Chemical Engineering June 2023 - 42

Environmental Manager
Avoiding Mistakes When Emptying
Spill Pallets
Following these guidelines can help workers to take the proper precautions to
minimize the risk of leakage from spill pallets
Steve Eyer
Denios
C
ontainer liquid leaks can
occur at any time, even
when all precautions have
been taken and containers
are stored on a spill pallet (Figure
1). In these situations, serious
mistakes can happen when emptying
the spill pallets. Prevention is the
best policy - but in case leaks or
spills do occur, facilities need to be
prepared for them. This article provides
some guidelines that facilities
can take to avoid making mistakes
when emptying their spill pallets.
Act timely
In the event of a leak, facilities
must take immediate action
the health and safety of their employees.
A quick response requires
timely identification of leaks and
spills. Checking all liquid-storage
containers regularly is time consuming.
An early-warning system
for leaks, for instance, alerts users
when a leak or spill is identified.
Such systems may produce a loud
audible tone (beeping) and visual
indication (such as flashing lights)
and continue for at least a 24-h duration,
alerting users of an ongoing
liquid spill or leak. The continued
warning allows these automatic
tools to be employed in areas of the
facility where few employees may
be present.
After a leak or spill has been
identified, employees must quickly
assess the risk posed by the leak,
identify the spilled liquid and the
amount spilled. Depending on the
risk assessment, it may be necessary
or advisable to halt production
and evacuate the area, in addition
to informing auxiliary personnel.
for Wear PPE
Emptying a spill pallet should be
done in the same way as cleaning
up any other leaks - safely. One
of the first steps is to use personal
protective equipment (PPE), including
eye and hand protection and
safety shoes, at a minimum. Other
equipment, such as respiratory or
body protection, could be required,
depending on the spilled
substance and quantity.
Consulting the site's operating
instruction manual
or safety data sheets
will most likely denote
exactly what type of PPE
is recommended.
FIGURE 1. Spill pallets are designed to minimize spills and leakage
from storage containers, but loss of containment can still occur in
certain circumstances
42
Transport and remove
Transporting or dumping
liquids poses a significant
risk of secondary
leaks. Therefore, moving
and dumping spilled liquid
should be done cautiously.
Never move with
a lift truck or by yourself.
Even if several people
attempt to lift the pallet
together, the risks of
contamination to the enFIGURE
2. There are a wide variety of absorbent
materials designed for spill cleanup. It is imperative
to ensure that the absorbent is compatible
with the materials that have been spilled
vironment and employee safety are
too high. Instead, personnel should
follow standard safety procedures
and drain the liquid with a pump or
liquid aspirator.
Drain the spilled liquid
Draining spilled liquid using a pump
or aspirator is another instance
where secondary leakage can be
created. Even if protective gloves
are worn, large-scale contact with
the hazardous material may arise.
Do not take unnecessary risks. If the
amount of fluid is small, an absorbent
may also be sufficient to clean
up the spill. Remove the liquid as
completely as possible from the drip
tray and check to see if there is any
residue. This can be taken up with
an absorbent as well. Then, the drip
tray should be thoroughly decontaminated
and cleaned.
Check tool compatibility
The same cleanup method, such as a
specific absorbent, is not suitable for
all chemicals (Figure 2). Users must
ensure that the cleanup product is
suitable for the specific spilled substance.
Also, it is crucial that operators
diligently check that equipment
is compatible before using it with a
chemical cleanup method. Keep
the appropriate products easily accessible
so that the right tool will always
be readily available in case any
problems occur (Figure 3).
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Chemical Engineering June 2023

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