drum storage | Spill Containment Blog

Storing or Transporting Hazardous Materials? Bring on the Poly Drums!

November 8, 2023 by Travis Zdrazil

Explore polyethylene drums for safer workplace material handling

Does your business transport hazardous chemicals or waste? Whether you need to move them thousands of miles away or just from one area of your facility to another, you must ensure that the hazardous materials are transported in safe containers.

One excellent choice for this purpose is the polyethylene (poly) drum. In this guide, we’ll explore different types of poly drums and help you determine which one suits your specific needs.

Hazardous Waste Containers: A Legal Obligation

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations mandate that businesses dealing with hazardous substances must employ containers made of materials that won’t react with the waste they hold. This ensures the safe containment of the hazardous materials.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires hazardous waste containers to be clearly identified before the waste is transported. A label should indicate the type of waste in the container, including its name, characteristics, and handling requirements.

Lab Pack Drums: Ideal for Small Quantities

30-Gallon Lab Pack Poly Drum

Lab pack drums are perfect for storing small quantities of chemicals that cannot be disposed of in the trash or down the drain. These drums are suitable for the transport of hazardous chemicals like dry cleaning compounds, strippers, pool chemicals, acids, bases, inks, degreasers, and solvents.

Constructed from blow-molded HDPE, these drums come in 14, 20 and 30-gallon capacities with two styles of lid (metal or plastic lever lock, and screw top). All lab pack drums are designed to meet DOT regulations, ensuring the safe transport of waste to a hazardous waste disposal facility.

Salvage Drums: A Must for Certain Hazardous Chemicals

Federal and state regulations necessitate the use of salvage drums for businesses that handle and transport large or small containers of certain hazardous chemicals. These chemicals include acids, bases, dry cleaning compounds, strippers, pool chemicals, inks and dyes, degreasers, paints, pesticides, solvents, and thinners.

Salvage drums serve multiple purposes: from transporting materials to storing them, holding soiled spill-cleanup materials, or serving as spill-containment or original shipping containers. They’re available in 20, 30, 65 and 95-gallon capacity with lever lock or metal band and bolt lid styles, depending on size.

Overpack Drums: Handling Spills and Soiled Absorbents

Overpack drums come in handy for storing and transporting soiled absorbents or providing spill containment for leaking or damaged containers of up to 55 gallons. They feature screw on lids with a closed-cell foam gasket that ensures a tight and secure seal.

Regulations require overpack drums for businesses with small or large containers of hazardous chemicals. They are commonly chosen by spill-containment contractors, transportation companies, labs, medical facilities, warehouses, and manufacturers.

Secure Your Workplace with the Right Poly Drums

Poly drums are indispensable tools for businesses that deal with hazardous materials. To ensure compliance and safety, it’s essential to have the appropriate poly drums on hand in your workplace.

AbsorbentsOnline has got you covered when it comes to poly drums for your hazardous materials needs. We’re here to help you make the right choices and keep your workplace safe and compliant. For any questions or assistance, feel free to contact us via email or call our toll-free number at (800) 869-9633.

We offer a wide range of options to cater to your specific requirements – see our Poly Drum Comparison Chart to find out more. Our products are designed to meet all necessary regulations and provide peace of mind in handling hazardous substances.

Be sure to also check out our previous posts, Chemical Transportation Safety and Safer Poly Drum Handling Starts with the Right Tools, to learn more.

This is a revision to a blog post with an original publication date of January 14, 2015.

Pick the Right Pallet: 6 Pallets that Control Spills

January 4, 2021 by Travis Zdrazil

Explore secondary containment sumps for your IBC and 55-gallon drums

A low profile spill deck makes loading 55-gallon drums a breeze

Nobody likes a spill. But when it happens in an industrial workplace it can be more than just an inconvenience. Chemicals, oils, and contaminants may not only damage your facility and equipment. They can also present health and safety hazards — and even environmental concerns.

Which means preparing for spills isn’t only smart, it’s necessary for Federal law compliance. Including the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 40 CFR. As well as The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR.

Does your facility have more than 1,320 gallons of above-ground storage? Or, 42,000 gallons of underground storage? If so, regulations state you must have a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) plan. And even if your numbers aren’t quite that high, it’s still smart to have a plan in case of a spill.

That’s why it’s absolutely imperative to have spill containment pallets on hand in case of emergency. Luckily, we offer six different types of spill pallets to meet your specific needs.

Use light blue fluorinated spill pallets for hazardous material chemical drum storage

1. Spill Pallets and Platforms

These traditional pallets will hold one to eight drums. Most have removable non-skid decking grates for convenient clean-up. The polyethylene construction offers excellent corrosive and chemical resistance.

We also supply heavy-duty steel platforms for flammable storage drums. As well as fluorinated drum spill pallets. Use these if you have aggressive fluids that are not compatible with polyethylene.

Platforms are available in high and low profile styles. The forkliftable or ramp-friendly designs ensure easy drum loading. Similarly, modular units can connect to handle more drums as needed.

2. Economy Spill Pallets and Basins

High density polyethylene drum spill basins are durable and cost effective

Looking for low cost, temporary spill protection with smaller sump capacity?

Our HDPE tote basins are ideal for one-, two-, and four-drum storage.

The flexible PVC models, available with or without grates, come in one- to six-drum sizes.

However, these economy 55 gallon drum basins come without drain plugs. As a result, they may not be suitable for every facility’s long term needs.

Outdoor drum pallets offer protection from weather and unauthorized access

3. Outdoor Drum Storage

Our broad selection of covered outdoor models can store up to 20 drums. Choose from pallet building, roll tops, lift tops, and flip-top covered pallets.

Many of our outdoor drum pallet units are lockable. Which means they not only protect against inclement weather, but also unauthorized access.

4. IBC Spill Containment Pallets

An outdoor spill containment pallet with weatherproof storage for two IBC

We offer standard, modular, and hardtop intermediate bulk container (IBC) containment pallets. Most IBC pallets have forklift pockets to enable easy movement of units.

These EPA-compliant spill control solutions provide up to 400 gallon sump capacity. Removable grates make cleaning a breeze.

Our IBC tote pallets include units for both indoor and outdoor use. So you have plenty of secondary containment options available for your site.

5. Stackable and Drum-Dispensing Workstations

Modular drum workstations combine easy dispensing with spill control containment

These space-saving workstations allow you to safely store and dispense drums. Made of high density polyethylene, they offer excellent chemical resistance against hazardous materials.

Workstations with covers are suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Whereas our modular system lets you assemble drums in various stackable configurations.

In other words, you can meet SPCC requirements and dispense chemicals with ease.

6. Portable spill control pallets

Portable units are ideal for temporary drum storage or spill berm uses

Meanwhile, not all workplace applications require a permanent spill solution for drums. Which is where portable PVC or polyethylene construction berms come into their own.

These affordable and portable pallets are easy to deploy for quick clean-ups. They are compatible with a wide variety of liquids, flammable fuels, and more.

In other words, they are ideal for temporary use in vehicles, and for emergency use.

Drum and spill deck accessories

A heavy-duty cart makes a handy forklift-alternative for moving single drums

All sorted providing your hazmat liquids a safe place to spill into? Here are other OSHA and SPCC compliant accessories to consider for your workplace:

Drum carts and ramps offer convenient solutions for handling and transporting single drums.
An absorbent drum topper pad helps catch drips and splashes.
Likewise, a drum funnel prevents pouring spills into your waste container.
Use an overpack drum to store leaking containers or soiled sorbent materials.
Keep an emergency drum leak repair kit on site to patch small cracks and holes.

Connect with a spill pallet expert

Don’t let a spill catch you unawares. We hope this blog post about these 6 spill containment platforms was helpful. Reach out if you need more information. And make sure you’re prepared for any eventuality with our spill containment pallets.

Have questions about which absorbents and spill products are right for your needs? Contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

This is a revision to a blog post with an original publication date of January 13, 2016.

Proper Fuel Drum Storage: Safeguarding Against Spills

November 27, 2013 by Travis Zdrazil

stacks of metal storage drums Fuel is both flammable and toxic to the environment, which is why companies need to safely store it where there’s little-to-no chance of a spill. Allowing fuel to spill or even drip in the workplace creates a dangerous scenario for nearby employees. If someone were to slip and fall on an area that’s slick with fuel, the company could be held liable for their injuries.

So, what’s the best way to store fuel? And what items should a fuel spill kit contain? To learn the answers to these questions and more, keep reading.

Fuel Cans

Depending on the size, scope and overall operations of your business, a couple small fuel cans may offer adequate fuel storage. You can them available for sale at most major home improvement stores for about $5-$20 a piece, allowing businesses and individual to safely store their fuel. When choosing fuel cans for your workplace, check to make sure they have a functional nozzle that’s easily to take on and off. Also, make sure the can is labeled specifically for gasoline/fuel.

Fuel Storage Drums

Of course, some companies may require something larger than a couple of fuel cans. If your company handles and/or uses a moderately large quantity of fuel, you should consider using a storage drum. These drums are designed to withstand the corrosive properties of fuel, preventing it from escaping and spilling onto the floor. A typical storage drum can hold up to 30 gallons of fuel, making them an excellent alternative to small cans.

If you plan on using fuel storage drums in your workplace, you should invest in some drip pans to safeguard against spills. Although this isn’t applicable for all drums, some have nozzles on the bottom which allow the user to extract fuel. It’s not uncommon for fuel to continue dripping from the nozzle once it’s turned off, spilling onto the floor where it creates a serious hazard for workers. Placing a drip pan underneath the nozzle, however, will catch any excess fuel dripping from the nozzle.

Fuel Spill Preparation Tips

As the old adage goes — hope for the best but prepare for the worst — holds true in the workplace. Companies should take measures to prepare themselves in the event of a fuel spill. This includes purchasing absorbent towels, socks, booms and berms. In addition, companies should also train their employees on how to use these items. Even if a spill never happens, being prepared will give you peace of mind at night.