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30 October 2013

Containment Berms Are In Multiple Industries

By Marsha Klein


Spill containment berms have a variety of uses if you can be creative enough. Generally they do a good job of either stopping or redirecting the flow of whatever material is spilled. They can even work on water. For example, with an oil spill there are multiple portable, floating berms that can contain the oil and keep it from spreading.

Made by multiple companies for use within multiple industries and situations they have been improved here and there but overall remain the same. The materials that they are made from at times needs to be adaptable. You cannot throw one made of a material that acid will eat through if that is what you are trying to contain. You know someone made that mistake at some point.

There are a large variety of uses and setups manufactured. One of the more public uses of such equipment is when there is an oil spill. They are used as a safety measure to help and contain the spill so that it does not get any farther inland than it already has. They also make them so they can be placed in the water.

The industries that utilize the berms are varied. Even sports use them occasionally to keep liquid and almost frozen water in a certain area for outside ice rinks. Park districts use them to contain water near rivers or to keep snow in certain areas and formations. Even new technologies has started to infiltrate the manufacturing process.

Of course this is an off-label use of the product and as such not condoned by the manufacturer. However, it does bring us to the next bit of information regarding these products. That is the self-made models. There is machinery that you can get that will carve out the perfect berm-sized ledge and at the same time spit out the rubberized coating for the ledge as well.

The portable and mobile styles really come in handy during large spills, especially if the ones that are on hand at the facility where the spill occurred are already in use. They will need more and a larger area covered and that is where the portable ones fit right in. They can be adjusted and are able to follow the course of the spill.

Some of the older ones only have one or two ways or shapes they can lay out in. The newer portable ones can be put together in the shape that is needed so they can keep the fluid or chemical from reaching anything or anybody. Especially if there is an obstruction in the way that prevents the berm from setting up. The portable models can adapt to this.

Containment berms today are made from a few different materials but they are all tired and true. The products being sold on the market are also proven in the field. If there is a need for one you cannot pass on the berms. Especially the portable models as these come in handy more often than you might guess.




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