A workplace spill of dangerous or hazardous materials can be a scary situation for all concerned. The natural instinct for nearly all employees when they see a discharge happening is to do their best to intervene and endeavor to fix the situation themselves. Unfortunately, this is nearly always the incorrect course of action - workers should by no means put themselves in a hazardous situation by trying to actually halt or slow up a unsafe spill. This must be noticeably discussed in the course of spill containment training classes with any staff who are exposed to unsafe agents during the course of performing their duties.

Of course there is no substitute for the acceptable equipment. Spill pallets and spill berms should be on hand and in service as a main safeguard against spill hazards.

The primary weapon that a risk supervisor can deploy against the issues presented by spills is in the proper management of work and storeroom work areas where spills are most likely to occur. Moving corridors must also be given the similar sort of attention. If a spilled substance can be safely channeled into secure temporary or emergency holding areas that are separated from sparks, open flames, electrical circuits or workers then there is no need for staff to do anything other than turn off their tool and leave the zone in the event of a spill.

Outside storage tanks, whether for oil, gasoline or other types of chemical safe-keeping are repeatedly targets for overcapacity or corrosion, both of which can cause spills. The use of diking encompassing these tanks as a way to focus spills and thwart the dispersion of potentially flammable, caustic or otherwise harmful liquids is recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and in some instances may actually be required by law, depending on the dimension of the tank being used. The necessity for these kinds of dikes and barriers can also be related to the amount of vehicular traffic in the storage space itself. Make sure that OSHA rules do not explicitly prohibit the installation of dikes near the container, as they do for those controlling particular substances such as liquefied petroleum gas.

In addition to dikes and barriers, OSHA also recommends the use of diatomaceous earth when containing leaks. Spreading this chalk-like substance is a proven technique of soaking up potentially unsafe liquids. If workers can carefully utilize diatomaceous earth using proscribed steps as an element of an emergency response plan that does not put them in any danger, then this could be a good choice for containing a spill.

There are also materials available which can be dispersed in the course of a spill through pressurized applicators that allow employees to keep their distance. These specialized chemicals can not only slow down the progress of a dispersing substance, but also reduce the effects of any vapors or even totally solidify the substance in question. At their most effective, these materials not only harden a substance, but also chemically modify its flashpoint so that it can be safely removed once the hazard is over. Rapid-acting materials can even be utilized to construct improvised barriers as they can cause the primary edge of a spill to rapidly lose its fluidity.