Regular inspections
Conducting regular inspections of the facility is essential for identifying potential spill risks before they escalate. Inspections should focus on areas such as storage tanks, transfer points, and any locations where leaks could occur. By maintaining a routine schedule, facilities can ensure that all equipment is functioning correctly and that any signs of wear or damage are promptly addressed.
Why regular inspections matter
Most leaks do not start as “big incidents”. They begin with small warning signs such as staining, minor weeps, loose connections, perished seals, damaged hoses, corrosion, blocked drains or overflowing drip trays. A consistent inspection routine helps you:
- Spot early signs of failure before a release occurs
- Reduce downtime by dealing with issues during planned maintenance
- Protect floors, drains, stock and sensitive equipment
- Support compliance by proving you have checks and controls in place
Where to focus your inspections
Build your inspection route around the places most likely to leak or be knocked, and the areas where a spill would travel quickly (such as drains, doorways and loading bays).
Storage and containment areas
- Tanks, IBCs and drums (including valves, sight gauges, vents and pipework)
- Bunds and secondary containment (cracks, standing liquid, damaged linings, blocked outlets)
- COSHH/chemical storage and decant areas
Transfer points and high-risk work zones
- Fuel and chemical decant points, pumps, dispensers and couplings
- Forklift routes and places where containers are moved or stacked
- Workshop/maintenance bays, plant rooms and compressor/boiler areas
Drains and “pathways to pollution”
- Drain covers, interceptors and gullies near storage or handling points
- External yards, loading docks and areas with a gradient towards drains
- Any route that could take a spill off-site or into surface water
If you need practical spill control and containment options for these areas, see our ranges for Spill Control, Drip & Spill Trays and Spill Kits.
Suggested inspection frequency
Use this as a sensible baseline and adjust based on your site layout, weather exposure, the liquids stored, throughput, and manufacturer recommendations.
- Daily / per shift: quick visual checks in high-activity areas (decant points, loading bays, plant rooms).
- Weekly: planned walk-round of storage, transfer points and drains (include drip trays and bunded areas).
- Monthly: condition checks of hoses, couplings, seals, valves, pumps, labels and signage.
- Quarterly: deeper checks of bund integrity, interceptors, drainage routes and any recurring problem areas.
- After changes: inspect after deliveries, maintenance work, reconfiguration, and any near-miss or spill event.
A simple spill-risk inspection checklist
You can copy and adapt the points below into a paper or digital form. Keep it short enough that it actually gets used, but consistent enough to show trends over time.
- Leaks and staining: check for drips, damp patches, staining, oily sheen, odours or residues around joints and equipment bases.
- Containers and fittings: look for corrosion, bulging, dents, damaged threads, perished seals, loose caps, worn valves and broken taps.
- Hoses and couplings: inspect for abrasion, cracking, kinks, soft spots, rubbing points and insecure clamps.
- Bunds and containment: confirm no cracks, no penetrations that could leak, and no liquid build-up (unless managed correctly).
- Drains: verify nearby drains are protected where appropriate and that covers/blocks are available and accessible.
- Housekeeping: remove slip hazards, clean small drips promptly, and prevent clutter that hides leaks or blocks access.
- Spill response readiness: confirm spill kits and absorbents are present, complete, and easy to reach.
- Signage and labels: ensure containers are clearly labelled and any relevant safety signage is in place and readable.
What to do when you find an issue
Build a simple “find it, fix it, record it” approach:
- Make safe: stop the source if safe to do so, isolate the area, and use drip trays/absorbents to prevent spread.
- Escalate: report defects that require repair (valves, seals, hoses, tanks, bund damage) to maintenance promptly.
- Prevent recurrence: identify why it happened (impact damage, overtightening, vibration, poor positioning, weathering) and adjust controls.
- Record: log what was found, what action was taken, and the follow-up date. Trend repeats to prioritise upgrades.
Related guidance and resources
For wider context on inspections, containment and pollution prevention, these external resources may be helpful:
- HSE: Inspection of work equipment
- HSE: Maintenance of work equipment
- GOV.UK: Oil storage regulations for businesses
- GOV.UK: Pollution prevention for businesses
- NetRegs: GPP 22 Dealing with spills (PDF)