Sunday, December 15, 2013

Types Of Portable Spill Containment Berms

By Cornelia White


There are many times when a fluidly flowing material, sometimes a potentially hazardous substance, will need to be held within a confined area for a period of time. In many cases, making sure the spread is controlled not only protects the environment and the population, but can make the clean up effort so much easier. Portable spill containment berms are designed to be transported easily and quickly deployed in order to best serve this purpose.

A barrier constructed between two areas with the purpose of keeping a flowing substance within its designated space, is known as a berm. They are often used for materials that drift such as liquids, sand and grains. There are quite a few different styles of these constructs available and each one is meant to handle a number of situations, making the task more manageable.

These products are designed for maximum efficiency and ease of use in whatever scenario may be laid out. All the different styles are designed to be easily transported and quickly deployed in order to contain the hazard as soon as possible. They are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and models in an effort to accommodate most any imaginable situation, whether planned or completely unexpected.

One type commonly used during both emergency and construction situations are the high walls. These stand a few feet tall and feature a wide, weighted bottom for balance and a curved and tapered edge. They are deployed in such instances as when some substance such as sand or gravel needs to be stored in a temporary pile until needed or when weather conditions threaten to raise water levels in areas prone to flooding.

When the substance needing restraint is not expected to be very deep, L-slats are sometimes the barrier of choice. These metal bars come in various lengths, stand less than a foot high and are bent in the shape of the twelfth letter of the English alphabet. The ends of each section features an interlocking joint allows them to hook together and be formed into enclosures of whatever dimensions best suit the situation.

Perhaps the simplest and quickest type of blockade to erect is also the one that is transported with the greatest ease. Known as inflatables, they look very much like flattened fire hoses that have been rolled up to await their next use. When needed, they are just laid out in the desired perimeter shape and filled with air.

Their flexibility allows them to be set into most any shape, even one that features obstacles like pot holes, tree roots and complex angles and curves. Once properly deployed, air is pumped into the tube and it inflates to conform to the nooks and crannies of the ground beneath it. This is the type most often used for chemical spills and gasoline leaks as well as other potentially hazardous materials.

There are several types of portable spill containment berms available. Each of them will have a few variations in their shapes, styles and sizes available, depending on the function it is to serve. All of them are meant to be efficient temporary barriers that are as quickly deployed in anticipated situations as they are in the unexpected ones.




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