What to do if there is a chemical spill.

Be prepared

• Know the hazards of the chemicals you are using
• Wear all the necessary safety gear
• Know the location of drench showers (including those near by; if you need to decontaminate and have evacuated your lab you will not be able to re-enter to use the lab shower.)
• Under no circumstances undertake work with hazardous chemicals outside normal work hours.
• Location of spill kits and the following procedure.

Following a spill

Assess the situation:

• You will have to make some quick decisions but your priority is to personal safety.
• Let anyone near by that there has been a spill and tell them to assist/get out of the lab
• If you think immediate evacuation of the building is necessary you can activate the fire alarm by breaking a break-glass.

If someone is contaminated:

• Remove any contaminated clothing, use drench shower if skin contaminated
• Get help-call for assistance (shout)
• If there is no one near by call Garry 53068, Madeleine 52866, or call security if after hours 52249.
• If you are assisting some one who is contaminated make sure Garry knows where you are.

Spill control:

You may have time to complete the following, while not exposing your self to the chemical hazard:

• Make sure the fume hood is running and with the sash raised to maximise the exhaust speed.
• Turn off any bunsen burners/ignition sources
• Throw absorbent material from the spill kit onto the spill.
• Close the door on the way out.
• Even if the spill is minor you should leave the lab for 30 minutes to allow any vapour or dust to settle.

Establish communication with Garry 53068 or Madeleine 52866.

To manage a serious spill we need to know:

• Any causalities and or people contaminated by the spill
• The location of the spill
• Quantity
• Type of accident
• Chemical involved and its known hazards-get full MSDS
• Associated hazard eg ignition sources

This information will form the basis of any decision to evacuate the building. The chief warden will direct   this through the building PA system.

Assistance may be sought from Chemistry staff Lee Welling 55649 or 0404823154.

Chemical clean up and disposal
Plan first-gather information on the chemical and plan the clean up with Garry. This may require someone with breathing apparatus.

Only when the area is considered safe should you proceed to clean up.

• Use gloves (in containment bucket), lab coat and safety glasses.
• Place appropriate amount of absorbent material (1 pad/200mL, 5 pad for 1L, use dyke for 1-5L spill).
• Remove absorbent material once the spill has been absorbed and place in the temporary disposal bag (contained in the bucket).
• Accurately label the bucket and get advice on disposal.

Follow up
Any serious accident will be investigated by Comcare.   However, if the incident was minor and there were no injuries you should investigate the reasons for the spill and improve procedures to decrease hazards and ensure it does not happen again.

Also see documents:

Risk Assessments
Emergency Procedures
Interpreting MSDS
Hazard Reduction