Insulating oil, commonly referred to as transformer oil, serves several critical functions within transformers. It acts as both an electrical insulator and a coolant, allowing the transformer to operate efficiently while dissipating heat generated during operation. Traditionally, mineral oil has been the most commonly used insulating oil due to its excellent dielectric properties and cooling capabilities.

Your staff should know how to use all the items in the spill kit, with hands-on training to reinforce the theoretical training program.

There are regulations and standards in place that require the bunding of transformers as part of environmental protection and safety measures. Compliance with these regulations is essential for utility companies, industrial facilities, and other entities responsible for the operation and maintenance of transformers. By implementing bunding solutions, organisations demonstrate their commitment to regulatory compliance and responsible environmental stewardship.

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Portable Containment Systems: Portable containment systems, such as flexible berms or inflatable barriers, offer temporary secondary containment for transformers during maintenance activities or temporary installations. These systems can be easily deployed and removed as needed, providing flexibility and convenience.

As the needs of your business change, there may be a need to update your spill kit training so that it accurately educates about the current chemical risks onsite.

Fire Hazards: Insulating oil is combustible, making transformers susceptible to fire hazards, particularly in the event of electrical faults or overheating. A fire involving transformer oil can have severe consequences, posing risks to nearby infrastructure, property, and human safety.

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Make sure that your staff understand the best way to use each of these items and how to clean-up the spill without creating any further hazards. You must also create procedures for how to successfully decontaminate the area so that no hazardous vapours or residue remain.

To ensure the effectiveness of bunding systems for transformers, it's essential to adhere to best practices and guidelines. Some key considerations include:

However, the actual spill kit training should be focused on the staff who will be responsible for containing, cleaning up and managing the spillage. As this is a specialised task for your nominated Spill Response Team, not every staff member who undergoes the standard HAZCHEM training will also have to go through spill kit training.

Whether you’re a contractor, a supervisor or a business owner, if you carry any type of hazardous chemicals, you’ll need to develop a Spill Response Plan. As part of that spill response, you’ll need to place spill kits in your vehicles and workplace, to help your staff protect themselves and the business from the risks associated with hazardous chemical spills. But now that you’re considering the types and quantities of spill kits that you’ll need, you might also like to consider how you’ll structure your spill kit training. A common question that we get asked is, ‘Do staff need spill kit training?’ And while we always answer, ‘Absolutely!’ there are a range of factors to consider before creating and implementing your training program.

Refresher training is a requirement of certain Australian Standards, including AS 1940:2017 – The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids. However, we recommend implementing a refresher spill kit training course.

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Environmental Impact: The environmental impact of transformer oil spills extends beyond immediate contamination. Oil leakage can harm ecosystems, disrupt wildlife habitats, and contaminate water sources, posing long-term ecological risks.

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In a nutshell, spill kit training should cover the practical and theoretic aspects of your organisation’s Spill Response Plan. Those personnel who undergo the training should complete the course feeling confident that they fully understand how to reduce the impact and risks associated with hazardous spill. They must also know how to contain and clean-up the spillage by utilising the spill kits in your organisation.

IMPORTANT: You have a duty of care to ensure that no hazardous spillage reaches the outdoor environment. This includes through the substances leaking onto soil or being directed into waterways through drains and sewage systems.

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When staff are tending to the spill site, there are a multitude of health issues that can occur when hazardous chemicals are accidentally released.

Bunding serves as a critical preventive measure to address the environmental and safety risks associated with transformers. Here's why bunding is essential:

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Steel Bunding Walls: Steel bunding walls consist of prefabricated steel panels assembled to enclose the transformer and create a bunded area. These walls offer flexibility in design and installation, making them suitable for various transformer configurations and site conditions.

Environmental Monitoring: Implementing environmental monitoring measures, such as soil and water sampling, can help detect and assess the extent of contamination in the event of an oil spill. Monitoring data informs decision-making regarding remediation efforts and environmental restoration.

Workplace incidents that affect health and safety should always be properly recorded. This allows your organisation to have an official record of what has occurred, as well as being able to analyse the incident and determine if there are corrective actions that should be taken.

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Oil Leaks and Spills: Over time, transformers may develop leaks or experience spills due to various factors such as aging, mechanical failures, or external damage. These incidents can result in the release of insulating oil into the surrounding environment, leading to soil and water contamination.

Emergency Response Preparedness: Organisations should have robust emergency response plans in place to address oil spills or leaks from transformers promptly. Training personnel, maintaining spill response equipment, and coordinating with relevant authorities are critical components of effective emergency preparedness.

When dealing with any type of dangerous goods, staff who are using, handling or storing these chemicals should be properly trained to ensure that they stay safe and reduce risks such as human harm, property damage and environmental contamination.

Despite their importance in power distribution, transformers pose environmental and safety risks, primarily due to the presence of insulating oil. The potential hazards associated with transformers include:

Regular Inspection and Maintenance: Routine inspection and maintenance of bunding systems are essential to identify any damage, deterioration, or signs of leakage promptly. Regular upkeep ensures that bunding remains intact and fully functional, minimising the risk of containment failures.

Joining the team as a Dangerous Goods Storage Consultant, Melissa Hampton became Storemasta's Marketing Manager in late 2021. With extensive knowledge and experience in chemical compliance, Melissa is responsible for leading the Marketing team and helping shape their marketing strategy. In her spare time, you can find Melissa hiking, swimming and enjoying the great outdoors in beautiful north-west Tasmania.

Understanding the properties and hazards associated with spilled chemicals is crucial in the safe management of a leak or spill. One of the first steps in dealing with an accidental release of hazardous chemicals is to correctly identify the product.

REMEMBER: A Spill Response Plan is an important part of your workplace’s procedures and protocols. While preventing spills is a key consideration, being able to properly contain and manage a hazardous chemical spill is also a requirement under WHS Regulations.

Your training should include specific details about the type of absorbent to use and the kind of application that it is best suited for. This will include hands-on instruction regarding the use of booms, absorbent pads, pillows, floor sweep and any other absorbent materials that you have in your kit.

Containing the spill will often involve staff laying down a protective and absorbent barrier around the spill site. This can be achieved through creating a containment system comprised of booms and/or mini booms.

Spill kits often contain nitrile gloves for the safe handling of hazardous liquid waste. However, you must also ensure that the appropriate PPE is readily available, as part of your Spill Response. Worn, damaged or missing items must be replaced as soon as they are noted by staff. You can’t afford to waste time looking for the appropriate PPE when staff should be dealing with spill containment and clean-up.

Oil can also escape as a result of copper theft from transformers (below). In this case where there was no bunding, oil escapd into River Stour and was found flowing for over three miles. This environmental damage could have been prevented. According to BS EN 61936‑1:2021 section 8.8.1.1, transformers containing more than 1,000 litres of insulating liquid must be bunded.

By implementing refresher training, you can make sure that your staff are properly equipped to deal with a chemical leak or spill in a confident and well-informed manner.

There are different types of spill kits for use with various types of spills (ie. spills on water, oil and fuel spills, hazardous chemical spills, non-hazardous spills). Therefore, you must educate staff about which kit to use with each hazardous substance that you have onsite.

This is due to the many changes that can occur at your site, including changes to staff, work tasks, the type of chemicals held onsite, changes in quantities, additional chemical hazards, or even new products that have been added to your spill kit.

This means that any staff – including workers, supervisors and contractors – who have anything to do with dangerous goods (whether the  packages are open or not) must go through a training program to alert them of the dangers of the chemicals. In addition to this training, all these staff members should be trained to identify and notify the appropriate personnel if a spill does occur.

Before delving into bunding, it's essential to grasp the basics of transformers and the role of insulating oil. Transformers are devices that transfer electrical energy from one circuit to another through electromagnetic induction. They come in various types and sizes, ranging from small distribution transformers to large power transformers used in electrical substations.

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Would you like to learn more about the management of chemical hazards, such as the accidental release of substances, in the workplace? Then why not grab a copy of our eBook?

IMPORTANT: Your organisation will determine who must undergo spill kit training and become part of your Spill Response Team. However, no staff member who is untrained should be able to enter the spillage site or assist with any aspect of the clean-up and waste disposal operation.

Your spill kit training is an essential part of your organisation’s spill preparedness. It will enable your staff to gain the knowledge and the skills to safely manage an accidental release of chemicals in the workplace. Any business that carries hazardous chemicals or dangerous goods should have a spill kit training program in place. This could be an inhouse program or one conducted by a third party. Key industries which require spill kit training include manufacturing, transport, defence, equipment maintenance and laboratories.

So, let’s get into the finer details of spill kit training by explaining what staff in your organisation will most benefit from this program.

Proper Sizing: Bunding systems should be appropriately sized to accommodate the maximum volume of oil that could potentially be released from the transformer. Adequate capacity ensures that the bunded area can contain oil spills without overflow or breach.

Keep in mind that not all spills and leaks require containment. For example, if a tin of chemicals topples over in a closed safety cabinet, the bunded unit will already be equipped with a spill containment system. Therefore, you will only have to control and clean-up the spill, rather than having to contain an accidental release of chemicals.

REMEMBER: Your training should also include specific instructions on how to deal with the chemical waste and resulting effluent from a spill. Make sure that your staff are following these set procedures and that all waste disposal systems are compliant and appropriate for your local government area.

The primary purpose of bunding is to contain any oil leaks or spills that may occur during the operation or maintenance of transformers. By providing secondary containment around the transformer, bunding prevents the spread of oil and minimizes the risk of environmental contamination. In the event of a leak, the bunded area acts as a barrier, containing the oil and preventing it from seeping into the surrounding soil or waterways.

This includes referencing the Safety Data Sheets of your chemicals and speaking to staff who may have witnessed the spill occurring.

Concrete Containment Berms: Concrete containment berms are constructed around transformers to create a durable and impermeable barrier for containing oil spills. These berms are typically designed to withstand the weight of the transformer and any accumulated oil, providing robust secondary containment.

Staff should be instructed on how to effectively clean-up a spill or leak in the work environment. This may involve having the staff perform the steps of the clean-up in a mock situation. Spill kits can contain many items, such as brooms, shovels, dustpans and brushes, and absorbents.

How To Manage The Risk Of Hazardous Chemicals In The Workplace offers expert tips on risk control which can be applied to any type of workplace or site. Get your free copy today and ensure that you’re doing everything possible to reduce the likelihood and impact of spillage in your business.

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Earthen Bunds: Earthen bunds involve excavating and shaping the terrain around the transformer to create a natural containment area for oil spills. These bunds are often lined with impermeable materials such as geomembranes to prevent oil seepage into the soil.

There are a wide range of points that must be considered when creating your spill kit training curriculum. You may wish to incorporate the following points in your own spill kit training.

Bunding serves as a proactive risk mitigation measure, reducing the likelihood and severity of environmental incidents involving transformers. By containing oil spills within the bunded area, the potential impact on surrounding areas is minimised, mitigating the risk of costly clean-up efforts, legal liabilities, and reputational damage. Bunding helps organisations mitigate risks associated with transformer operation, enhancing overall safety and reliability.

You must be able to correctly identify the hazardous spillage before you can attempt to control and clean-up the chemical.

Transformers play a crucial role in the transmission and distribution of electrical power, serving as vital components in power grids worldwide. These devices often contain insulating oil, which facilitates efficient operation but also poses environmental and safety risks if not properly managed. One essential measure for mitigating these risks is bunding - the practice of placing secondary containment systems around transformers

Bunding systems for transformers vary depending on factors such as transformer size, location, and regulatory requirements. Common types of bunding systems include:

Bunding plays a crucial role in protecting the environment from the adverse effects of transformer oil spills. By confining oil within the bunded area, the risk of contamination to soil, groundwater, and surface water bodies is significantly reduced. This proactive approach helps preserve ecosystems, prevent ecological damage, and safeguard natural resources for future generations.

Referencing your Safety Data Sheet, and utilising your previous HAZCHEM training, you can implement procedures for the control of hazards at the spill site. The controls could include tasks such as:

Bunding plays a vital role in protecting the environment and ensuring the safety of transformers by containing oil spills and minimising their impact. By implementing robust bunding systems and adhering to best practices, organisations can mitigate environmental risks, comply with regulations, and enhance overall operational resilience. As transformers continue to play a central role in global energy infrastructure, proactive measures such as bunding are essential for sustainable and responsible operation.

While controlling the hazards (including those to human health) is a vital step in conducting a successful spill response, it’s important that your Spill Response Team are equipped with the appropriate personal protective equipment.