In this video, we compare eight different models of the Ultra-Spill Pallet—their applications, specs, capacities, and more. And while all are designed to provide secondary containment to 55-gallon drums, they do so differently, in some cases. This lesson will help you understand the differences between each model so you can determine which is the best for your application.
TRANSCRIPT:
Today we are talking about spill pallets. Specifically, the spill pallets that UltraTech designed for use with 55-gallon drums.
Now, we have many different models available. Different sizes, shapes… and different capabilities. My job today is to help you understand the differences in each model so you can determine which is going to work best for your application.
But first, let’s quickly talk about the basics. The concept for every product that we’ll look at in this session is exactly the same. They are all designed so drums can be placed on top of them, and if there’s a spill, it gets contained. Simple. So why do we have so many options? Well, let’s find out.
We’ll start with the original. This is the first spill pallet that we brought to market way back when. Which is why there is no “model” name to go along with it. It is simply, the Ultra-Spill Pallet. Like many of the models we will look at, there’s a 2-drum and a 4-drum model available. The 2-drum or P2 is rated for 3,000 pounds, uniformly distributed, and the 4-drum or P4 is rated for 6,000 pounds… also uniformly distributed. Both of them have a 66-gallon containment capacity. Needless to say, the P2 needs to be considerably taller at 16 1/2″ to achieve that much capacity. Because of its larger footprint, the P4 can have a lower profile at 11 3/4″. Both models have removable grating which helps for inspection or cleanup. As far as moving these around the P4 has 4-way access and can be moved with a forklift or pallet jack. The P2 has 2-way access. Both models also have a drain option. Now, most of the spill pallets we’ll look at in this session have this option so I’m going to take a moment to discuss what they’re all about.
If you look at the leg of the P4 pallet, you’ll see a raised circle or donut. This particular pallet does NOT have a drain installed. But if one were needed the factory would drill and tap a hole in the center of that raised area. And then they would install a 3/4″ drain plug.
So… what’s better? WITH a drain? Or WITHOUT a drain? Well… it depends on who you ask. Those who are proponents of a drain recognize that it makes it easier to remove any spilled contents but there are others who would argue that a drain plug is something that can be removed and forgotten… which defeats the purpose of having spill containment in the first place. There is no “right answer”. It’s just a matter of preference.
Okay, next up is the Economy Model. Years ago, then president, Bill Clinton issued an executive order that directed government agencies as well as the military to place a priority on any products made with recycled content. In other words, if you worked for the government and you were comparing two equivalent products and one of those products was made with recycled materials, you HAD to buy that one. So in order to help meet our customers’ needs, we introduced the Economy Model spill pallets.
If you compare this model to the original spill pallets, the ones that we just looked at, you’ll see that, other than color, they look very similar. In fact, they are exactly the same because we use the same molds for both models. The only difference is the economy models use recycled resin also known as regrind. As the name indicates, and as you might guess, the Economy Model Spill Pallets are less expensive than their counterparts. But the use of recycled resin also reduces its weight capacities. In fact, the weight rating on these is one-half of the standard spill pallets that we just looked at. The P2 is rated at 1,500 lbs and the P4 is rated at 3,000 lbs. Again, these are based on a uniformly distributed load.
Next up is the Spill Pallet Plus Models. Why Plus? I’m glad you asked. There are a few reasons for the “plus” moniker” for this line. One is the weight capacities. The Plus Models offer the highest weight capacities of all of our spill pallets. So if you’re storing something that is particularly heavy or dense, this may be the solution for you. Take for example the Spill Pallet P4 Plus, it has a weight rating of 9,000 lbs. That’s 2500 pounds more than the Spill King, which is second in line. Of course, all this capacity may be overkill depending on what is in the drums that are being stored on the pallet. It’s just something to consider.
But it’s not just the weight capacity of this model that provides an advantage. It’s also the lowest profile of any of our spill pallets. If you compare the roughly 9″ profile of the Spill Pallet P2 Plus to a standard pallet at almost 17″ there’s a considerable height difference. A lower profile means easier access to drum and less chance of injury. Another advantage of the Spill Pallet Plus line, in general, is that it’s the only one that has a 1, 2, 3 and 4 drum model available. There is no other Model in our offering that has a 1 drum and a 4 drum version available. Lastly, because of the low profile of the Spill Pallet Plus Models, they are often the best choice when a ramp is desired. In fact, in some instances, such as with a 2-drum pallet, it is the ONLY option.
Next up is the Nestable Model. Can anyone guess why we named this product the Nestable model? Anyone? Because it is “able” to be… anyone? Nested. That’s right! It doesn’t take a genius to quickly figure out that all of the spill pallets that we’ve looked at thus far are rather large and bulky. And, while “large and bulky” may not be a problem in a warehouse or factory, it’s not exactly advantageous when it comes to shipping or storage. So, by making this particular spill pallet nestable, we are able to save a considerable amount of space.
For example, we can ship eight-eight (88) of our standard 4-Drum Spill Pallets in a 53′ truck. In that same sized container, we can ship three hundred and eighty-four (384) Nestable Spill Pallets! I’m just going to pause for a moment so you can ooh and ahh. The Nestable Model spill pallet is only available in a 4-drum model. There is no 2-drum model. It is also worth noting that, unlike the other 4-drum models that we have looked at so far, this pallet only has 2-way forklift access. The Nestable Model spill pallet is available with or without a drain, has a 6,000-pound weight capacity and a 66-gallon containment capacity.
Next, we have the Fluorinated Model Spill Pallets. So, why would you need a fluorinated spill pallet? Excellent question! You would need a fluorinated pallet because they can be more compatible with aggressive chemicals and certain chlorinated solvents. I emphasize the word “can” here because chemical compatibility can be a tricky thing. Please contact us with specific chemical information to verify compatibility.
Now, having said that, here is a GENERAL RULE OF THUMB. Notice the all caps? That’s because it’s only a GENERAL RULE OF THUMB. If you look at the polyethylene compatibility guide on our website, you’ll see that chemicals are given a rating of A, B or C. A being compatible, B being somewhat compatible and C being incompatible. The GENERAL RULE OF THUMB is that a fluorinated pallet can improve the rating by one letter. So a C rating would improve to a B and a B rating would improve to an A. Again, please contact us to confirm compatibility.
There is a separate video on chemical compatibility, how the ratings are done, and considerations for spill containment and spill response products. The link to that video is below in the comments section.
The Fluorinated Spill Pallets are molded with the distinctive light blue color so they can quickly be identified and differentiated from other types of pallets. The pallets are molded just as any of the other pallets we’ve looked at. But once they are completed they are placed in a fluorination chamber. I won’t get into the technical aspects of the chemical process… mostly because… I don’t know what they are. But suffice it to say that there is a chemical process that takes place that provides the polyethylene with additional protection.
The 4-drum model uses the same mold as the Nestable Model spill pallet and therefore has the same capacities: 6,000 lbs and 66 gallons. The 2-drum model shares the same mold as the standard P2 pallet so it is rated at 3,000 lbs and 66 gallons.
The next product is the Ultra-Spill King. This spill pallet is the only one that offers a separate handling pallet on top of a containment sump. So in those applications where the drums may need to be moved but not necessarily the entire spill pallet, the Spill King might be the solution. Some end-users of this product have multiple sumps at their facility and then move just the gray drum pallet from location to location as needed. Both the top drum pallet as well as the bottom containment sump are four-way forkliftable so both components are very easily moved. The containment capacity of the Spill King is 85 gallons which is the most of any of our drum spill pallets. Something to consider if you are trying to meet the regulations for a larger container or vessel. One final, noteworthy feature of the Spill King, and then we’ll move on. The Drum Pallet that sits on top of the sump has recessed rings so not only will it help to keep the drums from sliding around but it is also capable of being double stacked as shown in this picture. Of course, you would need to purchase an additional drum pallet but doing this saves both money and floor space.
Now, as we finish up with this session, we’ll hit two spill pallets that are a bit different than the other products that we’ve reviewed up to this point. First up is the Flexible Model Spill Pallets. Similar to the Nestable Model pallet that we looked at earlier, the Flexible Model Spill Pallet addresses the issue of storage and shipping space. But, as you can see from this picture, it does so in an even bigger way. By using a heavy-duty PVC fabric material for a containment sump instead of a rigid material, these units can be disassembled into a very small package when not in use. That translates into an average of 60% savings on shipping costs when compared to similar, rigid walled pallets. The Flexible Model Spill Pallets use the same grating as our other spill pallets. That grating is supported by a ribbed, polyethylene, horizontal deck/platform with interconnecting load-bearing walls. Now the Flexible Models don’t have as much weight capacity as UltraTech’s other spill pallets, the 2-drum is rated at 1,200 lbs and the 4-drum is rated at 2,400 lbs. However, the containment capacity is the same as several other models at 66 gallons for both sizes. So they both comply with EPA and SPCC regulations. If you haven’t noticed from the photos, the Flexible Models Spill Pallets do not have any pockets and therefore cannot be moved with forklifts or pallet jacks as our other pallets can. Something that should definitely be considered when comparing different pallets. A final note on this model is that, as I mentioned earlier, the containment sump is made from a PVC material. All of the other pallets that we’ve discussed to this point are made with polyethylene and while polyethylene and PVC have similar chemical compatibility, you should consult the PVC compatibility chart before making a final decision.
Last but not least, we have the Steel Model Ultra-Spill Pallets. As with all of our spill pallets and everything that we’ve discussed in this session, the Steel Model Spill Pallets have the exact same purpose… to contain leaks and spills from drums. So why steel? It’s pretty simple actually… because it doesn’t melt. Polyethylene has outstanding chemical compatibility but in intense heat or fire, it will melt. A melted pallet is an unstable pallet… not to mention it won’t do very well at spill containment. The last thing you need in a fire is fifty-five (55) gallon drums of hazardous material, or worse, FLAMMABLE hazardous material, spilling and making a bad situation worse. So for those applications where fire or extreme heat is a concern, the Steel Model spill pallets can be an excellent solution. Like many of the other models, there is a 2-drum and a 4-drum model available. They are not however available with a drain. They have plenty of both containment and weight capacity. The 2-drum can handle up to 2,575 pounds and the 4-drum is rated for up to 3,875 pounds. Both models can contain up to 68 gallons and therefore meet the spill containment regulations. Both models can be lifted or moved with forklifts or pallet jacks. They are made with a 14-gauge galvanized steel and have removable grating so that spills can be easily cleaned up.
One last, but very important note regarding all of our polyethylene spill pallets is that they are all covered by our 5-year warranty. This is the best warranty in the industry and something to seriously consider when comparing UltraTech to other manufacturers. You can find out all the details about the warranty on our website.
Well, I hope that this session proved to be valuable to you and that you’re now more knowledgeable about the different models of drum spill pallets that UltraTech has to offer.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (904) 288-8195 or via our website at www.spillcontainment.com
Thank you for your time and be sure to check out our other training videos.
