Environmental Health & Safety: 7-2273

Fire Dept: 911

Chemical Spill Check List

1. Evacuate area if health risk exists
2. Provide first-aid to the injured if properly trained.
3. Notify Environmental Health and Safety.

More Details

Notes and Precautions:

The range and quantity of hazardous substances used in laboratories require pre-planning to safely respond to chemical spills. The clean-up of a chemical spill should be done only by knowledgeable and experienced personnel. Spill kits with instructions, absorbents, reactants, and protective equipment should be available to clean up minor spills. A minor chemical spill is one that is less than 1 gallon or 1 pound and one that the laboratory staff is capable of handling safely without the assistance of safety and emergency personnel. All other chemical spills are considered major.

Minor Chemical Spill- Less than 1 gallon or 1 pound

1. Alert persons in the immediate area of the spill.
2. Call Environmental Health & Safety (7-2273) for assistance.
3. Wear protective equipment, including safety goggles, gloves, and long-sleeve lab coat, and respiratory equipment if required.
4. Confine spill to a small area.
5. Use the appropriate kit to neutralize and absorb spill with vermiculite, dry sand, or diatomaceous earth. Collect residue, place in container and dispose as chemical waste.
6. Clean spill area with water.

Major Chemical Spill

1. Attend to injured or contaminated persons and remove them from exposure.
2. Alert persons in the laboratory to evacuate.
3. If spilled material is flammable, turn off ignition and heat sources.
4. Call Environmental Health & Safety at 7-2273.
5. Close doors to affected area.
6. Have person knowledgeable of incident and laboratory inform Environmental Health & Safety personnel of any additional information that they may need.