Be Prepared
In ALL chemical and hazardous material emergency situations, the primary concern is the protection of personnel. The secondary concern is to confine the contamination, but ONLY if you are trained to do so.
The release or spill of biohazardous material will require a different response based on a variety of
factors, including the amount, type and location of the spill.
Health physics emergencies in laboratories utilizing radioactive material will usually be limited to
spills. For all of the above cases, each related lab should have its own specific spill procedure.
In case of a major hazardous spill or leak call x66911 immediately.
Emergency Response Procedures: Chemical, Biohazardous and Radioactive Spills
The following identify procedures for handling various hazardous spill emergencies in the laboratory and workplace. Chemical spills include those that are liquid and solid. Types of oil spills can include fuel, diesel or gasoline.
Injury or illness
Employees must notify their immediate supervisor of an illness or injury related to exposure to hazardous materials. All injuries that may be work related must be reported. Supervisors are responsible for reporting any injuries or occupational illnesses to the Department of Risk Management and Insurance (x63615) by completing the First Report of Injury form.
All emergency calls should go through the Tufts Police. Chemical spills, related medical emergencies, radiation spills and thefts of any chemical or biohazardous materials are examples of incidents that must be reported to the Tufts Police.
CHEMICAL SPILL
There is a wide range of chemicals present in the research laboratory. The safe clean up of a chemical spill requires some knowledge of the properties and hazards posed by the chemical, and any added dangers posed by the location of the spill. If you believe a spill is beyond your capacity to clean up, do not attempt to do so on your own, STOP and contact Tufts Police. Spill kits with instructions, absorbents, neutralizing agents if applicable, protective equipment, and sealable waste buckets should be present in each laboratory. Refer to MSDS.
Chemical Exposure to Skin:
- Immediately flush with cool water for at least 15 minutes.
- If there are no visible burns, remove all jewelry and soap area.
- Seek medical attention if a reaction occurs or if there is any doubt about possible problems.
Serious Chemical Spill on Skin:
- Remove all contaminated clothing.
- Locate the nearest emergency shower and soak for at least 15 minutes.
- Have someone contact Tufts Police x66911.
- Seek immediate medical attention.
Chemicals in Eyes:
- Irrigate eyes with tempered water from emergency eyewash station.
- Remove contact lenses if possible.
- Notify Tufts Police x66911.
- Seek immediate medical attention.
Burning Chemicals on Clothing:
- Extinguish burning clothing by using the drop and roll technique, douse with cold water or use emergency shower or fire blanket. If using a fire blanket, do not allow the person to remain standing.
- Remove contaminated clothing if possible.
- Cover injured person to prevent shock. Seek medical attention.
For a Minor Spill or Leak:
- Alert people in the immediate area of the spill.
- Put on appropriate Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE), (gloves, protective eyewear, lab coat).
- Contain the spill with spill pillows or absorbent material.
- Place the absorbed spill material in secondary containment, such as the spill bucket. Label the container and notify EH&S to pick up container.
- Completely clean area where spill occurred.
- Dispose of contaminated PPE properly.
For a Major Spill or Leak:
- Remove any injured or contaminated persons if you can do so safely.
- Contact the Tufts Police x66911 and stand by in a safe location.
- Remove all contaminated clothing, shoes etc. Use a safety shower if one is nearby. Seek medical attention if you have been exposed. Do not attempt to clean up a major spill on your own. Leave it to the experts!
Mercury spill:
- Use a trapped vacuum line to attach to a tapered glass or plastic tube, similar to a medicine dropper, to pick up mercury droplets.
- Do not use a commercial or domestic vacuum cleaner.
- After vacuuming there will remain mercury droplets too small to be visible to the naked eye. Cover the area of the spill with one of the following:
- Sodium polysulfide solution
- Powdered sulfur
- Silver metal compounds
- Clean up residue in a separate container for waste collection.
- For specific clean-up information, contact Environmental Health & Safety
Alkali metal spills:
- Smother with powdered graphite or Metal-L-X and call the Tufts Police x66911 for assistance.
White phosphorus:
- Smother with wet sand or wet absorbent and call the Tufts Police x66911 for assistance.
Smoke and fumes:
Anyone overcome by smoke or chemical fumes should be removed to fresh air. Never attempt to enter a location where potentially dangerous fumes might place you at risk. If someone is down, contact emergency personnel and let them enter. Seek medical attention for exposure as soon as possible.
BIOLOGICAL SPILL
The release or spill of biohazardous material will require a different response based on several factors, including the actual agent and the associated risks, the amount of material spilled, type of spill and the location of the spill. The following guidelines are to provide a quick reference to employees involved in a response to a biohazardous spill. Each lab working with biohazardous material should have their own specific spill response procedure. Where applicable, consult with your supervisor to be sure you have received the specialized training for your area.
Spill Inside the Biosafety Cabinet
A spill or release inside a biosafety cabinet (BSC) does not pose a risk to others in the lab or to the environment. The BSC functions to contain the spill and protect people in the lab from exposure to the
agent. The primary concern with a release or spill inside a BSC is to decontaminate material inside the BSC, including the person’s hands and arms, any equipment located in the BSC and the surface of the BSC itself.
- Leave the BSC turned on.
- Person working in the BSC at the time of the spill should remove contaminated gloves, lab coat and sleeve covers if in use and dispose of them in the biohazardous waste container.
- New Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including a lab coat, gloves and wrist covers, if needed, should be donned prior to placing arms and hands inside the cabinet.
- Spray/wipe cabinet walls, work surfaces and equipment located in the BSC with an approved disinfectant. Large volumes of liquid should be flooded with the disinfectant. Be careful while pouring and do not create splashes. Allow the disinfectant to stand for 20-30 minutes (or longer if indicated based on the agent in use).
- Soak up disinfectant/spill with paper towels or other absorbent material and dispose of in the biohazardous waste container.
- All disposable material should be removed from the cabinet and placed into the biohazardous waste container.
- Reusable material should be wiped down and either autoclaved or thoroughly chemically disinfected prior to reuse.
- If material is spilled into a drain pan, be sure that disinfectant is poured into the pan and allowed to sit for a 20-30 minute contact time. This liquid should then be poured into a container and placed into the Satellite Accumulation Area in the lab for pick up and disposal as hazardous chemical waste.
- Clean up person should remove PPE and dispose of into the biohazardous waste container.
- Hands should be thoroughly washed and if clothes were contaminated, they should be changed prior to returning to regular work activities.
- Notify the Occupational Health and Biosafety Manager at x62919 and the Tufts Police at 66911 if the spilled material flowed into the interior of the BSC. Extensive hood decontamination may be necessary and the BSC should not be used until clean up is completed.
- If exposure occurred, a report to the supervisor and to the Occupational Health and Biosafety Manager at x62919 should be completed and medical follow up should be done immediately. The Tufts Police should also be notified at x66911.
Small Spill of BLS1 or BSL2 Material Outside of a BSC
- Notify everyone in the lab that a biohazardous material spill has occurred and ask for assistance with the clean up.
- If you are contaminated or potentially contaminated, do not leave the area. Ask a colleague to get PPE and the spill response kit for you. If you are not contaminated, obtain this material yourself and return to the spill area.
- Put on PPE, including gloves, lab coat, disposable booties, and facial protection.
- Cover spill with paper towels or other absorbent material.
- Carefully pour disinfectant onto the spilled material and do not create any splashes.
- Allow 20-30 minutes of contact time.
- Discard cleanup material into a biohazardous waste container.
- Use mechanical means to pick up broken glass.
- Re-wipe area of spill with disinfectant and dispose of material into biohazardous waste container.
- Remove PPE and dispose of into biohazardous waste container.
- Hands should be thoroughly washed and if clothes were contaminated, they should be changed prior to returning to regular work activities.
- Document spill and response procedures.
- If exposure occurred, a report to the supervisor and to the Occupational Health and Biosafety Manager at x62919 should be completed and medical follow up should be conducted immediately. The Tufts Police should also be notified at x66911.
Large Spill of BSL1 and BSL2 Material Outside a BSC (>500mL)
- Follow same procedures as above for small spills of BSL1 and BSL2 material not in a BSC.
Human or Animal Blood
- Follow same procedures as above for small spills of BSL1 and BSL2 material not in a BSC.
All Other Biohazardous Material
If agent involved in the spill is infectious via mucous membrane exposure or inhalation and the spill has resulted in the creation of aerosols, the lab should be evacuated for 30 minutes to allow the aerosols to settle.
- Follow same procedures as above for small spills of BSL1 and BSL2 material not in a BSC.
- All non-essential people in the lab should be told to leave immediately.
Biosafety Risk Groups
Risk group 1
BSL1: Agents that are not associated with disease in healthy human adults.
Risk group 2
BSL2: Agents that are associated with human disease which is rarely serious and for which preventive or therapeutic interventions are often available.
Risk group 3
BSL3: Agents that are associated with serious or lethal human diseases for which preventive or therapeutic interventions may be available.
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL SPILL
Emergency Contacts
Boston Campus
- Dial Tufts-MC Page Operator at 617.636.5111. Page # 2413 (24 hours)
- Health Physics Office Weekdays 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM 617.636.6168
Grafton Campus
- Dial the Tufts Police at 508.839.5303
Medford-Somerville Campus
- Dial the Tufts Police at 617.627.6911
In ALL emergency situations, the primary concern must always be the protection of personnel from radiation and non-radiation hazards. The secondary concern is to confine the contamination. Medical assistance should not be withheld or delayed because of contamination of personnel by radioactive material. Health care personnel should be directed to contact Health Physics for direction and assistance.
Minor Spills of Liquids and Solids
(less than 1 mCi in controlled areas not involving personnel contamination):
- Notify persons in the area that a spill has occurred.
- Prevent the spread of contamination by covering the spill with absorbent paper.
- Clean up the spill using disposable gloves and absorbent paper. Carefully fold the absorbent paper with the clean side out and place in a plastic bag or transfer to a radioactive waste container. Put contaminated gloves and any other contaminated disposable material in the bag.
- Survey the area with a radiation detector survey meter set on the lowest range. Check the area around the spill. Also check your hands, clothing and shoes for contamination.
- Report the incident to Health Physics.
- Complete the Radioactive Spill Contamination Survey Report and forward to Health Physics.
Major Spills of Liquids and Solids
(greater than 1 mCi, all spills in uncontrolled areas and spills involving personnel contamination):- Clear the area. Notify all persons not involved in the spill to vacate the room.
- Prevent the spread of contamination by covering the spill with absorbent paper, but do not attempt to clean it up. To prevent the spread of contamination, limit the movement of all personnel who may be contaminated.
- Shield the source, if possible. This should be carried out only if it can be done without further contamination or a significant increase in radiation exposure.
- Close the room and lock or otherwise secure the area to prevent entry.
- Notify Health Physics immediately.
- Decontaminate personnel by removing contaminated clothing and flushing contaminated skin with lukewarm water and then washing with mild soap. If contamination remains, induce perspiration by covering the area with plastic. Wash the affected area again to remove any contamination that was released by the perspiration.
- Health Physics will supervise the cleanup of the spill.
- Complete the Radioactive Spill Contamination Survey report and forward to Health Physics.
- Report all incidents to your supervisor and Health Physics (RSO) and call the Tufts Police at x66911.
