How to Choose the Right Absorbent for the JobKaren Hamel, New Pig
Using the right tool for the job produces the best results. Just like a hammer, screwdriver, or adjustable wrench, absorbents are tools that help clean up messes quickly and keep facilities cleaner and safer. Choosing the right ones and using them properly can help reduce downtime and prevent injuries.
To begin, it helps to know that absorbents come in four basic forms: mats, socks and booms, pillows, and loose/granular. Keeping the right variety of these different forms on hand will make short work of workplace leaks and spills.
Mat Pads and Rolls
Of absorbents, mats are the most versatile and have the widest selection of colors, sizes, and choices. Common applications for mats include:
Lining aisles and walkways Placing at building entrances to reduce slip and fall hazards Soaking up leaks and spills Covering work areas to cushion parts and absorb minor leaks and drips during parts assembly, dismantling, or storage.
Mats are available in perforated rolls and in precut pads. Choose rolls if the mats will be placed in a walkway, or if they will be used to cover large work areas. Because rolls are perforated, they can also be torn into pads when smaller sizes are needed.
If mats will mainly be used to clean up leaks and spills around the facility, precut pads help expedite cleanup because they don't have to be torn from a roll first. They can also be stored in spill kits, tool benches, and other locations more easily than large rolls. Many facilities stock both styles, with rolls often being used by maintenance staff, and both rolls and pads being used by workers in production and assembly areas.
When choosing a mat, consider the volume it can absorb. Mat pads and rolls come in different weights, and in general, the heavier the weight, the more they will absorb. If their main use will be cleaning up incidental leaks and small spills, don't waste money on heavyweight pads or mats with wear-resistant outer scrims. Those should be saved for longer-term applications, areas with heavier foot traffic or high-volume spills.
Chemical resistance should also be considered when choosing a mat or any other absorbent. Absorbents made of polypropylene have exceptional chemical resistance and will absorb water-based liquids, oils, coolants, solvents, acids, and bases. Absorbents that contain cellulose should only be used to absorb water, coolants, oils, and solvents. Corrosives can react with cellulose-based absorbents.
Socks and Booms
Socks and booms are sometimes called "pigs," "snakes," "sausages," "hot dogs" or "tubes."? Socks work best for:
Containing spills Preventing liquids from entering an area Stopping machinery leaks from entering walkways.
Socks create a dike or barrier to keep spills from spreading - and the sooner a spill is contained, the smaller the area that needs to be cleaned up, and the less downtime cleanup creates. For everyday use, socks hug the bases of leaky machinery to keep persistent drips from making a slippery mess in aisles and walkways.
When choosing a sock, it is important to know how it will be used. The heavier the sock, the better it will be able to hug the ground and create a dike to hold back spilled liquids. Socks with vermiculite or other finely ground minerals typically make the best dikes. Less expensive cellulose-filled socks are lighter weight, and are best for passively catching leaks around machinery or ledges.
Booms are socks that are longer and larger in diameter than standard socks. They are most often used during large spill responses to contain and absorb fuels and other oil-based liquids that have spilled in a river, lake, ocean, or other body of water. Booms can also be used to contain spills on land. They're especially useful during outdoor spills in inclement weather.
Pillows
Pillows may not be quite as versatile as mats or socks, but they still play an active role in tackling common workplace leak and spill issues. Applications for pillows include:
Absorbing? persistent drips that originate from one area Catching compressor condensate Lining drip pans to catch leaks from drum faucets and dispensing nozzles Soaking up really big spills.
Pillows work well under machines or in areas that do not have a lot of foot traffic. Because they soak up a larger volume of liquid, they do not need to be changed out as often as mat pads.
Loose or Granular
An advantage of using mats, socks, and pillows is that once they've done their job, they can simply be picked up and put into containers for recycling or disposal - without the need for sweeping and shoveling. By contrast, loose absorbents are dusty and time-consuming to sweep and shovel after each use. However, loose absorbents have been around much longer than contained absorbents, and the habit of using a loose absorbent can be hard to break.
There are some isolated cases where mats, socks, or pillows don't quite fit the bill, such as:
Overpacking containers of hazardous materials for shipment Labpacking bottles or samples Removing oil from deep cracks and crevices.
Whatever the reason for choosing loose absorbents over mats, socks, or pillows, be sure to choose one that does not contain crystalline silica. In addition to cutting, grinding, and other common processes that expose workers to respirable silica, using clay-based absorbents and other loose absorbents that contain crystalline silica presents an inhalation hazard and can lead to irreversible lung damage and diseases.
Square Peg, Round Hole
No single type of absorbent will fit every leak and spill application. That's why so many different types are available. Choosing the ones that are best suited for the applications where they will be used helps to minimize downtime because the absorbent will take care of the leak, drip, or spill quickly and effectively, allowing everyone to get back to work faster. Making absorbents part of the facility's toolbox? also helps to keep workplaces cleaner and safer by keeping floors clear of water, oil, coolant, and other slip hazards.