Free Spill Storage Solution Surveys: Are Your Spill Storage Areas Fit for Purpose?
A practical guide to spill storage solution surveys for safety, SHEQ and site manager
A spill storage solution survey helps you check whether your current spill storage set-up is suitable, practical and aligned with relevant HSG guidance. Hazchem Safety now offers a free, no-obligation site visit where our expert, Richard, reviews existing spill storage arrangements and recommends clearer, safer options for your site.
Contents
- Why review your spill storage set-up?
- What is a spill storage solution survey?
- Why should sites review their spill storage arrangements?
- What gets assessed during the site visit?
- What recommendations might come from the survey?
- Who should book a free spill storage solution survey?
- Get a clearer view of your spill storage
- Not sure if your spill storage set-up is still right for your site?
Why review your spill storage set-up?
Spill storage often grows over time. A few drums, an IBC, then different spill pallets or spill decks across departments can quickly lead to mixed storage, poor segregation and inconsistent standards. For more background, see our guide to the difference between a spill deck and a spill pallet.
Hazchem Safety now offers a free, no-obligation spill storage solution survey. Richard visits site, reviews your current arrangements and recommends practical improvements for safer, clearer and more consistent spill storage.
This is a practical review, not a hard-sell product visit.
What is a spill storage solution survey?
A spill storage solution survey is a site visit that reviews how hazardous liquids, drums, IBCs, small containers and spill response equipment are stored across your working areas.
It looks at whether your current spill control arrangements are suitable for day-to-day use, not just whether equipment exists on site. A site may have spill pallets, bunded storage and spill kits in place, but they still need to be correctly sized, positioned, accessible and appropriate for the substances being stored.
During a spill storage assessment, the review may consider:
- the types and volumes of liquids stored on site
- whether containers are drums, IBCs, cans or mixed formats
- whether existing spill pallets and spill decks are suitable
- how easy storage areas are to access safely
- whether chemicals are segregated correctly
- whether housekeeping supports safe working
- whether spill kits and response equipment are placed where teams need them
Recommendations are made with relevant HSG guidance in mind, including HSG71 chemical storage guidance for packaged dangerous substances. HSE describes HSG71 as guidance for anyone responsible for storing dangerous substances, including control measures aimed at eliminating or reducing risks from packaged dangerous goods storage. It also covers areas such as risk assessment, emergency arrangements and audit or review processes.
Why should sites review their spill storage arrangements?
Spill storage needs change over time. Chemicals, volumes, container sizes and working areas may all be different from when the original set-up was installed.
A review can help identify common issues such as:
- damaged, undersized or unsuitable spill pallets
- IBCs or drums stored where access is poor
- incompatible substances kept too close together
- spill kits placed too far from likely spill points
- inconsistent equipment across departments or depots
These issues can make inspections harder to manage and create avoidable risks during storage, handling or emergency response. A practical spill containment survey helps spot gaps early, so site teams can make clear, sensible improvements before they become compliance concerns or costly replacements.
What gets assessed during the site visit?
The site visit reviews the storage areas your teams use day to day. The aim is to understand how hazardous liquids are stored, moved, accessed and managed in real working conditions.
Richard will assess existing spill pallets, spill decks, bunded storage and secondary containment. This may include drum storage, IBC storage, small containers and mixed-use areas where different products are stored.
The review looks at whether storage capacity is suitable for the containers on site, whether equipment is in good condition, and whether the layout supports safe access, handling and inspection. It also considers chemical compatibility, segregation, forklift movement, vehicle impact risks and whether spill kits or response equipment are close enough to likely spill points.
The survey also helps identify where storage could be made simpler and more consistent. For example, if containers are hard to reach, incompatible products are too close together, or different departments are using different equipment, Richard can recommend clearer, safer and more practical options.
What recommendations might come from the survey?
The recommendations from a spill pallet assessment or wider spill storage review depend on what is found on site. In some cases, only small changes may be needed. In others, the survey may highlight areas where equipment should be replaced, moved or standardised.
Typical recommendations may include replacing unsuitable or damaged spill pallets with correctly sized bunded storage. This may be needed where pallets are cracked, overloaded, chemically unsuitable, difficult to inspect or no longer appropriate for the containers being stored.
The survey may also recommend moving spill storage to a safer or more practical location. For example, storage may need to be moved away from busy vehicle routes, positioned closer to the point of use, or placed where emergency access is clearer.
Other recommendations may include:
- separating incompatible substances more clearly
- adding spill kits where response equipment is missing
- positioning drain protection near higher-risk areas
- using spill decks for smaller containers or dispensing points
- introducing bunded storage for drums or IBCs
- improving housekeeping around storage areas
- standardising equipment across multiple departments
- reducing the number of different spill control products being ordered
The aim is to make spill storage simpler to manage and easier to defend during internal reviews or audits. For many sites, the most useful outcome is a clear, practical plan that separates immediate issues from longer-term improvements.
This is particularly valuable where several teams are involved in hazardous substances storage. SHEQ may set the standard, operations may use the equipment, and procurement may be responsible for ordering replacements. A clear survey helps everyone work from the same information.
Who should book a free spill storage solution survey?
A free spill storage solution survey is suitable for any site that stores hazardous liquids and wants a clearer view of whether its current arrangements are still fit for purpose.
It is especially useful for SHEQ and health and safety managers preparing for audits, inspections or internal reviews. If you need to demonstrate that storage areas are being managed sensibly, a practical review can help identify gaps before they are raised by someone else.
The survey is particularly relevant for:
- chemical manufacturing sites
- fuel and gas environments
- ADR transport and logistics depots
- power generation sites
- refineries and process environments
- industrial workshops and maintenance areas
- sites with multiple departments or storage locations
- businesses reviewing hazardous substances storage before an audit
It is also useful for any site that is unsure whether its current spill storage solution still matches the substances and volumes being stored. If stockholding has changed, new chemicals have been introduced, or storage has grown gradually over time, a review can provide clarity.
For regulated industrial environments, consistency matters. Teams need to know what equipment is suitable, where it should be used, and how it supports safe working. A survey helps turn a mixed or unclear set-up into a more practical and manageable arrangement.
Get a clearer view of your spill storage
Spill storage does not need to be complicated, but it does need to be suitable. The right set-up depends on the substances stored, the volumes involved, the container types used and the working environment around them.
Hazchem Safety’s free spill storage solution survey gives you a practical view of what is working, what may need improving and which storage options are most appropriate for your site.
The visit is free and no-obligation, with straightforward recommendations based on your site, your risks and your day-to-day operations.
Not sure if your spill storage set-up is still right for your site?
Book a free, no-obligation survey and get clear, practical recommendations from Hazchem Safety today.