High Chairs Have Secondary Containment

December 29, 2015
7:14 pm

What does a toddler’s high chair and an industrial facility have in common? The answer is . . . secondary containment.

A secondary containment barrier.

Now, if you haven’t been around toddlers in a very long time (or if it’s been so long since you sat in a high chair yourself, that you’ve forgotten), the tray on a high chair has a rounded outside edge about a half inch high. It’s sole purpose is to contain the food (and the plate, and everything else) on the tray and off the floor. It works somewhat well enough for that purpose. When it doesn’t, then that’s where a dog in the kitchen works well.

Industrial facilities have something similar. It’s called secondary containment.

Industries store all kinds of materials in tanks, barrels, and vats of all sizes and descriptions, inside and outside the facility, and contain anything that is needed to process the materials produced by the facility. If accidentally spilled or allowed to leak, these materials could endanger workers, contaminate groundwater, or just make a royal mess to have to clean up.

We install chemical resistant containment areas in industrial facilities throughout the southeastern United States. We know that facilities should expect the unexpected, and be prepared for an accidental chemical spill or leakage, with a secondary containment structure.

This is not what’s meant by secondary containment. Hopefully, it’s just temporary. But it works.

In the event a spill happens, structures built around the tanks and barrels contain the materials and keep them from spreading until cleanup occurs, just like the raised edge of the tray on a high chair.

Now if we can just figure out how to keep the toddler in the chair!