& 
Cleaning and Containing Chemical Spills eLearning
Online chemical spill training: assessing a spill before touching it, containing it safely, and knowing which spills you should walk away from and evacuate.
Who it is for
Who this chemical spills course is for
The dangerous moment in a chemical spill is the first minute, when somebody decides to deal with it. This course is about making that decision properly rather than reaching for a mop.
- Manufacturing, process and laboratory staff
- Cleaning and facilities teams
- Warehouse and stores staff handling chemical deliveries
- Garage, workshop and vehicle staff
- Site and maintenance teams
- Anyone responsible for spill kits
Course content
What the chemical spills course covers
Five short lessons covering identify and assess, the safety data sheet, assess or evacuate and protect yourself, containment and clean-up, and waste, reporting and review, then a 12-question assessment.
Identify and assess
Stop, keep others away, identify the substance and read the label.
Using the safety data sheet
Finding hazards, spill measures, PPE, storage and disposal on a safety data sheet.
Assess or evacuate, and protect yourself
Size, substance, location, ventilation and drains; deciding to handle or evacuate; choosing PPE.
Containment and clean-up
Protect drains first, contain, absorb and clean, and the types of spill kit.
Waste, reporting and review
Contaminated absorbent as hazardous waste, reporting internally and to the Environment Agency, and restocking.
Outcomes
What you will be able to do afterwards
- Stop, identify the substance and assess the spill
- Find the information you need on a safety data sheet
- Decide whether to deal with a spill or evacuate, and protect yourself
- Contain and clean up a spill, protecting drains first
- Dispose of waste correctly and report the incident
Your legal duty
The law behind chemical spills training
Chemical spills sit under COSHH, which requires employers to prevent or adequately control exposure to substances hazardous to health, and to have procedures for accidents, incidents and emergencies involving those substances. That includes the equipment and training to deal with them.
There is an environmental dimension too. Allowing a spill to reach a drain or a watercourse can breach environmental law entirely separately from any health and safety consequence, which is why drain protection is part of the course.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 - including accident and emergency procedures
- Environmental Protection Act 1990 - including duty of care for hazardous waste
- Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 - where the substance is flammable
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 - sections 2 and 3
Practicalities
How the course works
Would you rather have a tutor?
General COSHH awareness covers the substances themselves.
For employers
Chemical Spills training for a team
Spill response fails when the only trained person is on another shift. Cover everyone who might be first on the scene.
- One invoice instead of a card payment per person
- Licences allocated as people join, so induction is covered
- Completion and expiry reporting for your records
- Renewal reminders before certificates lapse
- Bespoke versions built around your own procedures
Cleaning and Containing Chemical Spills eLearning: common questions
No, and this is the most important message of the course. Some spills require evacuation and specialist response. Deciding which is which comes before anything else.
The safety data sheet, which has specific sections on accidental release and first aid. The course covers how to read them quickly under pressure.
Because a spill reaching a drain or watercourse can breach environmental law entirely separately from the health and safety consequences, and it is far harder to remedy.
Usually not. It generally becomes hazardous waste and must be disposed of accordingly. The course covers the duty of care that applies.
Often not. Glove material has to match the substance, and the safety data sheet tells you what is needed. The course covers this because it's a common and dangerous assumption.
About 30 to 45 minutes, with no time limit. Start it, pause it, and come back whenever suits. The certificate is issued as soon as you pass the end assessment.
Yes. It runs in a browser on any modern phone, tablet or computer. Nothing to install.
Yes. Open a business account and we invoice you for the licences, which you allocate as people need them. Completion reporting included.
Related