Spill Control Standards & Regulations

Spill Control Standards

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environment Agency (EA) and International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) outline the key standards and regulations for spill control products and equipment.

Any organisation which handles oils, hazardous chemicals or liquids which if spilled, could cause environmental damage, must take every precaution to protect against spills or leaks. This is not only important to protect the environment and prevent contamination by toxic substances, but it is also a matter of legal compliance.

Specific types of spill kits are necessary for particular situations. Understanding what you must do to ensure compliance and respond safely and effectively to spills is critical.

All organisations that use, transport, store, or handle dangerous goods or hazardous substances must have a spill containment system in place and failure to do so can lead, not only to heavy fines and a negative environmental impact, but also damage to your company’s reputation.

Cromwell have a wide selection of spill control products to ensure you are fully protected in your work environment and our expert guide provides you with the legislation and information you need to select the right products.

Overview of UK Spill Control Standards & Regulations

The UK standards and regulations that reference the provision, use, and standard of spill control equipment and products in relevant workplaces include:

BS 7959-1:2000 and BS 7959-1:2004

The standard BS 7959-1:2000 was set by the British Standards Institution and is defined as applying to 'Materials used for the control of liquid spillages - Determination of sorbency'. The standard is designed to outline and regulate the sorbency of spill control products. All spill control products in the UK must be tested against this standard.

This standard was superseded by BS 7959-1:2004, which remains the current standard for determination of sorbency of spill control products.

BS 7959-3:2007

Also set by the British Standards Institution (BSI), this standard applies to 'Materials used for the control of liquid spillages - Colour coding of sorbent materials'. This refers to the universal colour coding system that enables spill control products to be easily identified by their application.

For more information around colour coding in spill control products, see our expert guide or our spill control types page.

BS 7959-2:2000

This standard applies to 'Materials used for the control of liquid spillages - Determination of water repellency or buoyancy for hydrophobic (oil sorbent) materials', and is set out to standardise the testing of spill control products suited for oil clean up.

ISO 9001:2005

ISO 9001 is a globally recognised standard for quality management. It helps organisations of all sizes and sectors to improve their performance, meet customer expectations and demonstrate their commitment to quality. Its requirements define how to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve a quality management system (QMS).

ISO 14001:2015

ISO 14001 is the internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems (EMS). It provides a framework for organisations to design and implement an EMS, and continually improve their environmental performance.

By adhering to this standard, organisations can ensure they are taking proactive measures to minimise their environmental footprint, comply with relevant legal requirements, and achieve their environmental objectives. The framework encompasses various aspects, from resource usage and waste management to monitoring environmental performance and involving stakeholders in environmental commitments.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. It's sometimes referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA.

It sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and members of the public, employees have to themselves and to each other certain self-employed have towards themselves and others.

Risk Assesment

Conducting a thorough risk assessment is the first step in ensuring workplace safety. Identify potential hazards, evaluate the risks, and implement measures to control these risks. Regular risk assessments can help prevent accidents and create a safer working environment. Conducting a risk assessment for spill control equipment involves several steps

  • Identify Potential Hazards: Review procedures and tasks to determine if there are substances around your workplace that could be dangerous if spilled. This includes substances including acids, alkalis, coolants, fuels, mild acids, mild alkalis, petroleum, oils and solvents including petrol based solvents.
  • Observe the Workplace: Observe the people working to determine the existence of unsafe or potentially unsafe conditions
  • Evaluate Risk: Identify who might be harmed by those hazards and evaluate the risk in terms of severity and likelihood
  • Establish Suitable Precautions: Implement controls and record your findings
  • Review and Re-assess: Regularly review your assessment and re-assess if necessary

To find out more about risk assessments visit The Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Alternatively Our fully qualified Technical Safety Team are always available to support you with your safety needs and are on hand to help you choose the right level of safety equipment for you and your requirements. Ask Our Experts

How to Comply With Spill Control Standards

Compliance with standards and regulations begins with awareness

Once you are aware of and familiar with the standards and regulations set out by ISO, BSI, HSE and EA that apply to your workplace, you can begin to put together a robust plan of compliance

  • Assess Spill Risks: Conduct a thorough risk assessment of potential spills in your workplace, considering the types of hazardous materials you handle, the quantities stored, storage methods, transfer processes, and spill response capabilities.
  • Develop a Spill Response Plan: Develop a spill response plan that outlines procedures for spill prevention, containment, cleanup, and reporting. Include details on spill response team roles and responsibilities, spill notification procedures, and emergency contacts.
  • Implement Preventitive Measures: Implement preventive measures to minimise the risk of spills, such as proper storage and handling practices, use of secondary containment systems, regular equipment maintenance, and employee training on spill prevention and response.
  • Provide Training & Awareness: Train employees on spill control procedures, including how to recognize spill hazards, use spill containment equipment and materials, and report spills promptly. Ensure that all relevant personnel are aware of their responsibilities and know how to respond in the event of a spill. Through Cromwell you can access training in spill response delivered by Ecospill; just contact our team to learn more.
  • Select, Maintain & Replenish Appropriate Spill Control Products: Choose spill control products, such as spill kits, absorbents, containment barriers, and secondary containment systems, that are suitable for your specific spill risks and regulatory requirements. Ensure that these products comply with relevant British Standards (BS) and other industry standards.
  • Contact Our Experts: If you still have any questions, need more information, or have more bespoke needs, feel free to ask our experts. Our fully qualified Technical Safety Team are always available to support you with your safety needs and are on hand to help you choose the right level of safety equipment for you and your requirements.

Spill Control Useful Resources

Ensuring safety in the workplace is a shared responsibility. To help you stay informed and up-to-date on spill control best practices, we’ve compiled a list of resources that provide valuable information. These resources cover a range of topics from understanding the importance of spill control awareness, equipment and preparedness, to selecting the right spill control product, to complying with UK regulations.

  • Emergency Response & Spill Control HSE guide for emergency response and spill control in relation to the Control of Major Accidents Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH).
  • UK Government Environment Agency The Environment Agency is a UK goverment department, which has advice and information regarding spills.
  • Secondary Containment A handy reference guide from The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with information regarding the Secondary Containment storage of spill control products.
  • British Standards Institution The British Standards Institution (BSI) is a national standards body of the UK, which is designed to help regulate and improve the quality and safety of products through the creation of standards.
  • International Organisation for Standardisation The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental international organisation which is made up of 170 national standards bodies.
  • Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. It's sometimes referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA. It sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and members of the public, employees have to themselves and to each other certain self-employed have towards themselves and others.
  • How to Dispose of Your Used Spill Control Products The UK Government website outlines the duty of care and guidelines when disposing of used spill control products or any hazardous substances.

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