Chemical Spill Cleanup Procedures

You should NOT clean up a spill if:

• You don’t know what the spilled material is
• You lack the necessary protection or equipment to do the job safely
• The spill is too large to contain
• The spilled material is highly toxic
• You feel any symptoms of exposure

Instead contact one of the following: x3194 EH&S (24 hr assistance line)

May have to wait up to 15 min for call back

Call 9-911 if spill is immediately health-threatening

Spill Response Scheme:

Evaluate and Notify

• Assess the toxicity, flammability, or other properties of material (see label and MSDS)
• For flammables, remove or turn off all ignition sources such as motors, pumps, fridges.
• Determine if there is an immediate health threat to you or your neighbors If so, alert neighbors, isolate the area an call for help using the numbers above.
• If spill is minor, begin cleanup following steps below

Containment/Cleanup

• Don gloves, eye protection, lab coat, etc.
• Contain and absorb spill using absorbents appropriate for the material
• Protect floor drains from contamination, by putting absorbents or barriers around them
• Package and label waste. Include contaminated clothes, rags, equipment, etc.
• Store temporarily in a fume hood is material is volatile

Followup

• Send Hazardous Materials/ Waste Pickup Request form to EH&S
• Reorder and restock cleanup materials used
• Inform EH&S if there were any personnel exposures, or release to the drain system

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Last Modified February 11, 2008