Risk assessment key to spill prevention

By Rob Jones

13 July 2012

Businesses should undertake and regularly review on-site spill surveys to prevent unnecessary pollution to the environment.  An annual review is a sensible practice, to ensure potential spill issues are identified and that the necessary containment equipment is in date and in the right place.  That’s the message from Mark Hinton, General Manager of PHS Spillcontrol following a serious chemical spill into a river near Peterborough that killed thousands of fish and is likely to have a long term effect on the local flora and fauna.

While this recent incident in Peterborough was caused by vandals, the Environment Agency reports that many thousands of pollution incidents occur each year from factories, farms, transport activites as well as from homes.  All business have a legal responsibility to ensure spills are avoided.  Where a spill occurs it is an offence and can result in prosectuion as well as environmental damage.

“In most cases, spills are avoidable with a little careful planning so the importance of an on-site spill survey should not be underestimated”  says Mark Hinton of PHS Spillcontrol;  “Taking a few simple precautions, such as having the correct equipment on site to contain any spillages should they occur, is the key to preventing a major incident.  It is also important to communicate the need for good practice in spill management to the workforce and ensure the relevant people have the correct training in order to effectively prevent and deal with a spill.  This is often the easiest way to prevent  a spill occuring in the first place.”