 3m long, so even the largest spills can be surrounded and protected from potential slips.

Additionally, using anti-slip paint or another floor covering can further prevent slips and falls.

Storing Chemicals

In the UK, the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations require companies to take all necessary measures to prevent major accidents involving hazardous substances. This includes storing chemicals in appropriate containment systems, such as IBC bunds.

Designed to contain spills and leaks that may occur from an IBC, they are essential for mitigating the risks associated with hazardous chemicals. Many chemicals can be dangerous if they come into contact with the skin or are inhaled, and spills or leaks can lead to serious health consequences for workers.

Plus, when there is a spillage underneath a piece of machinery or when transporting chemicals, drip pans and trays are added protection against one of the most serious warehouse hazards.

Using Spill Pallets

Spill pallets are used as a secondary storage device for IBC bunds, acting as a flat stand that contains spillage in the case of a bund leakage. They are incredibly useful and in cases of heavy-duty bunds, a mandatory requirement. A well-made spill pallet is imperative to warehouse safety and should be durable and corrosion-resistant, which SpillShop’s spill pallets are and have a removable floor for ease of cleaning.

Additionally, staff should be trained to safely load and unload pallets at safe heights and weights. They should be careful around pallets and not climb, lean or walk on them, and having impact protection such as pallet racking protectors will ensure greater degrees of workplace safety.