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| Laboratory Safety: Guidelines For Emergency Response Procedures For Chemical Spills Excerpts from the laboratory Safety Manual of the UAH Office of Environmental Health and Safety |
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| EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY:
The Laboratory Safety Manual was compiled to ensure the University goals
in environmental health and safety as they apply to laboratory activities
are accomplished. Basic concepts in laboratory safety practices are covered.
This Manual does not include in depth information on biological safety,
radiological safety, laser safety, or general industry safety. Information
on these safety topics is available from the Office of Environmental Health
and Safety. In compiling this information guidelines and recommended practices
were drawn from regulatory agencies such as; the National Fire Protection
Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of
Health, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Knowledge
and practice of the guidelines set forth in this manual will significantly
reduce the risk of injury and facility loss and benefit the faculty, staff,
and students of The University of Alabama in Huntsville. The general housekeeping section includes laboratory close out procedures. Significant strides have been made at UAH in minimizing the safety and environmental hazards associated with unknown laboratory products. By adhering to the laboratory close out procedures unknown chemical products will be virtually eliminated and incoming faculty and staff will be greeted with a research-ready laboratory. The UAH Hazardous Waste Management Plan (HWMP), which was previously a stand-alone document, has been incorporated into the Laboratory Safety Manual as an appendix. The goal of the HWMP is to protect the health and safety of employees, students, and the environment while complying with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The HWMP provides guidelines for the management of hazardous waste from it’s point of generation to it’s final disposition/destruction. Violations of RCRA regulations can result in fines as much as $32,500 per day per violation. Criminal charges may be brought against individuals who knowingly violate state, federal, or local regulations. Therefore, failure to comply with the guidelines for handling hazardous
waste can have serious ramifications to individuals as well as the University.
Additionally, the Laboratory Safety Manual incorporates OEHS hazard notifications
through project registration and optional self-audit procedures. Notification
to the OEHS is required for emergency planning, regulatory reporting,
and to limit employee and University liabilities. The Laboratory Safety
Manual provides information on the fixed safety and industrial hygiene
equipment as well as how to get repairs for these items. II. Emergencies All injury and chemical exposure cases must be reported to the OPS within 48 hours of the occurrence. This is accomplished by either a supervisory person or the injured/exposed person completing and submitting an accident/injury report at the UAH Police Station in the Physical Plant Building. A. Hazardous Chemical/Substance Spills must be cleaned as soon as possible. If the spill exceeds five liters or is an acutely hazardous substance, as defined in Appendix B of this manual, the OPS must be contacted immediately at 6911. General procedural guidelines to follow during a chemical spill are listed in section II C. Individual departments may develop more detailed internal procedures. Internal procedures must be at least as stringent as the UAH Laboratory Safety Manual guidelines and are subject to review by the OEHS. 1. Spill Kit Materials SPILL ABSORBENTS & EQUIPMENT 2. General Chemical Spill Guidelines |
Dawg® spill control and emergency response products keep you prepared and ready to handle any spill. The categories below provide an easy to find guide to the products you'll need to keep your facility clean, safe and in compliance. SPILL KITS Lightweight Spill Kits HazMat Bucket Kit OverPack Kits - Larger Spills 95 Gallon Overpack
Spill Kit PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (PPE) Nitrile
Gloves ABSORBENTS TRAINING RESOURCES |
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2. Contact the Office of Public Safety (OPS) at 6911 in the event of a fire or when medical attention is required. 3. Attend to any people who may be contaminated. The First Aid Manual for Chemical Accidents is available in each laboratory building. Refer to the posted signs for location information. Contaminated clothing must be removed immediately and the skin flushed with water for at least fifteen minutes. Clothing must be laundered separate from other clothing before reuse. 4. Immediately warn everyone when a volatile flammable material is spilled. Control sources of ignition. Ventilate the area by turning on the fume hoods with the sashes completely open and open all windows. 5. Use the appropriate personal protective equipment for the hazard involved. Refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet or other available references for information. 6. The use of respiratory protection requires specialized training and medical surveillance. DO NOT enter a contaminated atmosphere without protection or use a respirator without training. Call the OPS or OEHS when respiratory protection is required and there are no trained personnel available. When respiratory protection is used for emergency purposes there must be another trained person outside the spill area. This person must have communication abilities with the person in the spill area. Contact Public Safety when no one is available for back-up. 7. Cover or block floor drains or any other route that could lead to an environmental release. 8. Use the appropriate media when cleaning spills. Begin by circling the outer edge of the spill with absorbent. Next, distribute spill control materials over the surface of the spill. This will effectively stop the liquid from spreading and minimize volatilization. 9. Place absorbed materials in an appropriate container using a brush and scoop. Small spills can be placed in polyethylene bags. Larger quantity spills may require five-gallon pails or 20-gallon drums with polyethylene liners. 10. Absorbent materials used on the chemical spill will most likely require disposal as hazardous waste. Place a completed hazardous waste label on the container. Contact the OEHS at 2352 for information concerning preparing waste for disposal and for a waste pick-up. 11. Clean the surface where the spill occurred using a mild detergent and water. 12. Immediately report all spills to your supervisor. 3. Solvent Spills 1. Apply activated charcoal to the perimeter of the spill. 2. Mix until the spill has been completely absorbed. 3. Transfer the absorbed solvent to a hazardous waste bag, tie and attach an appropriate label. 4. Contact the OEHS for pick-up. 5. Clean the area with soapy water. 4. Corrosive Spills (Acids and Bases) Hydrofluoric acid requires special treatment. Products are commercially available for absorbing hydrofluoric acid. Purchase of hydrofluoric acid spill and personnel exposure material (see first aid kits) is mandatory for laboratories using hydrofluoric acid. Bases can be equally as harmful as acids. Never add a strong acid to a strong base. Use the appropriate neutralizer supplied in the spill kit and follow these steps: 1. Apply neutralizer to the perimeter of the spill. 2. Mix thoroughly until evolution of gas has stopped. 3. Check the mixtures pH with pH paper. 4. Transfer the waste to a bag, fill out the appropriate waste label and call the OEHS for a pick-up. 5. Clean the spill area with soapy water. 5. Mercury Spills Mercury is classified as a persistent bioaccumulative toxin (PBT). Additionally some forms of organic mercury readily absorb through gloves and skin. Laboratories utilizing mercury must be prepared with an appropriate cleanup kit. Kits are available through laboratory and safety supply companies. When more than ten milliliters of mercury has been spilled: Procedure for use with commercially available mercury clean-up sponge: Related Information |
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