After a chemical spill, could we clean up the hazardous substances ourselves?
The damage caused by a chemical spill will be determined by the chemicals within the spill, the scale of the spill, the location and the materials it comes into contact with as well as how quickly and effectively the spill is dealt with. Many spills, and the fumes they produce, are hazardous or potentially fatal to human health as well as harmful to the environment. Concentrated acids will have a very strong reaction upon contact with water, they need a specific response to neutralise them to render them safe. Many chemicals are flammable (they have a flash point of below 37.7°C) and will easily ignite upon contact with an ignition source. Without immediate action to contain the spill, the chemicals could compromise the health of living organisms. If chemicals are left untreated in the environment they could be ingested by living organisms and therefore enter the food chain. The consequences of the resultant bioaccumulation are far-reaching and long term.
As an employer, you have a duty of care to maintain a healthy and safe environment for all who come in contact with the site. We are an accredited emergency response organisation and our technicians have been trained to the highest industry standards. Safety of all personnel on site is paramount and the risk to health is too great to trust the clean-up of a chemical spill to anyone but a professional clean-up company. Ideal Response provide a tailored clean-up service according to the precise nature of the spill.
What techniques do Ideal Response use to clean up a chemical spill?
First, steps are taken to ensure the safety of all personnel, anybody not directly involved in the clean-up will be evacuated from the area. Ideal Response will assess the site of the spill to establish the nature of the hazards present. The spill is contained to prevent any further damage to the environment and to prevent further risks to health. Our highly trained technicians will gather information and collect samples to obtain an accurate picture of the nature of the chemical spill so the appropriate action can be taken. The whole process will be documented for your records.
The effects of a chemical spill can be wide ranging, depending on the chemicals involved and the materials and surfaces that they have come into contact with. As a trusted emergency response provider for over 15 years, we have obtained experience of chemical spills of a vast array of types and scales. We have a range of techniques and equipment to enable us to deal with each spill with a tailored and effective approach.
The decontamination is complete after the safe removal of all hazardous waste from the site, we will then supply a 100% decontamination certificate for your records. Your business will be restored to a safe and fully functioning state in the fastest possible time frame.
What happens if we cannot identify the chemicals that have been spilled?
If a chemical spill is unidentifiable, the situation is potentially far more dangerous. Ideal Response will err on the side of caution in this scenario. Anybody not directly linked to the clean-up operation will be removed from the site and all technicians will wear full personal protection clothing including breathing apparatus. After initial containment, we will carry out an analysis of the chemicals within the spill in order to ascertain the risks involved and establish the quickest and most effective remediation process. Ideal response have invested in the most up-to-date equipment available, this enables us to effectively deal with the chemicals within the spill on site.
Until the chemicals have been identified, we will treat the spill as we would for one that presents a significant hazard. Only once we have established the exact chemicals involved, can we decontaminate in the most appropriate manner.
How will I know if the site of the spill is completely decontaminated?
On arrival at the site of the chemical spill our highly trained technicians will be able to establish the precise course of action that needs to be taken. After containing the spill to prevent any further damage, our technicians will continue to implement a series of procedures to neutralise, eliminate and dispose of all hazardous materials in the correct way. Ideal Response is a licensed waste carrier, so all hazardous wastes will be removed from the site and disposed of effectively. We will complete the decontamination process by supplying you with a decontamination guarantee certificate.
What kind of chemical spills does Ideal Response respond to?
Ideal Response is an accredited emergency response company. We have been providing rapid response chemical clean-up services since 2001. In that time we have become a trusted and renowned chemical spill remediation provider in London and the South East. Our technicians are trained to the highest industry standards and have the experience and resources to deal with chemical spills of all scales including extremely hazardous waste such as mercury and bromine.
How quickly can Ideal response be on site?
Ideal Response aim to be at the site of the chemical spill within two hours of your call. We recognise that a chemical spill can pose significant risks to health and to the environment - in some circumstance these risks could potentially be life threatening. We recommend that our emergency response 24 hour Freephone number 01622 632 912 is displayed prominently wherever chemical spills could occur and relevant personnel within your organisation are made aware. Our rapid response service ensures the chemical spill is contained and decontaminated so that damage to your property and environment is minimised. Your business will be able to return to normal quickly.
Why is it important to choose a professional chemical spill remediation company?
Chemical spills, by their very nature, can be extremely hazardous to health and the environment. Contact with some chemicals can prove fatal so the consequences of a spill can be significant and long lasting unless dealt with effectively. The ramifications to the business in terms of health risks and cost cannot be underestimated. Chemical spills with known chemicals and those with unidentified chemicals need to be contained and neutralised as quickly as possible.
Ideal response has been providing chemical spill cleaning services in London and the South East since 2001 and in that time we have dealt with chemical spills of all types and scales. Our technicians are trained to the highest industry standards and have the experience necessary to deal with any chemicals within the spill in a fast, effective and appropriate manner to limit damage to the environment and minimise the risks to health.
We are an experienced and accredited chemical cleaning company with access to a wide range of techniques as well as state-of-the-art resources to provide a specific and targeted approach to any chemical spill. As licensed waste carriers, Ideal Response will remove of all hazardous waste and dispose of it responsibly.
What scale of chemical spill can Ideal response clean up?
Ideal response has become a trusted provider of chemical spill cleaning services in London and the South East. We have provided professional commercial chemical spill remediation since 2001. We have the range of resources, state-of-the-art equipment and the expertise to be able to deal with chemical spills of all scales. We have experience of dealing with chemical spills in a wide range of industries and have become the chosen service provider for many businesses and organisations.
Will the scale of the clean-up required be reflected in the price?
Yes. Ideal Response will conduct a thorough and precise inspection of the site of the chemical spill then instigate immediate steps to contain the spill and prevent further damage to your health or to the property. The remediation process is tailored to the specific chemical spill, its location and the exact clean-up processes required. Your costs will also be reduced by our rapid response, limiting the damage caused to the property as well as our effective techniques and equipment. The entire process is documented throughout and a certificate proving the effectiveness of our complete decontamination is provided on completion.
How do I know that I can trust Ideal Response?
Ideal Response has been trusted for years by businesses and industries throughout London and the South East for chemical spill emergency response services. Our customers will tell you that the exceptional service they received meant that the damage and costs to their business by the chemical spill were minimised by our rapid response, exceptional service and up-to-date techniques. We will work with you, keeping you informed throughout the remediation process. We will provide you with a fully documented report and contamination guarantee certification demonstrating the effectiveness of our clean-up. Your environment will be restored to normality in the quickest possible time frame.
How might chemical spills be harmful to the environment?
The answer to this depends upon the chemicals that are within the spill, their concentrations and where they are spilled. Different chemicals have different effects on the environment. Chemicals can harm the environment via the air, water, soil or other surfaces. Some chemicals will also be highly flammable; this presents significant dangers to property and the environment. It is important to act fast to limit the damage and to prevent chemicals within the spill entering the food chain.
The metallic element Mercury is still used in industry due to the specific properties it has. It is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature and its thermal expansion properties remain constant across a wide range of temperatures so it is still used today in spite of its highly toxic properties. Whilst its use during electrolysis is being phased out, it can still be found in batteries, fluorescent lights and in felt production. Mercury is still used in some thermometers, barometers, electrical switches, rectifiers, as a catalyst and as a component of dental amalgam used to fill teeth. A very small amount of mercury can still pose a significant health risk and it is vital that it is dealt with and disposed of professionally. The remediation process to safely remove mercury involves specific equipment and techniques. Ideal Response technicians are trained to deal with mercury spills effectively to minimise and remove risk.
Another high risk chemical spill is one involving the element bromine, also highly toxic and dangerous to the environment. Bromine is used in flame retardants, it is commonly found in electrical appliances, water purification, agriculture, pharmaceutical manufacture and in photographic emulsions. Bromine liquid and concentrated bromine solution are very toxic and corrosive. Bromine is dangerous to human health if inhaled and will cause severe burns upon contact with skin or eyes.
Hazardous chemicals need to be controlled and decontaminated in a pragmatic and precise way. Chemical clean-ups require specific equipment and expertise. It is vital to choose a reputable chemical spill clean-up provider, the risk to health and the environment is too great and the consequences and costs to a business could be severe and long lasting.
