How to Clean Up Chemical Spills in the Workplace

Chemical spills can range from small, easy-to-clean leaks to massive, hazardous messes that require professional attention. Regardless of size, chemical spills in the workplace can affect worker safety, cause environmental damage, and break Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards—making rapid cleanup essential.

Accidents can happen anywhere, but chemical spills are especially common in manufacturing plants, utility hubs, transportation facilities, warehouses, and laboratories. If you work in any of these settings, it’s important to learn how to identify and clean up chemical spills in the workplace to ensure team safety and continued operations. 

What Are Chemical Spills in the Workplace?

Workplace chemical spills are accidental releases of hazardous (or potentially hazardous) substances in an occupational setting, such as:

• Oils
• Fuels 
• Solvents
• Acids
• Industrial cleaning agents

OSHA regulates the handling of such hazardous chemicals to protect workers from irritation, injury, and inhalation of carcinogens. Failure to address chemical spills not only poses risks to your workers, but also carries the potential of facility downtime if OSHA suspends your right to operate. OSHA may also choose to fine you up to $161,123 per violation if you willfully ignore the issue.

Certain chemicals also increase the risk of fire, explosions, and environmental damage.

Common Causes of Workplace Chemical Spills

A few of the most common causes of workplace chemical spills include:

Equipment Failures

Old, outdated, or faulty equipment is more likely to experience leaks. What’s more, the oil and chemicals used in industrial machinery are often under high pressure, meaning they can quickly shoot and spread into a large, hazardous mess.

Human Error

Whether it’s mishandling containers, mislabeling chemicals, or forgetting proper storage protocols, there’s always potential for human error in the workplace.

Natural Events

While chemical containers are designed to be strong and secure, they can be compromised by natural factors like:

• Floods
• Storms
• Earthquakes

These disasters can amplify spills as moving waters often spread chemicals further, complicating the cleanup process.

Transportation Incidents

Spills are common when loading, unloading, and moving chemicals through facilities. They can be even more harmful when large transportation vessels—such as tanker trucks—experience damage or disaster.

Immediate Steps to Take After a Chemical Spill

Here’s how to securely clean up any chemical spill as fast as possible.

Protect People First

Worker safety is priority number one. Immediately evacuate the area after any chemical spills. Then, secure the spill zone by removing ignition sources, nearby chemicals, and other hazards. Alert workers to avoid the area until the mess is cleared and the location is deemed safe.

Identify the Spill

Note which chemical(s) has spilled and reference Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for information on:

• Hazard classes (e.g. flammable, toxic, etc.)
• Usage precautions
• Chemical composition
• First-aid instructions
• Firefighting measures
• Handling and storage
• Accidental release measures

Review this key information to learn about specific containment procedures and the next steps after spillage.

Contain the Spill

If possible, stop the source of the spill by shutting off machinery, plugging holes, or righting fallen containers. Use the correct absorbents (compatible with the spilled chemical) to contain the mess and prevent further spreading.

Notify Proper Channels

Inform the correct supervisor and members of your management team. Speak to on-site safety managers to explain the situation and expedite cleanup. Depending on the nature of the spill and local regulations, you may also have to contact external emergency responders.

How to Clean Up Small vs. Large Chemical Spills

Knowing how to clean up chemical spills in the workplace means differentiating between small and large messes and addressing them accordingly.

Small Spills (Non-Emergency)

Appropriately-trained employees with the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can handle smaller, non-emergency, non-hazardous spills. Follow SDS guidelines for PPE and chemical nullification. If applicable, use spill kits that include:

• Absorbent pads
• Neutralizing agents
• Disposal containers

If the spill is too large or the chemicals are hazardous, however, it’s likely too risky of a job for your staff to handle alone.

Large or Hazardous Spills (Emergency)

For larger or more hazardous spills, call in a certified cleanup company like Boomer Environmental. Dangerous spills need specialized equipment–such as vacuum tankers, liquid ring scrubber trucks, or high-volume evaporation systems—to handle safely. Plus, certain chemicals legally require licensed professionals to clean up.

Don’t risk your employee’s health, OSHA fines, or further damage—call in a reputable environmental services provider when spills get out of hand.

Regulatory Compliance in Spill Response

Both the OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate chemical spill preparedness and response. OSHA is more concerned with worker health and has an extensive list of standards that cover:

• Facility monitoring 
• Chemical and container handling
• Decontamination
• Emergency response
• Other safety issues—like sanitation, site control, and training

Meanwhile, the EPA addresses the environmental impact of chemical spills. It regulates the safe handling, cleanup, and disposal of hazardous waste and seeks to hold the right parties financially and legally responsible for accidents.

It’s important to understand how both agencies—as well as local regulations—govern operations in your workplace. The EPA requires facilities with aboveground tanks housing more than 1,320 gallons of oil or oil products—such as diesel, vegetable oil, or animal fat—to have a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan. This prevents potential runoff and contamination in nearby waterways.

Alongside your SPCC, it’s essential to keep key documentation—such as SDSs—on hand at all times. You’ll also need manifests of your total chemical counts and a secure means of transporting hazardous waste, such as a contract with a reliable environmental services agency.

When to Call Professional Spill Response Services

Small, non-hazardous spills can be handled in-house—but larger, more dangerous chemicals require professional cleanup. You generally need an emergency response team with Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training if you spill chemicals that:

• Pose a fire or explosion risk
• May be immediately dangerous to your workers’ lives or health
• Contain high concentrations of toxic substances
• Require you to evacuate the area

Similarly, if you spill an unknown chemical—or a potentially hazardous mixture—you should leave cleanup to the professionals. The same goes for any substance that’s corrosive, flammable, or toxic, or spreads beyond the capacity of your in-house spill kit. 

Due to the immediate nature of chemical spills, certified cleaners stay on-call 24/7 for quick responses. Hiring environmental professionals alleviates you from the burden of cleanup, protects your employees, and satisfies environmental and occupational regulations. Using certified professionals also maintains your OSHA and EPA compliance, reduces your personal liability, and gets your business running again sooner.

Trust Boomer Environmental to Clean Your Chemical Spills Safely and Securely

Every company should have a plan for how to clean up chemical spills in the workplace​. That includes training your staff for minor incidents, establishing an SPCC, and learning when to call in the professionals. 

While trained employees can handle certain spills, larger, more hazardous cleanups require a certified environmental services company. Trust Boomer Environmental to take care of your messes—big or small. With reliable spill cleanup services, 24/7 rapid response, and over 20 years of industry experience, Boomer eliminates chemical messes and restores your peace of mind.

Sources: 

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Chemical Hazards and Toxic Substances. https://www.osha.gov/chemical-hazards. 
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 2024 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties. https://www.osha.gov/memos/2024-01-08/2024-annual-adjustments-osha-civil-penalties. 
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). https://www.osha.gov/emergency-preparedness/hazardous-waste-operations/standards. 
• United States Environmental Protection Agency. Waste, Chemical, and Cleanup Enforcement. https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/waste-chemical-and-cleanup-enforcement. 
• United States Environmental Protection Agency. Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) for the Upstream (Oil Exploration and Production) Sector. https://www.epa.gov/oil-spills-prevention-and-preparedness-regulations/spill-prevention-control-and-countermeasure-19. 
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration. HAZWOPER Training FAQs.. https://www.osha.gov/emergency-preparedness/hazardous-waste-operations/faq.