How to Clean Up a Fuel Spill at a Gas Station
by Jess Kroll
As dangerous as they may be, spills are impossible to avoid at a gas station. Given the inevitability of spills, most gas stations are prepared with a spill kit. It important to first make sure that there are no objects nearby that are capable of causing a spark that may ignite the gasoline. If there are, immediately move the object or block the path of the spill.
Step 1
Check for objects that may cause a spark near the spill. Remove these as soon as possible. Make sure the area is well ventilated. While most gas station spills will happen outside, if one occurs instead it's very important to make sure area has plenty of airflow through it. Gasoline fumes are toxic and should not be inhaled for too long.
Step 2
Cover the entire area of the spill with kitty litter, baking flour or some other type of absorbent. The gas will be soaked up by the absorbent. Leave the cover in place for 20 minutes to remove as much of the gas as possible.
Step 3
Sweep the absorbent into a dustpan with the broom and place it in a waste disposal unit. Make sure the disposal doesn't contain any heated objects, anything that may spark or other items that may ignite the absorbed gasoline.
References
Things You'll Need
- Kitty litter or baking flour
- Dustpan
- Broom
Writer Bio
Jess Kroll has been writing since 2005. He has contributed to "Hawaii Independent," "Honolulu Weekly" and "News Drops," as well as numerous websites. His prose, poetry and essays have been published in numerous journals and literary magazines. Kroll holds a Master of Fine Arts in writing from the University of San Francisco.
