HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS

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HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS

• For Tulane Laboratory and Facilities Employees
• June 2007

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Objectives

• Be Familiar with The Emergency Response Guide
• Use Good Work Practices
• Have an Emergency Plan
• Know What To Do When a Spill Occurs
• Complete Post-Spill Activities
• Know How to Report a Spill After-Hours

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Be Familiar with the Emergency Response Guide
(Available from OEHS)

• Medical Emergencies/Personal Injuries
• Fires
• Chemicals
• Biological Materials
• Radioactive Materials
• Mercury

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Good Work Practices

• Hazardous materials spills can be avoided if the
  following good work practices are followed
• Secure all materials before leaving the work area
• Never work with materials on the edge of the lab
  counter
• Transport the material in a container designed
  for spills ( i.e., shatter proof materials)
• Never lift heavy boxes containing hazardous
  materials
• Work with small amounts

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Preparation Have an Emergency Response Plan

• Incidents involving hazardous materials will
  happen and there are steps which a user can take
  to ensure a quick and safe clean up
• Include in your SOP/Chemical Hygiene Plan a spill
  response procedure
• Post the Emergency Response Guide (available from
  OEHS) in your area and become familiar the
  contents
• Have accessible hazardous material spill response
  equipment
• Have ready access to Material Safety Data Sheets
  (MSDSs) for chemicals used in area
• Train everyone in your work area on response
  procedures, including review of this OEHS
  training presentation

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Know What To Do When A Spill Occurs- Minor
Chemical Spill

• A minor chemical spill is one that on-site staff
  are capable of handling safely without the
  assistance of OEHS and other emergency response
  personnel. All other chemical spills are
  considered major.

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Know What To Do When A Spill Occurs- Minor
Chemical Spill

• Turn off or remove sources of ignition
• Confine the spill (e.g., upright container, close
  doors, pull down sash of hood)
• Alert others, evacuate if necessary
• Notify supervisor
• Consult MSDS
• Avoid breathing vapors, wear appropriate personal
  protective equipment (PPE)
• Absorb and/or neutralize spill
• Collect residue, label properly, and dispose as
  hazardous waste
• Clean spill area
• Dispose of or clean PPE
• Wash hands and exposed skin with soap and water

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Know What To Do When A Spill OccursMajor
Chemical Spill

• Attend to injured or contaminated persons.
  Remove them from further exposure.
• As needed, immediately flush the eyes with water
  using the eyewash fountain or use the safety
  shower for body exposure. Flush for at least 15
  minutes.
• Alert others in area to evacuate
• Turn off or remove sources of ignition in the
  vicinity of the spill

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Know What To Do When A Spill Occurs- Major
Chemical Spill (contd)

• Confine the spill (e.g., upright container, close
  doors, pull down sash of hood)
• Evacuate the area
• Close doors to affected area
• Notify supervisor, OEHS (504-988-5486, ext. 1),
  and Tulane Police/TUDPS
• Standby to assist emergency personnel in
  uncontaminated area

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Complete Post-Spill Activities

• Review SOPs and spill response procedures, noting
  any changes or improvements to be made
• Replace any spill response equipment that you
  used
• Containerize, properly label, and dispose of any
  hazardous waste with the assistance of OEHS
• For major spills, OEHS and Tulane Police/TUDPS
  will complete Incident Reports on the occurrence

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Know How to Report a Hazardous Materials Spill
After Hours

• Activate Fire Alarm if Fire is involved
• Contact Tulane Police/Public Safety
• Uptown 504-865-5200
• Health Sciences Center 504-988-5555
• Primate Center 985-871-6411
• Tulane Police will contact the OEHS on-call person

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Biological Material Spills

• SPILL INVOLVING MICROORGANISM REQUIRING BSL1
  CONTAINMENT
• Wear disposable gloves.
• Soak paper towels in disinfectant and place over
  spill area.
• Collect paper towels in plastic bag for disposal.
• Clean spill area with fresh towels soaked in
  disinfectant. Red bag all waste.
• Wash hands with soap and water.

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Biological Material Spills

• SPILL INVOLVING MICROORGANISM REQUIRING BSL2
  CONTAINMENT
• Alert people in immediate area of spill. If
  infectious aerosols are involved, evacuate
  holding breath, and wait 30 minutes before
  reentry.
• Notify the supervisor.
• Wear protective equipment such as disposable
  gloves, lab coat, gown, apron, shoe covers,
  safety goggles, HEPA respirator, or face shield.
• Cover spill with paper towels or other absorbent
  materials.
• Pour disinfectant (such as 10 diluted bleach)
  around edges of spill and then into the spill.
  Avoid splashing.
• Wait at least 20 minutes to allow adequate
  contact disinfection.
• Wipe up the spill with paper towels, working from
  the edges into the center.
• Clean the spill area with fresh towels soaked in
  disinfectant.
• Place collected towels in a plastic bag and seal.
  Decontaminate in an autoclave or put in red bag
  waste container.
• Dispose of contaminated personal protective
  equipment as red bag waste.
• Wash hands with soap and water.

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Biological Material Spills

• SPILL INVOLVING MICROORGANISM REQUIRING BSL3
  CONTAINMENT
• Alert people in the laboratory to evacuate.
  Evacuate holding breath, and wait 30 minutes
  before reentry.
• Attend to injured or contaminated persons and
  remove them from exposure.
• Close door to the affected area.
• Remove any contaminated clothing and wash
  affected area of body with soap and water.
• Notify the supervisor, Tulane Police/Public
  Safety, and OEHS (504-988-5486, ext. 1). At
  Primate Center, notify the DSR. (Note Personnel
  from the laboratory will be required to provide
  support to OEHS personnel in the uncontaminated
  area.)
• Cleanup and decontamination shall be carried out
  as in BSL2 instructions above.

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Radioactive Material Spills

• Danger of radioactive exposure can be measured in
  terms of time and distance. The less time you
  are near the source of the radiation, the better.
  The farther you can get away from the source,
  the better.
• MINOR RADIATION SPILL
• Alert people in the immediate area of the spill.
• Notify the supervisor and the Radiation Safety
  Officer (504-988-5486, ext. 1).
• Assemble all potentially contaminated persons and
  monitor them before allowing them to leave the
  area. Carefully monitor their shoes.
• Wear protective equipment including safety
  goggles, disposable gloves, shoe covers, and lab
  coat.
• Place absorbent paper towels over liquid spill.
  Place towels dampened with water over spills of
  solid materials.
• Collect paper towels in a plastic bag using
  forceps.
• Dispose of materials in waste containers
  designated for radioactive waste.
• Monitor the area, hands, and shoes for
  contamination with an appropriate survey meter or
  method.
• Repeat cleanup until decontamination is no longer
  detected.
• Wash hands with soap and water.

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Radioactive Material Spills

• MAJOR RADIATION SPILL
• Attend to injured or contaminated persons and
  remove them from exposure.
• Alert people in the laboratory of the need to
  evacuate. Assemble all potentially contaminated
  persons and monitor them before allowing them to
  leave the area. Carefully monitor their shoes.
• Notify the supervisor and the Radiation Safety
  Officer (504-988-5486, ext. 1).
• Close doors and prevent entrance into the
  affected area.
• Wait for response from the Radiation Safety
  Officer. (Note Personnel from the laboratory
  will be required to provide support to OEHS
  personnel in the uncontaminated area.)

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Mercury Spills

• Alert personnel in the area of the spill.
  Evacuate if necessary.
• Notify supervisor.
• Ensure area is properly ventilated.
• Obtain Mercury Spill Kit from OEHS.
• Wear personal protective equipment including
  gloves when attempting to clean up spill.
• Use the mercury spill kit (pipette and suction
  bulb) and follow the instructions to remove all
  visible mercury.
• Cover area with mercury absorbent to amalgamate
  mercury residue so the spill wont emit dangerous
  mercury vapor.
• Scoop up mercury absorbent and place all
  materials that have been contaminated with
  mercury in a plastic bag. Label this bag as
  Mercury Contaminated Waste and contact OEHS for
  pick-up.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after
  cleanup.

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Summary

• Have an Emergency Response Guide available which
  lists emergency response procedures and phone
  numbers
• Train personnel on how to properly respond to
  spill incidents involving hazardous materials
• Prepare your work area by having the proper spill
  response equipment available
• Include spill clean up procedures in your SOPs
  and emergency response plans
• Be available in the uncontaminated area to assist
  emergency responders

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Tulane UniversityOffice of Environmental Health
Safety (OEHS)http//www.som.tulane.edu/oehsBru
ce McClue, Hazardous Waste Supervisor
504-988-2865 / bmcclue_at_tulane.edu If unable to
proceed to quiz, type the link below into your
browserhttp//aurora.tcs.tulane.edu/ehs/enterssn.
cfm?testnum17
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