Secondary Containment Pallet
A secondary containment pallet is a raised spill-control platform placed under drums, pails, or IBCs to capture leaks, drips, and spills from a primary container before they spread to the floor, drains, soil, or waterways. It is a back-up barrier that contains the contents of a failed container, reducing environmental, slip, fire, and incompatible-mixing hazards.
On a manufacturing or shop floor, secondary containment pallets are placed under chemical drums, oil containers, totes, or IBCs in receiving, mixing, maintenance, waste accumulation, or chemical storage areas. Their purpose is to keep a leak localized so operators can identify and clean it up without contaminating the floor or creating a slip hazard. Facilities select a pallet with sufficient capacity for the stored hazard, compatible construction materials, and protection against rainwater if used outdoors. A common operational rule is that containment volume must be sized for the largest credible release; for example, EPA hazardous-waste rules require containment sufficient for 10% of total container volume or the largest container, whichever is greater, with extra capacity for precipitation when outdoors.
- Undersized capacity: using a pallet that cannot contain the required worst-case release volume, which defeats the purpose of containment and can violate storage rules.
- Water intrusion or overflow: placing pallets outdoors without cover or drainage control so rainwater reduces available spill capacity.
- Chemical incompatibility or poor segregation: storing incompatible substances on the same pallet or in the same containment zone, which can create dangerous mixing if a release occurs.
Is a secondary containment pallet considered spill prevention or spill response?
It is prevention hardware; it does not stop a leak from occurring, but it prevents the leak from spreading beyond a controlled area.
Must the pallet hold the entire contents of every container?
Not always; requirements depend on jurisdiction, container size, and hazardous material class, but many regulations and industry practices require capacity based on the largest container or a percentage of total stored volume.
Are spill pallets and bunds the same thing?
They serve the same function, but a spill pallet is a portable secondary containment device, while a bund is usually a fixed containment structure.