If your company in Grand Rapids works with oil products, you need to take safety precautions against leaks and spills. If you operate a boat, the same applies. It makes perfect environmental sense to make sure none of the oil or oil products escapes into the soil, the lake or any other environment. To help prevent this onsite or at the dock or marina, you need to have available sufficient oil absorbent pads.
What Is an Oil Absorbent Pad?
An oil absorbent pad is a wad or piece of material designed to control and clean up any oil spill. It may be of synthetic or natural material. Most pads are made up of melt blown polypropylene, which is then bonded between two or more layers of other material e.g. spun bond fabric. Others use natural fibers such as cotton and other cellulose fabrics to provide the desired oil absorbency.
The pads work in small areas. You can purchase them separately. They may also come as a component of a spill kit. In fact, pads are the most common item a spill kit will contain.
Prices of the pads vary, as do the basic types. It is possible to purchase standard absorbent pads as well as those that are static resistant. The latter are the best and only choice for using around ignitable fluids and fumes.
What Are the Applications?
Oil absorbent pads have one major use. They soak up excess and spilled petroleum-based products. Common uses include:
- Catching machinery leaks – at home or in a manufacturing facility
- Sucking up drips in a factory
- Absorbing spills on the premises of a manufacturing or production company
- Soaking up oil spills from the surface of water
Management at many factories in Grand Rapids keeps them handy to prevent oil and oil-based materials from contaminating the surface of the shop floor and or escaping into the larger environment. Mechanics keep a supply on hand. People who are changing the oil of their car or putting gas into their boating vehicles use them to prevent oil spills.
In general, the right types of oil absorbent pad will quickly, and easily, soak up the following:
- Hydraulic oil
- Motor oil
- Brake fluid
- Cooking oil
- Turpentine
Other petroleum-based materials also respond to the efficient nature of a pad.
Oil Absorbent Pads
If you work with oil and oil-based products or substances, it is important you do your part to help protect the environment and your workers. Safe management practices include easy to access safety measures such as a spill kit. This will contain the right items to help control an oil spill and prevent the material from contaminating the environment. In Grand Rapids, if you as an individual or plant or shop manager, want to reduce instances of environmental hazards, keep oil absorbent pads on hand, ready to use before the first drop of oil hits the ground.
