Spill Kits

What are the different types of Spill Kits?

If you’ve visited a few different websites before landing here, you may have noticed an industry colour coding convention for the absorbent materials that are used in Spill Response Kits. These absorbent materials are one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways of containing and recovering spilt liquids. They are coloured Grey, White, and Yellow and are used in Maintenance, Oil, and Chemical Spill Kits respectively.

(Black / Grey Absorbents) are used for Maintenance Spill Kits, which can also be described as ‘Universal’ or ‘General Purpose’ Spill Kits as they can be used for absorbing all types of fluids, excluding aggressive chemicals. These are the most used in workshops, factories, and you’ll have seen them under leaking refrigeration units in supermarkets too. We’ve described them as Black / Grey as they come in different shades (but you know what we mean).

(White Absorbents) used for Oil-only Spill Kits. These can only be used to absorb oil-based liquids such as vegetable oil, mineral oil and most hydrocarbon derivatives on land and in water too. In technical terms these are described as ‘hydro-phobic’ (or afraid of water) as they repel water and will only absorb the oil. This makes them ideal for soaking up oil spills outdoors or in water as the absorbent won’t become saturated with water. These absorbent products will float on water and remove oil skims on the surface of water.

(Yellow Absorbents) are used for Chemical Spill Kits. Capable of absorbing all substances, including aggressive chemicals, both acids, and alkalis. The yellow colour denotes ‘warning’ and helps to communicate the hazardous nature of the spill and the spill response protocols and waste segregation and disposal that would differ from a non-hazardous spill. These kits are essential for dealing with hazardous substances.

What are the different types of absorbents that make up the Spill Kits?

Absorbent Pads: Perfect for absorbing smaller spills and wiping down surfaces once a spill has been contained. Larger Spill Kits may have 200 or more absorbent pads and can halt the spread of a spill when placed promptly over a larger surface area.

Absorbent Rolls: Generally, not used in all but the largest of spill kits sizes but allows you to tear off the exact amount needed to reduce wastage. More often these would be used within a manufacturing or maintenance environment, where small spills and wipe-downs need a convenient absorbent on hand to use as required.

Absorbent Socks: Ideal for encircling spills or placing next to leaking machinery due to their very high absorbency.

Absorbent Pillows: Best suited for high-volume spills. They are designed to be placed in pools of fluid and areas where fluid collects. Spill socks can be placed around the pillows to create another barrier and prevent further spread.

Absorbent Booms: Booms can also be described as ‘big absorbent socks’ and work in the same way. Oil-only booms have a specialist role in marine environments and are known for their very high absorbency. Marine booms have hooks or karabiner clips on each end to enable them to be joined together to create a long barrier, that will float on the surface of water.

What are the different formats that Spill Kits are available in?

Workplace spills and incidents come in different shapes and sizes and in different locations and scenarios – and it’s no surprise then that Spill Kits also come in a range of sizes and formats to meet this need. Here at SafetyBuyer, we’ve thought carefully about the range of spill kits we’ve developed and hope we’ve combined choice, price, and availability in just the right way for you.

Because we hold large amounts of UK manufactured absorbents in stock and build & label our own branded spill kits, we can provide a custom build service. If you have a requirement to change the combination of absorbents or the size or type of container used for your spill kits, please get in touch with us to discuss your requirements.

We also offer Spill Kit Refills for all our kits sized 90 Litres and above. This enables the container or wheelie bin to be re-stocked for a lower cost and lower carbon footprint than buying a completely new kit if this is not required. Simply use the drop-down option on our spill kit pages and select the refill kit.

Our Spill Kit formats fall broadly into four categories.

Spill Kits in Clip Closed Carriers: Economical Spill Kits sized from 15 Litres up to 70 Litres and designed for one-time use, they are ideal for smaller spills and can be placed in various locations around your site or across your fleet of vehicles.

Spill Kits in Vinyl Holdalls: A more robust and durable option than the clip-top bags, but still offering excellent value for money. These can be refilled and are more suitable for longer-term use on vehicles or in more demanding environments. The added shoulder strap means they can be hung in a visible place and quickly taken to a spill location.

Spill Kits in Static Bins: Re-fillable and like an old-fashioned 80 Litre ‘Dustbin’ style bin, these are placed at high spill hazard locations and are not intended to be moved around the site.

Spill Kits in Wheeled Bins: Re-fillable and available in 120Litre, 240 Litre, and 360 Litre sizes with 2 wheels and 1100 Litre sizes with 4 wheels. Our industrial sized 4-wheeled spill kits feature ‘drop-fronts’ to aid access to the contents, making them highly versatile for various spill situations.

Spill Kits That Don’t Skimp on Value

The internet is a great purchasing tool, quickly presenting large amounts of information for prospective buyers to review and make their purchasing choice. However, there are many products, including spill kits, that might look the same but require a closer look to establish the best value proposition.

At SafetyBuyer, we never skimp and prefer to put more absorbent materials into our kits to win repeat business based on quality, value, and service. We always stock our spill kits with high-quality, UK-manufactured absorbents in competitive quantities for simply great value spill preparedness.

Within our spill kits, you’ll also find our full-colour instruction sheet with handy guidance notes, pictograms and space to add emergency contacts.

Give your Spill Kits a Proper Home!

Once you've got them - the next job is to make sure your spill response kits are where they should be when you need them, and they're maintained and ready for use. And this is where SafetyBuyer can help.

We’ve been designing and manufacturing Custom Health & Safety Information Boards for over a decade, helping businesses from different sectors communicate key safety information and keeping workplaces organized, productive, and safe.

If you’re already using spill kits or looking to update your provision and give them a more professional and prominent location on site, then be sure to look at our range of Spill Stations, Spill Stations with First Aid Points, COSHH Safety Stations, and Branded Spill Cleaning Stations.

All of our branded workplace information boards and first aid points can be customized to meet your specific needs and can help reinforce best practice and drive change in your safety programmes.

With a comprehensive inventory of spill management equipment and absorbents, we are able to manage the production of all our spill kits in-house, which supports our daily focus on delivering quality, value, and exceptional service to our customers. This ensures that hazardous waste is dealt with efficiently and safely.

For any further information or to discuss your spill control requirements, please do not hesitate to call us today on 0800 043 0161 or email sales@safetybuyer.com