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News Releases:
AusSpill spill kit standards
Over the last 20 years, spill kits have evolved to become a critical piece of safety and emergency response equipment. They are referred to in Australian Standards relevant to many different industries, and various codes of practice in force throughout Australia. Their importance is recognised by both environment and safety regulators in all jurisdictions.
A group of Australian spill control manufacturers and importers created the AusSpill Association in 2012. AusSpill was formed to provide a voice for the spill control industry, in an effort to encourage better regulation of spill response and control products. One of the ways that AusSpill intends to do this is through the eventual development of an Australian Standard.
AusSpill has received letters of support encouraging the development of an Australian Standard for spill kits from various bodies, including the Safety Institute of Australia, National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, NSW EPA and SA EPA.
As a first step towards the creation of an Australian Standard, in November 2018 AusSpill members formulated an approved a set of guidelines that describe the appearance of mobile spill kit bins, and also recognise a standard test method to accurately measure the sorbent capacity of those kits. Those guidelines have been adopted by AusSpill’s members.
The AusSpill spill kit guidelines have been developed in response to discussions with regulators, industry associations and other stakeholders. A constant thread in these discussions is that the inconsistent range of colours and performance of spill response kits presents a risk for responders, community and the environment where incorrect use of the products can create a safety and environmental hazard. These industry wide spill kit issues have been raised in letters in support for an Australian Standard for spill kits received from various stakeholders.
Lime green has been identified by AusSpill members as the ideal spill bin colour for two primary reasons. It is highly visible and is “readily identifiable” as described in AS1940:2017¹. The second reason for lime green spill bins is that this colour does not conflict with AS4123.7, which designates colours used to identify mobile waste bins. Waste bin colours designated in this standard include red, blue and yellow, which have also historically been used for spill kits.
To assist spill kit consumers in having a clear understanding of spill kit performance, AusSpill members have adopted BS7959-3:2007 as the standard test method for all sorbent products included in the spill kits. By providing full clarity on spill kit absorbency performance, consumers will be better able to meet their obligations by ensuring they have sufficient equipment to deal with any foreseeable spills².
The AusSpill guidelines are not an Australian Standard or a requirement of legal compliance. Manufacturers are not required to adhere to these guidelines, but AusSpill members believe that transitioning to the lime green spill kit bins and a uniform standard test method will provide a genuine net benefit for all spill kit users and the wider community.
For more information visit http://ausspill.com.au/resources/standard-for-spill-response-kits-faqs and http://ausspill.com.au/standard-for-spill-response-kits
The AusSpill standard is not an Australian Standard or an industry standard, it has not been approved by an independent standards body and is not required to be complied with by law.
- AS1940:2017 Storage and hanfling of flammable and combustible liquids: Section 2.3.4, AS1940:2017 Section 9.4.2 Published by Standards Australia
- CODE OF PRACTICE: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace, pg 36. Published by Safe Work Australia
Download a PDF copy of this document here
Vale Bruce Cartwright 1943 – 2018
It is with great sadness that we advise the Spill community of the passing of Bruce Cartwright, founder of Spill Station Australia.
Bruce is considered by many to be the father of the Australian spill control industry. He founded Spill Station Australia in 1983 and was the first to use mobile bins to package spill kits which have now been adopted as a standard world wide.
Over the last 35 years he built Spill Station to be a market leader and he should be rightly proud of the contributions he made to improving safety and environmental outcomes across Australia.
Bruce’s passing is not only a loss to his industry but to everyone that knew him. Bruce earned the respect of all through his quiet determination and genuine desire to always do the right thing.
Steve Clark, AusSpill Board Member and one of Bruce’s competitors said, ‘In business we all have competitors, however, in my relationship with Bruce, he was always someone that I had the utmost and absolute respect for, not only as a pioneer in our industry, that made it possible for my business to be his competitor, but as a gentlemen whose word I could trust. He always treated me with respect, perhaps before I had even earned it. Bruce will be missed and on behalf of the industry, our Industry Association – AusSpill, and its Board, our sincerest condolences to Marion, Nathan, Joyce, Adam and family and the Spill Station team.’
Spill Control Australian Standard Proposal
AusSpill Association (AA) members are seeking spill control industry stakeholder support for the establishment of an Australian Standard for spill kits & absorbents.
This follows the positive reaction to AA’s adoption of a standard for spill kit colouring and labelling, to provide consumers with easier and safer identification – to be phased in by late 2017.
Established in 2012, AusSpill Association (AA) represents Australian spill control manufacturers, resellers/wholesalers & importers as a single voice to government, the Australian public and the environment protection industry.
Chairman Scot Abernethy, said AA had already begun lobbying industry stakeholders for their support for an Australian Standard.
Mr. Abernethy said there are currently a broad range of suppliers and manufacturers in Australia for spill response kits and materials used for the control of liquid spills. These companies supply their products mainly to industrial organisations over a wide range of industries including construction, manufacturing, transportation, mining, oil and gas, energy, utilities and local government.
“These products are used to clean up spills for oils and fuel, non-aggressive liquids as well as hazardous chemicals. Regrettably, many of the products used to clean up some spills are incompatible with other spills, for example, cellulose products are commonly used to clean up spills of general liquids such as oils and paints, but can create a fire hazard if used to clean up strong acids or oxidising liquids.”
Mr. Abernethy added that there is currently no consistent system for the labelling and identification of the products or the spill kits in which they are typically supplied. This makes it very difficult for the individuals that are required to use these products, to select the appropriate product or kit to clean up a spill safely.
“Suppliers and manufacturers of these products currently make claims regarding the performance of their products, such as the absorbent capacity, which are not based on a consistent testing methodology to support these claims. “This makes comparing the performance and value of different products difficult for the consumer.
“An Australian Standard for spill kits and absorbents would provide consistency for the labelling and identification of these products to ensure that they are used appropriately and to assist consumers to make informed decisions”, Mr. Abernethy concluded.
For further information:
Please contact AusSpill Secretary secretary@ausspill.com.au
[Click here] to download a PDF version of this News Release
Spill Control Projects Deadline Set
AusSpill Association members have agreed to a completion date of 1 December 2017 for its two (2) key projects of:
- introducing a standard for spill kit colouring and labeling, and
- the independent testing of members’ absorbent products.
Established in 2012, AusSpill Association (AA) is a product agnostic body which represents Australian spill control manufacturers, resellers/wholesalers & importers as a single voice to government, the public and the environment protection industry.
AusSpill Chairman, Scot Abernethy, said AusSpill’s purpose is to contribute to both its member companies’ prosperity and the on-going achievement of international best–practice standards.
Mr. Abernethy said these two (2) important projects are examples of how AusSpill strives to:
- be a leading provider of continuing technical input into the development of Australian spill control-related codes & standards
- promote the spill control industry’s on-going contribution to Australia’s environmental protection.
“So the aim of both these projects is to establish some important and much needed standards for the identification and performance of spill response products.” Mr. Abernethy said AusSpill looks forward to developing further improvements to spill response equipment to assist consumers’ understanding and improve safety. ________________________________________________________________
For further information: Please contact AusSpill Secretary secretary@ausspill.com.au
AusSpill 2016/17 Office Bearers
Australia’s spill control industry group AusSpill has announced its 2016/17 Office Bearers.
At its annual general meeting on 15 November last, AusSpill members elected:
- Scot Abernethy – Chairman
- Trevor Prentice – Deputy Chairman
Mr. Abernethy is Operations Manager of Absorb Environmental Solutions and CEO of Absorb Training and has had eighteen (18) years experience in the spill response industry
Mr. Prentice is a Director of Prenco Environmental, based in Adelaide who has forty (40) years experience in the consultation and supply of products and services to industry and government agencies.
The Association AGM also voted 3M’s Ranmalee DeSilva onto the AusSpill Board, where she joins Envirosmart’s Steve Clark & Spill Station’s Nathan Cartwright.
Established in 2012, AusSpill Association (AA) represents Australian spill control manufacturers, resellers/wholesalers & importers as a single voice to government, the public and the environment protection industry.
For further information: please contact secretary@ausspill.com.au
[Click here] to download this Press Release in PDF format
Standards for Spill Control Kits
Spill Control Kits Standard Launched
AusSpill Association members have adopted a standard for spill kit colouring and labelling, to provide industry and consumers with easier and safer identification – to be phased in by late 2017.
Established in 2012, AusSpill Association (AA) represents Australian spill control manufacturers, resellers/wholesalers & importers as a single voice to government, the public and the environment protection industry.
AA Chairman Trevor Prentice said spill kits currently consist of a confusing variety of various spill kit packs, wheelie bins/lid colours, which have varying identification labels.
“AusSpill’s research showed that on many occasions, the incorrect spill kit was being selected. Key examples of the issues created by the lack of an industry spill kit standard include:
- On a site where there are coloured bins and/or packs similar to the spill kit (often used for waste or other storage) the recognition of a spill kit would be by reading the label only. This presents difficulty in cases where English is not easily understood.
- Where a spill kit has not been correctly identified, its use on an incompatible fluid can cause safety and environmental risks or non-performance.
- Current spill kit label terminology can vary and be confusing for the user. For example the terms ‘General Purpose’ and ‘Universal”’ are both used to describe a similar type of spill kit and users often misunderstand when and how these spill kits should be used.
Mr. Prentice said the new standard overcomes these problems. The standard shall require that all wheelie bin spill kits will have a lime green base with individual bin applications being identified by the following new lid colours:
• Oil & Fuel Only: white
• General Purpose: grey
• Hazchem: yellow
The lid colours have been selected to match the absorbent colours used by most suppliers for the purposes described. Labelling of all wheelie bin spill kits are required to meet the requirements of AS 1319–1994 ‘Safety signs for the occupational environment’ ensuring that the words ‘spill kit’ and the application of the kit i.e. ‘General Purpose’, are clearly visible.
Mr. Prentice said the benefits of the new standard include:
- Colour Coding: having a recognisable colour for a spill kit with standard labelling which enables the user to have more confidence that the right kit had been selected
- Improved Identification: adopting industry agreed terms for identifying the purpose or type of a spill kit so that the fluids for which the kit is suitable, are more easily understood by the user, thus removing much of the existing confusion while increasing safety
- Standardisation: the creation of an industry spill kit standard brings this important emergency response equipment into line with similar standardisation that has been created for Fire Extinguishers, which currently have a colour standard for recognition and type.
AusSpill Association looks forward to developing further improvements to spill response equipment to assist consumers’ understanding and improve safety, Mr Prentice concluded.
The AusSpill standard is not an Australian Standard or an industry standard, it has not been approved by an independent standards body and is not required to be complied with by law.
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For further information:
please contact AusSpill Secretary secretary@ausspill.com.au
[Click here] to download this Press Release in PDF format
A United Voice in Spill Control
The following article first appeared in WME Magazine : October 2013 Download a PDF copy hereJust over a year since its formation, AusSpill Association chairman Trevor Prentice provides an update on the activities of the national industry body for the spill control industry.
The group of Australian spill control companies that launched the AusSpill Association in mid-2012 believed the time had arrived for a national industry association to represent the industry’s interests. This informed the development of a group that now represents Australian spill control manufacturers, resellers/ wholesalers and importers as a single voice to government, the public and the environment protection industry.
The founders have also held true to the belief that to be truly representative, AusSpill must be ‘product-agnostic’.
Since inception AusSpill has developed policies that are currently being pursued with both state and territory regulators and Australian Standards. This includes a nationwide product accreditation and compliance scheme recognised by all environmental regulators and government bodies. It is also seeking to create and develop standards and test methods for other spill control products (such as bunding) as the industry requires.
An important part of the work being undertaken by AusSpill is the collection of spill control industry data to assist governments and industry in the maintenance of international best practice spill control policy.
AusSpill plans to create an Australian Standard for spill response kits and include it in other Australian Standards for the storage and handling of all classes of chemicals. AusSpill also plans to implement industry standard test methods in order to provide an impartial performance appraisal of absorbent materials and a method for identifying absorbent types (hazchem /chemical, oil and fuel/hydrocarbons, general purpose).
With regard to ongoing training, part of AusSpill’s role will be to promote and publish on its website all current and relevant information and applicable legislation relating to safety and education when dealing with spills of hazardous fluids.
Some AusSpill board members already regularly feature sections of regulatory requirements for their clients, to highlight the important issues in this area.
Also, AusSpill will be a vital reference point for recommending qualified industry spill training specialists that can assist companies with compliance with those regulations and legislation.
By joining the association, spill control and waste companies will have the opportunity for direct input into industry standards which in turn will contribute to greater environmental awareness and protection.
WME For more information contact secretary@ausspill.com.auSpill Control Industry Launch National Association
Sydney 09:00am 1 February 2013
A group of Australian spill control companies have launched a national industry association to represent the industry’s interests.
AusSpill Association (AA) was formally established in May 2012 to represent Australian spill control manufacturers, retailers, resellers, wholesalers & importers as a single voice to government, the public and the environment protection industry.
Inaugural Chairman Trevor Prentice says all comers are invited to join and take part in the Association’s lobbying of regulators for the industry’s benefit.
AusSpill’s foundation policies are to:
- Promote AusSpill to regulators, government and industry as a product agnostic, nationwide spill control industry representative body i.e. the voice of the industry.
- Support a nationwide product accreditation and compliance scheme, recognized by all environmental regulators and government bodies.
- Implement Industry standard test methods in order to provide an impartial performance appraisal of absorbent materials and a method for identifying absorbent types (Hazchem/chemical. Oil & Fuel/hydrocarbons, General Purpose)
- Create an Australian Standard for Spill Response Kits and include that standard in other Australian Standards for the storage and handling of all classes of chemicals.
- Create and develop standards & test methods for other spill control products (such as bunding) as the industry requires.
- Collect Spill Control Industry data to assist governments and industry in the maintenance of international best practice spill control policy.
Mr. Prentice says that as a product-agnostic organisation, AusSpill has been structured to allow all spill control product-types and services groups the option to appoint their own Board member.
A Membership Expression-of-Interest form with more details is available from the AusSpill Secretary at secretary@ausspill.com.au while more information can be found on the Association website at www.ausspill.com.au.
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For further information: please contact secretary@ausspill.com.au