In spill response, which step comes second?

• A. Control
• B. Contain
• C. Clean
• D. Assess

Answer: (B)

After quickly gathering essential information about the spill, the next priority is containment. Containment means confining the spilled product so it can’t keep spreading to new areas. This is done with barriers, booms, absorbents, and other measures that keep the material within a safe, manageable zone. The reason containment comes second is that preventing new spread protects people, wildlife, and sensitive environments right away, and it makes subsequent actions—like stopping the source (control) and cleaning up (cleanup)—safer and more effective. If you tried to clean up or shut off the release without first containing, the spill could migrate farther, complicating cleanup and increasing risk. Once the spill is contained, the next step is to control the source—stopping or limiting the ongoing release—and then proceed to cleanup and decontamination.