Working in a safer workplace is for the good of everyone. High workplace accident rates impose costs, that are borne widely throughout the community

Globally it has been estimated that the costs of poor safety at work amounts to an estimated 1.25 thousand million US dollars every year. Even more gloomy is the 2 million workers who died as a result of work related causes.

It’s known that within US businesses, how a dollar put into safety initiatives returns three as a result of lower accident rates at work.

When it comes to improving safe work practices, there is a standard methodology of surveying hazards, reducing identified hot spot risks and then taking behavioral measures for the irreducible exposure . Safety signs slip into this latter task as the ever vigilant reminders of safe work. Safety signs by themselves don’t make a safer place to work – they just reinforce all the other actions

With the many types of safety signs they have been organized into groups around their severity . In order of ascending risk to human life, the sign groups are Notice, Stop, Caution, and Danger.

As our concern is to gain the biggest benefit improving on safety, we’ll just review the Danger and Caution hazard signs here. 

Caution signs mark safety hot spots where precautions need to be taken to avoid human injury or damage to equipment and/or the environment. Adhering to international criteria, caution signs are made with a yellow background and black as these are commonly accepted colors for caution – note the yellow for caution in traffic lights.

A caution sign’s safety message needs to be effective because no one wants injuries at work.

The danger safety sign means just that; a serious threat to life exists and failure to respect this sign will have serious consequences: perhaps even death. These signs are limited to the most extreme situations and are often found in manufacturing - industrial situations, where chemicals, heavy machinery and similar industrial hazards abound.

Safety signs can reduce workplace incidents in conjunction with other prudential measures - they are a sound investment. 

Spills and leaks if not dealt with in a timely manner can have a serious impact on the environment. There are many potential for spill and leaks during field operations or at municipal facilities. If fuels, oils, lubricants, antifreeze, solvents, cleaners, detergents, degreasers, paints, thinners, lacquers, stains, acids, caustics, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals are

• Stored
• Handled
• Transferred
• Used
• Repackaged

at a facility, then an appropriate spill response plan must be developed. All employees, as well as contractors, must be trained in these methods and in the use of necessary equipment.

Activities With High Spill Potential

• Chemical transfer
• Equipment and vehicle fueling
• Fertilizer ApplicationPesticide Application
• Painting, Staining, Stripping

Required Spill Management Practices

• Use, handle, repackage and transfer all chemicals indoors or protected from the weather whenever possible.
• As soon as an outdoor spill or leak is discovered, supervisory personnel are to be notified.
• Speciality trained personnel may be required for cleanup if the material is hazardous or the spill is considered big.
• Dry methods should be used for cleanup of non-hazardous materials.
• Do not ‘wash down’ or ‘hose down’ spilled or leaked materials.
• Use the Three Step Method for cleaning up non-hazardous liquids.

1. Using loose absorbent sheet, pigs, or socks cover the spill with abssorbents.
2. The absorbed material must be sweeped up.
3. If any residue remains, mop it up and dispose of mop water in sanitary sewers

• Clean up all spills promptly and thoroughly.
• Delayed cleanup could result in a spread of the waste or materials by wind, rain, and traffic and it can become a safety hazard.
• If you must dleay the cleanup process, the area which the spill occured must be blocked off to prevent any sort of foot or vehicle traffic.

Spills of Hazardous Materials

• Spills must be cleaned up promptly by appropriately trained personnel.
• If the spill or leak threatens to flow into a storm drain or a surface body of water, it must be contained before cleanup is started.
• Place absorbent pigs and socks to block the flow and also around all threatened storm drain inlets.
• Use drain seals which are at least 3 inches bigger than the drain’s diameter.
• If a portable container is the source of the leak or spill, place the entire leaking container into a larger containment berm or sump.
• If the leaking container can be repaired safely, this should be done and the container placed with the repaired area on top.
• Move the container indoors.
• If the spill or leak of a hazardous substance escapes, local fire officials as well as state and federal authorities must be notified.
• Clean or dispose of all clean-up equipment and supplies in the proper manner in compliance with 40 CFR 112.

Spill911.com an industrial suppply company.com carries a full line of supplies for both spill containment and cleanup. There are Repair Kits for Drums, which contain a variety of plugs, patches, wedges and tools to quickly stop leaks.

The Exair Drum Vac is the ultimate drum and pump which is great for recovering coolant, hydraulic oil, waste sludge and chips, tramp oil and most non-flammable liquids, up to 55 gallons. 

The Gator Spill Containment Caddy is good for moving drums but it can also contain a leaking 66 gallon drum.