Does Secondary Containment Have Your Head Spinning?
Secondary containment means different things to different individuals. So it's reasonable to assume that you might be a little confused. The first thing you need is a fundamental understanding of what secondary containment is. You likewise need to comprehend how your secondary containment requirements are connected to the particular Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policy or guidelines that apply to your facility.
The 411 on Secondary Containment
Here's the circumstance: Your primary container fails (e.g., a drum/barrel, IBC carry, storage tank-- you understand). The spill is heading directly toward a drain that connects with the general public drain system. However you're not too concerned, since your secondary containment stops the spill from spreading. So, generally, secondary containment is any system, gadget or control procedure that is used to stop a discharge from leaving a defined location. The theory is that if a spill can be included, it will not contaminate the environment or cause extra harm. More than a dozen EPA and OSHA guidelines require secondary containment, and it is pointed out in numerous industry standards.
Undoubtedly, a secondary containment system is something you want to have.
What Does Secondary Containment Look Like?
Here's where it gets a little sticky. Neither the EPA nor OSHA specifies what a secondary containment system need to appear like. They have standards on the spill volume that needs to be included and what the secondary containment system need to be capable of doing, but no particular style, gadget or item is specified by regulation, due to the fact that both companies acknowledge that each facility will have different circumstances and requirements. For small spills, something as simple as absorbents can be utilized for secondary containment; in other cases you may require a highly engineered system.
So you have the liberty to construct, design, install and utilize whatever type of systems or products you want-- as long as they satisfy the regulated requirements and are genuinely efficient in stopping a discharge from leaving an area.
Who Needs Secondary Containment?
If you store dangerous materials and/or contaminated materials in your center, you are most likely to require secondary containment systems to satisfy one or more guidelines. OSHA and EPA have very broad meanings of what constitutes a dangerous product. You probably currently know if you have harmful materials onsite, however basically, if it has a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or it is a liquid that could harm an individual or the environment, opportunities are excellent that there is a policy that considers it to be dangerous.
Now, before you get overwhelmed thinking about containment for every single thing in your center that has a SDS, let's put things in point of view. That little half-ounce bottle of correction fluid on every desk is harmful since it consists of a combustible liquid. If it spills on someone's desk, it'll make a mess, however it's not most likely to go into a floor drain and infect a nearby creek. So, chances are excellent that it won't need secondary containment. As a rule of thumb, take a look at the liquids that can be found in drums and totes, as well as anything that's stored in bulk tanks, and focus your secondary containment efforts on those areas initially.
Bottom line: You wish to keep spills out of the environment just like OSHA and EPA do. And you have lots of ways to accomplish that objective. If you're still not exactly sure about what you need or are puzzled about guidelines, give us a call. Companies like ArmorThane will contain your spills and set your mind at ease with POLYUREA COATING SYSTEMS. To find out more, contact ArmorThane here.
Here's the circumstance: Your primary container fails (e.g., a drum/barrel, IBC carry, storage tank-- you understand). The spill is heading directly toward a drain that connects with the general public drain system. However you're not too concerned, since your secondary containment stops the spill from spreading. So, generally, secondary containment is any system, gadget or control procedure that is used to stop a discharge from leaving a defined location. The theory is that if a spill can be included, it will not contaminate the environment or cause extra harm. More than a dozen EPA and OSHA guidelines require secondary containment, and it is pointed out in numerous industry standards.
Undoubtedly, a secondary containment system is something you want to have.
Here's where it gets a little sticky. Neither the EPA nor OSHA specifies what a secondary containment system need to appear like. They have standards on the spill volume that needs to be included and what the secondary containment system need to be capable of doing, but no particular style, gadget or item is specified by regulation, due to the fact that both companies acknowledge that each facility will have different circumstances and requirements. For small spills, something as simple as absorbents can be utilized for secondary containment; in other cases you may require a highly engineered system.
So you have the liberty to construct, design, install and utilize whatever type of systems or products you want-- as long as they satisfy the regulated requirements and are genuinely efficient in stopping a discharge from leaving an area.
If you store dangerous materials and/or contaminated materials in your center, you are most likely to require secondary containment systems to satisfy one or more guidelines. OSHA and EPA have very broad meanings of what constitutes a dangerous product. You probably currently know if you have harmful materials onsite, however basically, if it has a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or it is a liquid that could harm an individual or the environment, opportunities are excellent that there is a policy that considers it to be dangerous.
Now, before you get overwhelmed thinking about containment for every single thing in your center that has a SDS, let's put things in point of view. That little half-ounce bottle of correction fluid on every desk is harmful since it consists of a combustible liquid. If it spills on someone's desk, it'll make a mess, however it's not most likely to go into a floor drain and infect a nearby creek. So, chances are excellent that it won't need secondary containment. As a rule of thumb, take a look at the liquids that can be found in drums and totes, as well as anything that's stored in bulk tanks, and focus your secondary containment efforts on those areas initially.
