If 2020 taught us anything, it’s the necessity of being prepared. While we can’t anticipate every potential health threat, we can anticipate spills, which are endemic to human nature. So having a SPCC (Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure) plan in place just makes smart business sense.
As a Best Management Practice, an SPCC plan will reduce your overhead and boost productivity, because you won’t be losing inventory or wasting valuable time and resources dealing with spill emergencies.
To create a spill prevention plan for your company:
1. Research, Review, Assess
- Conduct a materials inventory throughout the facility
- Evaluate past spills and leaks
- Identify non-storm water discharges
- Collect and evaluate storm water
- Summarize the findings of this assessment
2. Prepare Your Spill Prevention Plan
- Facility description, activities, chemicals used
- Site plan with chemical storage locations, storm drains, collection basins. List Impact Absorbents spill prevention and spill clean up products on hand, or that need to be ordered.
- Notification procedures in the event of a spill. Include contact information for key staff and appropriate regulatory agencies.
- Procedures for spill clean up
- Designate employee to oversee spill clean up
- Train staff in basic spill control and spill clean up procedures.
3. Summarize and Post the Plan at Appropriate Locations
(e.g., cafeteria, hazmat areas with spill potential, meeting rooms, etc.)
4. Implement Spill Prevention Plan
- Begin spill clean ups using environmentally safe products from Impact Absorbents
- In fueling areas, use small bags for convenience and small drums of absorbent for storage. Keep emergency spill containment and spill clean up kits at the facility site.
- Review the Spill Prevention Plan at least annually and after any spill to see how effective it is and how it might be improved, as well as the whenever a new material is introduced to the facility.
We don’t know what surprises 2021 might have in store, but we’re all wiser and more attuned to safety than ever before. Make sure your business is as well, with an up-to-date SPCC. After all, there’s no need to swim upstream if you’re prepared for oil and other spills, whenever and wherever they might occur.
