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Chemical-Spill Prevention

People who work with dangerous chemicals are exposed to hazards every day. What makes their jobs safer, and what keeps their exposure to a minimum, is proper planning to prevent chemical spills. It's only when these plans aren't followed, or when unusual circumstances occur, that chemical spills actually occur.

  1. Access control

    • The first step for preventing chemical spills is to make sure that only certain people have access to the chemicals in the first place. For example, let's say that there's a hazardous chemical used only to clean certain equipment. No one needs to have access to that chemical except for those doing the cleaning and even they only need access to it during certain times. The cleaning chemical should be stored and locked up, and the key should have a sign-out log to make sure that it's only taken when necessary.

    Training

    • Another part of a strategy for preventing chemical spills is to be sure that employees are properly trained. Employees who have to work with hazardous chemicals, or who will be using machines that use hazardous chemicals, should undergo training that explains to them what the chemical is, what it does and what warning signs they should look for. By giving employees all this information they will have the ability to remain calm, they'll know what to look for in the event of a chemical spill and they'll be informed as to what precautions they should take in any given situation. It may also be a good idea to have chemical-spill drills in order to get employees used to reacting in a certain way, just like a fire drill would.

    Safety equipment

    • It's a vital part of any chemical-spill safety program that the proper amount and type of safety equipment is available. Some examples include rubber gloves, goggles and respirators for chemicals that give off hazardous vapors. Before working with any chemicals, employees should make sure that they have all the necessary safety equipment on and any emergency equipment is nearby and functioning. Safety equipment should be regularly checked and any necessary maintenance should be performed to make sure that it will provide proper, chemical protection.

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