While serious, headline-generating spills of potentially hazardous materials don't happen every day, America's huge commercial trucking fleet and the number of units on the road makes lesser spills an everyday occurrence. However, depending on local regulations, reporting requirements and cleanup parameters for even minor spills can be costly to customers if not handled with concern, urgency and a commitment to fix the problem to the satisfaction of state and local authorities.
If your customer portfolio includes trucking risks, you have clients with spill potential–even if they're hauling dry goods or non-hazardous materials. In one case, a customer experienced a spill of 8,000 gallons of wine–obviously not a hazardous material, but large enough to potentially pollute local surface waterways. Some local laws even require reporting and cleanup for spills from truck fuel or braking systems, often with the same rigor as more hazardous substances.
Clearly, the first line of defense is a properly trained operator. Trucking firms must ensure that all drivers are trained in the safe operation of their vehicles and in safety issues related to the materials they are hauling. However, no amount of training can prevent a loose piece of road debris from puncturing a diesel tank or a careless third party from colliding with the hauler's vehicle, causing an accident and resulting in a spill.
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