Working with oil requires you to take some precautionary safety measures. If you don’t, spills or leaks could quickly enter the environment to damage ecosystems and the water table – and your flooring can become slick, unsafe and permanently stained. One of the best ways to prevent these outcomes is by using oil drain pans or drip trays.
Here’s our guide to the different types on the market today.
Basic plastic drip trays
Basic plastic drip trays are the entry-level model, and they’re much like paint roller trays. They are essentially rigid plastic trays that you can slide under your vehicle or machinery to collect any oil spills or leaks.
Reusable and easy to clean, they come in many variations including super-shallow ones, high-walled ones, motorcycle pan models and axle oil drain pans. These trays are perfect for use in garages and maintenance or repair bays, where you might need to release a significant quantity of oil – just make sure that your tray has sufficient capacity for the tank you are emptying.
Drain pan trays
These are part drip tray, part container, so the oil is held safely inside the unit without sloshing or tipping out when you move about. You can also find versions that incorporate a spout for easy emptying. For heavy-duty users, you can find oil drainer trolleys, which are mounted on castors and have a handle to enable you to push the full tank around when you need to.
Flexible trays
These are used in the same way as the basic drip tray, but they have the added benefit of flexible side walls. This means that you can step on or roll machinery over the sides and the tray remains intact.
Oil drum drain pans
These are designed to fit over specific oil drum sizes (205 litre being the standard). To use, simply place the pan over the top of the drum, and you can easily refill your drum with minimum risk of spillage. Top-tier models will include filters to keep the contents of your drum pure, and high-lipped edges for zero-spill handling.
Plant Nappy
These oil-retaining spill products make use of a number of absorbent layers and flexible sides for a more advanced approach to oil spill management. The absorbents that are used here are hydrophobic, meaning that they actively repel water, so you can use Plant Nappy products outside in the rain without any risk that the water will saturate or fill the tray and cause the oil to flow away freely.
Spilltector
Spilltector products are a combination of flexible drip tray and absorbent mats. The mats used are hydrophobic to prevent rainwater soaking in, and they are removable/replaceable to extend the life of your tray. Great for fuel stores or generators outside or around your site.
