Tanks, drums, cans and bottles are designed to keep liquids contained. But when one of those shells fails, the mess can be anything from a minor nuisance to a major disaster. Secondary containment buys time, facilitates liquid recycling and prevents catastrophic harm.

Instead of having to chase and confine a spill, secondary containment creates a pre-determined area to capture and hold spilled liquids. Several environmental regulations require facilities to identify spill hazards and take action to prevent them from being discharged into the environment. But secondary containment systems can be more than just a proactive pollution prevention measure. They can also be part of housekeeping and safety protocols that minimize cleaning time and prevent slip and fall injuries.

Although there are requirements for secondary containment systems to be adequately sized, the methods for providing secondary containment are not specified. This permits facility owners to use whatever method works best for each situation, but choosing a secondary containment solution that fits your needs can be confusing.

Where should you start? Identifying each area where all types of liquids — both new and used — are stored is the first step in determining where secondary containment may be useful in your facility.

Chemical inventories, purchase orders and invoices can all help determine what liquids are onsite, but they probably won’t provide a lot of detail about where each of those liquids is stored or used. Facility preparedness plans such as Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans or Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plans may provide additional information. However, it may be necessary to go look at each area to get the most accurate picture.

Now that you’ve identified areas in your facility where liquid is stored, it’s time to find secondary containment solutions for each area.