Chemical Spills Can Cripple a Job Site

Even though construction sites have the proper equipment and procedures in place to prevent chemical spills, they still can be prone to accidents. Having a good response plan is very important to minimize the damage caused by these types of spills.  As a contractor, it is your responsibility to ensure all safety measures are taken into consideration.

Delaying the containment of chemical spills can have a negative effect on the operations of your job site. It increases the likelihood of damage to the environment and people, as well as the time it takes to clean up the mess.

In this article, we explore a comprehensive overview of the various effects of chemical spills on people, the environment, and the structures within that spill and why it is important to ensure your team is well trained and versed on the awareness of what a chemical spill means to all parties involved.

How Do Chemical Spills Affect Humans?
Different chemicals can pose different threats to people.  For example:

• In some cases, poisonous or toxic gases can lead to severe illnesses and even death. The concentration of toxic substances that have escaped or leaked can cause even more deaths.
• When exposed to combustible chemicals, they can cause severe burns and damage the eyes and respiratory tract.
• Some chemical spills can also delay their carcinogenic effects. For instance, exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer years after it was first inhaled.
• Explosions or fires can also result in severe damage to people stemming from flammable chemicals.

How Do They Affect The Structure Of The Site?
Chemical spills can cause significant damage to the surrounding areas of the job site

• In severe cases, a fire can cause a building’s foundation to collapse due to the effects of the heat.
• A building can be rendered unusable for a long time due to toxic chemicals that have escaped.

What About Environmental Effects?
Often overlooked, chemical spills can have devastating environmental impacts:

• Oil spills can have detrimental effects on marine life in surrounding water sources (i.e. canal or lake adjacent or near the job site). Apart from posing a threat to local marine life, they can also pollute the habitats and food sources of these animals.
• The chemicals that have been spilled can seep into the soil and severely affect the environment. This can make the areas where these chemicals have been dumped inhabitable for a variety of organisms.

In conclusion, slow responses to chemical spills can amplify the negative effects of the spill. The larger the spill’s spread, the more damage it can cause. This is why it is important that the containment efforts are carried out immediately.

If you are not sure where to start in putting a plan in place, reach out to us. We have a vast network of resources and people we can recommend and help with you such matters.   If you have any questions or comments, please share them with us.

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