Injuries from spills include slipping (you can twist your ankle or have a serious fall) and poisoning (you might breathe fumes or hastily attempt a cleanup without the right PPE and equipment). Protecting yourself from the hazards of a spill involves two strategies: prevention and response. We’ll look at spill response later; for now, let’s focus on spill prevention.
One common source of small spills is the can of solvent or paint that gets accidentally kicked over. A common solution to this problem is to point out the can and let everyone know to be careful not to step on it or kick it. This solution has a high failure rate.
A better solution is this. Hold the container in one hand when using it. When not using it, place it on an elevated, stable surface such as a maintenance cart. Unless coworkers are trying to sneak in some karate practice on the job, nobody will kick over your little container.
