Spill Kits

Q: How big a spill kit do I need?

Size to your largest single container. If you store 55-gallon drums, you need at least a 55-gallon-capacity kit. If you store totes, scale to 95+ gallons. The EPA SPCC rule does not specify a kit size but does require facilities with above-threshold oil storage to have the means to contain the largest expected discharge.

Q: Are spill kits OSHA-required?

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 (HAZWOPER) requires that hazardous-substance spill responders have appropriate equipment available before the response, not after. Where the standard applies, a kit is functionally required. For non-HAZWOPER facilities, OSHA 1910.22 (housekeeping) and the General Duty Clause still require prompt cleanup of slip and chemical hazards, which a stocked kit makes possible.

Q: What does DOT require for hazmat fleets?

49 CFR 393.95(j) requires placarded hazmat carriers to carry equipment for emergency response sized to the load. There is no specific gallon requirement in the rule, but the practical floor for a placarded fleet is a cab-mounted oil-only kit (5 gal) plus a trailer-mounted universal kit (20-30 gal) for hazmat loads. See our hazmat spill kit selection guide for the full sizing breakdown.

Q: How often should I replace a kit?

An unused, sealed kit has a roughly 5-year shelf life on the absorbents (longer for the salvage drum). Inspect quarterly: tape seal intact, no visible degradation of pads or socks, neutralizer indicator color unchanged on chemical kits. Replace contents (or the kit) immediately after any deployment, even partial.

7 products in this collection ↓

Pre-packaged spill response bundles with absorbents, PPE, disposal bags, and a portable container in one ready-to-grab package. The right kit on the wall is the difference between a 60-second response and a 60-minute scramble.

Sizing by container

The federal SPCC rule and most state regulations require enough containment for the largest single container on site. Match kit capacity to your worst-case scenario:

Kit size	Absorption	Best for
Bucket / 5 gallon	3-5 gal	Light maintenance, vehicle bays, mobile crews, single 5-gallon pail leaks
Overpack / 20-30 gallon	20-30 gal	Drum storage areas, smaller facilities, response to a single 30-gal drum failure
Drum / 55 gallon	40-55 gal	Multi-drum storage, transformer pads, full SPCC compliance for sites with 55-gal containers
IBC / 95 gallon	70-95 gal	Tote storage, large-volume process areas, fuel transfer zones

Kit chemistry

Oil-only kits are the right call for fuel storage, vehicle yards, transformer pads, and any outdoor application where you want absorbents that float and reject water. Universal kits are the most-stocked configuration: indoor maintenance, mixed-fluid environments, general purpose. Chemical / acid neutralizing kits include indicator-color granules that change color as they neutralize, taking the guesswork out of a battery-acid or unknown-chemical spill response.

Overpack vs refill

Overpack kits ship in a 20, 30, or 55-gallon UN/DOT-rated salvage drum that doubles as the disposal container after use. Pour the contaminated absorbents back into the drum, screw the lid on, and you have a sealed, transport-rated package ready for waste pickup. Refill packs are absorbents-only and assume you keep the drum and reload it after each use. Refills are roughly half the price of a full kit.

What's in a typical kit

A 30-gallon universal overpack kit usually contains: 75-100 absorbent pads, 6-12 socks, 2-4 pillows, nitrile gloves, safety goggles, disposable bags, hazmat warning labels, and the salvage drum itself. Manufacturer contents vary; check the parts list before purchase if you have a specific PPE or compliance requirement.