Effectively Dealing with Oil Spills

When there is mention of an oil spill it automatically conjures up images of overturned tankers causing devastation to marine life in the ocean and along thousands of miles of coastline for both wildlife and humans. Of course, the scale of the damage these disasters bring about is unfathomable but there are also much smaller oil spills on land that can cause long term problems and chaos if not dealt with quickly and effectively.

The Location Of An Oil Spill

Oil spills can take place in myriad locations and situations, each with its own varying degrees of hazards, containment issues, risk of contamination and of course clean up procedures. It is important to have an understanding of where and how an oil spill can take place and what measures you should take should you be faced with one.

Where Are You Like To Be At Risk Of An Oil Spill?

Workplace

In an industrial setting oil spills can occur from drums being knocked over by accident or large machinery breaking down, causing spillages. If a small oil spill has taken place most companies will have procedures in place to contain the hazard in a small area to prevent contamination and a spread of risk and damage. It can then wait until an effective clean-up procedure can take place.

Sometimes however, the oil spillage could be a large one, and if you’re not careful this can lead to disruption to production. Machinery may have to be switched off and man hours lost if a large oil spill is not dealt with quickly and efficiently. Employees could be in danger of slipping and injuring themselves, machinery and everyday work equipment may be damaged, surfaces could be permanently damaged and any outsiders, suppliers or delivery agents for your product may have to be prevented from entering the area until it is clear. An oil spill could cost time and money to your company.

Be prepared to seal off an area where an oil spill has taken place, shut down any machinery or equipment that is in the immediate area and ensure that all employees are safe from harm. Once you have secured the area, a professional team of cleaners, specialised in dealing with oil spills, will be able to enter and clean-up the oil spill.

On The Road

On roads and motorways is the other most likely place where an oil spill could occur, demanding immediate action to clear it up and prevent lives from being put at risk. This can come about as a result of a traffic collision, a spillage from a large tanker or from a leak on a petrol or diesel can.

An oil spill on a road surface can quickly spread, covering miles of the road network causing chaos. Not only can it cause traffic collisions on the road itself, it can also damaging the immediate wildlife and environments surrounding the road network it is affecting. It is imperative that an oil spillage on a road is cleaned up as quickly as possible to prevent long term damage to the surroundings.

When an oil spill takes place on the road, safety is a priority with certain lanes and in the worst cases whole stretches of road closed off immediately to prevent further accidents for drivers. Diversions must be put in place to stop a build-up of traffic close to the area.

A Professional Oil Spill Response Team

At APT we have a professional team, experienced in dealing with a wide variety of oil spills in both the workplace and on roads and motorways. We understand the chaos it can cause, the damage to property, the risk to lives and the negative connotations to the productivity of your working environment.

We have the latest equipment tailored to deal with the problems encountered with an oil spill and have our very own, specially developed oil removal products which are all eco-friendly. If you are faced with an oil spill and need a fast response our team has a rapid response system in place and can be on site and ready to begin clean-up within 45 minutes of the call on most occasions.

APT Cleaning Site Services – Oil Spill Response & Chemical Spill