Spill Kit Use and Deployment

A spill kit contains absorbent materials and equipment designed to contain and clean up fuel, oil, and chemical spills on site.
Spill kits must be available at every fuel storage area, refuelling point, and on every major item of plant on site.
Contents typically include absorbent pads, socks (booms), granules, disposal bags, PPE, and instructions for use.
The first priority in a spill is to stop the source — close valves, upright containers, or isolate the leak if safe to do so.
Absorbent socks should be placed around the spill to contain it and prevent it spreading to drains or watercourses.
Absorbent pads and granules are then used to soak up the contained spill from the ground surface.
Used absorbent materials are contaminated waste and must be disposed of as hazardous waste, not in general skips.
Different spill kits are designed for different substances — oil-only, chemical, and universal kits have different capabilities.
If a spill reaches a watercourse or drain, the Environment Agency must be notified immediately on their incident hotline.
Every worker on site should know the location of the nearest spill kit and be trained in basic spill response.

Environmental protection	A rapid spill response contains contamination before it reaches watercourses — one litre of oil pollutes a million litres of water.
Legal compliance	Causing pollution is a criminal offence under the Environmental Permitting Regulations — spill kits demonstrate reasonable precautions.
Speed matters	The faster a spill is contained, the smaller the environmental impact and the lower the clean-up cost and legal exposure.

Do

Don't

Know the location of the nearest spill kit to your work area and fuel storage.
Stop the source of the spill first — close valves or upright fallen containers.
Deploy absorbent socks around the spill to prevent it spreading to drains or water.
Use absorbent pads and granules to soak up the contained spill from the surface.
Protect nearby drains with drain covers or absorbent mats during the response.
Wear the PPE provided in the spill kit — gloves and eye protection as a minimum.
Dispose of used absorbent materials as hazardous waste, not in general site skips.
Report all spills to your supervisor immediately, no matter how small they appear.
Contact the Environment Agency immediately if a spill reaches any watercourse or drain.
Restock the spill kit after every use so it is ready for the next incident.

DON'T walk past a spill without taking action — contain it or report it immediately.
DON'T try to wash a spill away with water — this spreads contamination further.
DON'T leave the source leaking — stop it first before deploying absorbent materials.
DON'T allow spills to reach drains or watercourses — contain them with socks and mats.
DON'T use the wrong spill kit type for the substance — check the kit is suitable.
DON'T handle chemicals without the PPE provided in the spill kit.
DON'T put used absorbent materials in general waste skips — they are hazardous waste.
DON'T delay reporting spills — early intervention prevents major environmental damage.
DON'T fail to notify the Environment Agency if contamination enters a watercourse.
DON'T leave a depleted spill kit unstocked — replenish it immediately after use.

See also: Fuel and Oil Spill Prevention | Pollution Incident Reporting

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