Definition - What does Secondary Containment mean?
This is a control measure placed or built around a storage vessel to prevent its contents from flowing into the drainage system during a spill or discharge. The design and complexity of the system used to create this enclosure will depend on the state of the content in store; flammable, corrosive and hazardous products require strict regulations when designing this type of a barrier.
Generally, it is used to prevent any fluid in storage from leaving the area in which it is constrained, so that it does not corrode or pollute the adjacent environment, thus posing a risk to the public health.
Corrosionpedia explains Secondary Containment
Safety is a number one priority in any industry that deals with hazardous and oily products. Chances of slippage injuries and water contamination can be high if certain regulatory measures are not met. Secondary containment is usually used whenever containers or drums are being used to handle and store liquids. Any material that can lead to corrosion requires this type of security measure to make the environment habitable.
By using a secondary containment, an industry would be protecting itself against all the potential risks. Also, the cleaning and maintenance costs are on the minimum scale and spillage loss is thus reduced. However, it is governed by the regulations of the region or country where the company is situated. The design will rely on a lot of perimeters, including the storage capacity and size of the company.