Oil Spill Containment Boom Lessons - What We Can Learn From the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

By Travis Zdrazil

Oil spills can happen at a moment's notice. And they can be devastating. We're seeing that right now in the Gulf of Mexico. Read on for some lessons from that environmental disaster.

Many people had never even seen an oil boom before. They may not have had an idea of what oil booms were. But suddenly, they were watching on TV as countless oil spill containment booms were deployed to help keep the spilled oil away from coastal areas. Chances are that by the time things are finally under control, or at least as much under control as they can be, considering the spill's magnitude, oil booms will have become a household word. Meanwhile, we all can learn a few lessons from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

1) Don't underestimate the damage that such a spill can cause

The Valdez oil spill more than 20 years ago clearly showed us just how much damage can be wreaked. And the current Gulf of Mexico oil spill turns out to be far worse. No matter how vast the ocean, if oil flows out of control it can still have a devastating effect on the environment. And while the amount of oil that can possibly spill in your facility or your equipment may be far smaller, it can still cause great environmental harm. So the first lesson is to take the threat of an oil spill seriously, and take great pains to prevent spills from happening. We also need to be sure that they can be quickly contained if they should happen in spite of all precautions.

2) Be prepared at all times

The second lesson is to be prepared at all times. Spills are accidents, and accidents are by definition unexpected and not planned. However, that doesn't mean we can't be ready to handle them at a moment's notice. If we have large amounts of oil, especially on a body of water, we have a responsibility to be ready at all times to handle any emergencies that could happen. What it takes to be ready is of course the right kind of equipment. And the key to oil spill readiness is the oil spill containment boom. As we've all seen, they float on water and reign in the oil, helping to keep it away from more sensitive areas. They also help to keep it in one area so that it can be cleaned up more easily as well.

Want to know more about how to select the right oil spill containment boom for your situation? Get valuable tips and the latest news about absorbents and other environmental safety products on Travis Zdrazil's Safety Maintenance News blog and get his free newsletter too. Travis is an expert on environmental safety products and has supplied businesses with products to aid in meeting EPA and OSHA requirements for more than 10 years.

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