What to do when a fuel spillage occurs
Fuel spillages aren't something you want to ignore. Whether you've had a small spill while refuelling, discovered a leak from a tank or found fuel where it shouldn't be, knowing what to do next makes all the difference. Acting quickly can help prevent the fuel from spreading, reduce the risk to people and vehicles, and limit any damage to the surrounding environment.
And fuel isn't only lost through accidental spillages. For commercial vehicle operators, fuel theft and overfilling can cause their own problems, making fuel security an important part of preventing unnecessary fuel loss.
So, if you've got fuel on the ground, what's the best thing to do? Let's take a look at the steps that can help you get the situation under control.
1. Stop the source if you can do so safely
The first thing to work out is where the fuel is coming from. If it’s still leaking from a tank, pipe, container or vehicle, stopping the source will help prevent the spill from getting any bigger, but only if you can do so safely.
If there’s an accessible shut-off valve, closing it should stop the flow. However, there’s no need to take risks, so don’t try to force a damaged valve, repair leaking equipment or get too close to the fuel if it could put you in danger.
With a smaller spill, you may be able to secure the container and prevent any more fuel from getting out. If you can’t safely stop the source, leave it and get the appropriate help.
2. Keep people away from the spill
Once the source is under control, the next thing to do is make sure everyone else is aware of the spill and knows to keep clear of the area while it’s being dealt with.
Fuel can make surfaces extremely slippery, so keeping people and vehicles away will help prevent accidents and give you the space you need to deal with the spill properly. It’s also important to keep potential ignition sources away, including cigarettes, naked flames, running engines and anything else that could create a spark.
If the spill has happened somewhere busy, such as a commercial yard, workplace or public area, use cones, barriers or warning signs to clearly mark the affected area and prevent people from crossing into it.
3. Notify the relevant authorities
If you have a particularly large spill on your hands, or one that has happened in a public place, it’s best to contact the relevant authorities and let them know what’s happened as soon as you can. They’ll be able to advise you on the most appropriate next steps and, where necessary, arrange the right response.
If there’s an immediate risk of fire, explosion or serious harm to people, move away from the area and contact the emergency services on 999. Keep a safe distance from the affected area while you wait for the emergency services to arrive.
If fuel has entered, or could enter, a drain, river or other watercourse, you should also contact the appropriate environmental regulator for advice. Where a spill is affecting a public road, the relevant highways authority may need to be notified too.
Getting the right people involved early can help prevent a serious spill from becoming a much bigger problem.
4. Contain the spill
Once the source is under control, the next step is to contain the spillage as much as possible and stop the fuel from spreading any further.
If you’re running a commercial business, you’ll likely have some absorbent materials to hand for dealing with spills. Sand is one of the most commonly used options, and it can usually be found in containers next to the pumps at petrol stations. If you’re using sand to contain a spill, spread it generously around the outside of the affected area first. This helps create a barrier and gives the fuel less opportunity to spread or seep through.
If you have a dedicated fuel spill kit available, you can use the absorbent materials in this to help contain and soak up the fuel. The quicker you can get the spill contained, the easier it will be to deal with.
5. Clean up the spill properly
Once you've contained the fuel, you'll need to remove any remaining liquid and deal with anything that has become contaminated.
For a small spill on a hard surface, your fuel spill kit can be used to soak up the remaining fuel. Once the clean-up is complete, the used absorbent material should be disposed of appropriately, in line with the relevant waste requirements.
Larger spills can be more complicated, especially if fuel has started soaking into the ground or reached a nearby drainage system. In these cases, simply removing the visible fuel may not be enough, so it’s best to get a specialist involved to assess the area, carry out any necessary clean-up and make sure contaminated materials are handled and disposed of correctly.
What not to do after a fuel spill
When a fuel spill happens, it’s natural to want to get it cleaned up as quickly as possible. There are just a few things worth avoiding, as some approaches can make the spill harder to deal with.
For example, don’t use water to wash the fuel away. Rather than removing it, this can spread the fuel across a larger area and carry it into nearby drains, making the spill more difficult to contain and potentially causing environmental pollution. It’s also worth avoiding ordinary cleaning products, as they aren’t designed to absorb fuel and can simply move the contamination around the surface. Using materials designed specifically for fuel and oil spills will make the clean-up much easier to manage.
If the spill involves damaged tanks, pipework or other fuel equipment, it’s also best not to try and take anything apart or carry out repairs yourself. A suitably qualified professional will be able to deal with the underlying problem safely, without creating another risk in the process.
How to prevent future fuel spillages
A little preparation can go a long way when it comes to preventing fuel spillages. Regularly checking tanks, pipework and other equipment can help identify potential problems early, while taking care when refuelling can reduce the risk of overfilling.
It's also worth making sure your fuel is stored appropriately and that you always have the right spill response equipment available wherever fuel is being stored or used. That way, if something does go wrong, you're in a much better position to deal with it from the off.
For commercial fleets, prevention is always better than cure when it comes to fuel spillages. Regularly checking tanks and fuel systems, taking care when refuelling and making sure tanks aren't overfilled can all help reduce the risk of fuel being lost. It's also worth considering fuel security measures to protect against theft and unauthorised access, especially if you're managing a larger number of vehicles.
Protect your fleet from fuel theft and spillage
If you're responsible for a commercial fleet, you'll know that a vehicle can lose fuel through theft, overfilling and spillage, and when you're managing several vehicles, those losses soon add up.
Our TankSafe® Optimum 9 provides complete fuel protection for commercial vehicles, using patented technology to isolate the fuel inside the tank and prevent unauthorised access. It also helps prevent fuel from being lost through overfilling and spillage, helping you protect one of your biggest running costs.
At Tanksafe, we’ve been developing fuel security solutions for more than 20 years, and our product range is protected by 45 patents covering 49 territories worldwide.
If you'd like to find out whether TankSafe Optimum is right for your vehicles, or you'd simply like to learn more about how it works, feel free to visit our FAQs page or call our team on 01253 400 401, and we’ll be happy to help!