Wednesday, 11 December 2013

Helpful Tips When Purchasing Spill Berms

By Jeannie Chapman


When dealing with oil and other chemical solutions in a workshop or garage, one should note that they have a tendency to spill. When they leak, one is left with a mess to clean, bad smell and even damaged surroundings. When dealing with such solutions, it is a great idea to have spill berms, which can help control spillage.

Before buying the containment materials, it will be important to consider certain things carefully. Otherwise, one might get those that will not serve the intended purpose effectively. Some of the issues to be considered include the size of the container. This is because one must choose a unit with enough space to hold the spilling solution. The dimensions should also allow it to fit in the space available.

Another consideration could be whether the berm needs to be portable. If your aim is to contain spills in different locations, portable units will be the best option. These might come at a higher cost therefore someone who intends to contain spills in one location only would not gain that much benefit from the extra portability. Remember, portability might also mean smaller size, which could be another disadvantage.

You must check whether the containment materials will require assembly or not. If the ones you want to purchase require assembly, check how complex that process is likely to be. The ones that require no assembly are very easy to use and especially if the sides rise automatically forming the catch basin. Despite this, the flexibility offered with the user-assembled ones can be a great advantage especially when one is looking for custom sizes.

Materials used to make the containers have to be checked carefully to find out whether they will be able to hold the solution being collected. Since some of the chemicals are very aggressive, they may eat away on some materials resulting in spillage, which was being averted in the first place. There are also chemicals that may not corrode the material but ruin it in other ways thus requiring someone to purchase a new unit each time.

Closely associated with the toughness of the material is the weight. For the best results, you should opt for those made with strong but lightweight materials such as polyurethane or polyurethane elastomer. These will give you the toughness needed and the weight will be manageable.

The intended use of the berm needs to be considered in order to make the most appropriate choice. Some of the common uses for these containers include trapping solutions temporarily during transfer or for permanent storage. Depending on the use, some specifications like material, design and size may vary.

With the right berm material and size, one will be a step closer to containing any spillage from chemical solutions. Its portability and whether it needs assembly or not will help ensure it is where it is required on time. This factor can help determine whether you avert a disaster or not. Even after containing the solution, there is still risk of further spillage if the material is not tough enough. All these factors must therefore be addressed in order to buy the best spill berms.




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