Preventing Spills

Even in small amounts, spills and leaks of hazardous chemicals and hazardous materials can potentially be very dangerous. They can cause fires or explosions; contaminate water; and harm plants, animals, and humans. OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have very strict spill prevention rules and detailed requirements for handling spills and leaks when they occur. Below are some precautions to take:

• Use approved containers for chemicals
• Provide HazCom training
• Provide appropriate secondary containment for large storage tanks
• Prominently display emergency contact numbers
• Store only necessary amounts of chemicals
• Utilize local spill response teams for program development and training
• Store hazardous chemicals away from storm drains, etc.
• Report releases to response team, regardless of quantity
• Create your plan and train, train, train!