Spill Kit Cabinets.

Three reasons: contents stay dry and clean, the kit is visible and signed so anyone can find it in an incident, and it is far less likely to be raided for general workshop rags.

An open bag of absorbents on a shelf is almost always partially empty by the time it is needed. That is the single most common problem with site spill provision.

Close to the risk, on an escape route or main circulation path rather than tucked in a corner, and accessible at all times including out of hours. Refuelling points, drum stores and delivery bays are the usual locations.

A kit locked in an office that closes at five is no use to a night shift.

Generally not, or only with a break-seal or tamper-evident closure. A padlocked cabinet delays response, and in a spill the first two minutes matter more than anything else.

A tamper seal gives you the security benefit — you can see at a glance whether the kit has been opened — without the delay.

Outdoor cabinets need weatherproof seals and UV-stable construction; indoor units can be lighter. Absorbents that have been rained on or gone damp lose much of their capacity.

If the risk is outdoors, the cabinet needs to be outdoors too — siting it inside for weather protection defeats the purpose.

Monthly visual checks and a full inventory at least annually. Check quantities against the contents list, look for damp or degraded absorbents, and confirm drain mats are still flexible and sealing.

Record the check. In an incident investigation, a maintained inspection log is worth a great deal.

Disposal bags and ties, gloves and eye protection, a drain cover or sealing mat, and a laminated contents list and response procedure. Some sites add a spill report form so the incident is recorded while it is fresh.

Keeping PPE with the kit matters — people will otherwise start the clean-up without it.