Qualified Oil Spill Cleaning Services

Environmental impact

Because drains in the warehouse might connect to nearby waterways, oil tanks at work could negatively impact the environment. Local water supplies can get polluted in the case of an accident at work. You should try to contain the oil flow and cover nearby drains.

Fire risk

When oil encounters an open flame or other heat sources, it quickly ignites. If employees smoke after touching oil, they risk experiencing severe burns. Installing industrial-grade tanks away from open flames or other heat sources will lessen the fire risk. Workers should thoroughly wash their hands before eating, drinking, or smoking.

Health and welfare

The spill severity and how one encounters it may affect how symptoms develop in a person. Whether inhaled, ingested, or touched, oil exposure can negatively affect your health, increasing the risk of cancer and dermatitis.

Physical injuries

A slip-and-fall accident is possible if oil spills onto a surface that employees touch or walk on. Hot oil spills may cause the skin to burn and blister. You should have absorbent mats or pads to mop up excessive oil or stop a leak near oil tanks and barrels.

Who is responsible for an oil spill at work?

If your business deals with handling, storing, or transporting oil substances that have the potential to pollute an area, you have a responsibility to ensure this does not happen. You are legally obligated to comply with environmental, health and safety laws on all sites you operate on. Refusing to follow these regulations could land you in legal trouble, fines, and reputational damage.

In the event of a spill due to your negligence, or poor emergency response, you may face criminal prosecution and legal claims from employees. Ensure you prioritise any actions that could prevent a spill, and always keep your workplace safe.

We cover all areas in the Sevenoaks District in Kent, including:

• Ash
• Brasted
• Chipstead
• Crockenhill
• Edenbridge
• Fawkham
• Four Elms
• Hever
• Horton Kirby
• New Ash Green
• Otford
• Penhurst
• Sevenoaks
• Swanley
• Underriver

Preventing an oil spill in the workplace

During an oil spill, employees could suffer from serious injuries or long-term sickness. You might be able to see these hazards before they become critical by conducting frequent risk assessments and asking your staff for feedback on the existing workplace health and safety rules. A spill can be avoided by taking these actions:

• Update your staff with the latest health and safety laws, and workplace guidelines for using, storing, and transporting oil
• Ensure your staff know how to respond in an emergency with drills and training
• Take staff feedback during meetings or training to determine the best way to improve health and safety
• Ensure there are spill kits and PPE on-site
• Provide staff with absorbent mats, mesh baskets, and filter bags to tackle oil spills
• Conduct a spill risk assessment annually
• Determine which area is most at risk of a spill by reviewing the spill history
• Assess all equipment and machinery that uses oil regularly
• Ensure that any oil-transporting vehicles are not carrying leaking oil barrels

Get in touch with a member of our friendly support team today

To find out more about our full range of cleaning services, give us a call at 0208 066 0360 or email us at enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk and a member of our friendly support team will get back to you as soon as possible.