The First Hour of a Spill: What to Do Before the Vacuum Truck Arrives

Updated October 2026

In the first hour of a spill, protect people first, then stop and contain the spill if it’s safe to do so, keep it out of drains and waterways, and call for help. A vacuum truck recovers the liquid once it arrives, but what happens before then decides how far the spill spreads. D&L Environmental answers spill calls 24/7 at 250-765-0999.

1. Make it safe

• Keep people away from the spill and upwind of any vapours
• If the material could be flammable, remove ignition sources and stop smoking, welding or running engines nearby
• Check the safety data sheet (SDS) for the product so you know its hazards and the protective equipment it needs
• If anyone is hurt, there’s a fire, or vapours are a danger to health, call 911 first

2. Stop the source, if you can do it safely

Close a valve, stand a container upright, shut off a pump or plug a leak, but only if you can do it without putting yourself at risk. A small spill that stops now is far easier to deal with than one that keeps flowing.

3. Contain the spill

• Surround it with absorbent socks or booms
• Build a berm with sand, soil or spill-kit material to stop it spreading
• Put absorbent pads on pooled liquid
• Keep it on a hard surface if you can; liquid that soaks into soil is harder to recover

4. Protect drains and waterways

Catch basins, floor drains and ditches often lead to the storm system, and storm systems often discharge to creeks and lakes without treatment. Cover or block nearby drains before anything else reaches them. Never wash a spill into a drain with water.

5. Make the calls

Call us at 250-765-0999. Dispatch will ask for:

• What spilled, with the product name or SDS if you have it
• Roughly how much, and whether it’s still leaking
• The address and how to reach the spill
• What it has reached, such as soil, drains, ditches or water
• Whether it’s contained
• Any hazards on site
• The name and phone number of the person on site

Depending on the material, the amount and where it went, the spill may also need to be reported to the province, your municipality or the property owner. Check your site’s spill plan and your obligations, and report early if you’re not sure.

6. While you wait

• Keep the area secured and people out of it
• Take photos and note the time, what happened and what you did
• Put used absorbents in a container rather than in the garbage
• Watch the containment and add material if it starts to leak

What happens when the vacuum truck arrives

Our crew assesses the spill, recovers free liquid into a sealed tank, and removes contaminated water and sludge from any sumps, catch basins or drains it reached. The material is hauled to a facility that can accept it, and regulated waste is documented with environmental waste manifests.

D&L Environmental is a licensed and bonded hazardous waste transporter (LT0993). We run DOT-certified trucks and handle both hazardous and non-hazardous spills, around the clock.

Be ready before it happens

• Keep a stocked spill kit near fuel, oil and chemical storage
• Show staff where it is and how to use it
• Know where your drains and catch basins are, and keep drain covers handy
• Keep SDS sheets where they can be found quickly
• Post our 24/7 number, 250-765-0999, beside the spill kit

Read more about our emergency spill cleanup and vacuum truck services, or request service online for planned work.

Frequently asked questions