Regulatin: Reference: Title: Hazardus Materials Spill Respnse Plicy Plicy Number: Effective Date: Next Review Date: 75.27 August 2012 March 2018 Prcedure Statement: This plicy will cver the accidental release f all slid, liquid and gaseus prducts f a hazardus nature n Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Pas TTUHSC EL PASO prperty including chemical and ther hazardus materials. Scpe and Distributin: This plicy will be reviewed, amended as necessary r every tw (2) years by the Sr. Directr fr Safety Services, with recmmendatins and revisins frward thrugh the Managing Directr fr Physical Plant and Supprt Services t the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President fr Operatins. Nte: Other Divisins (ex: Research Operatins) may have additinal r mre stringent requirements in additin t this prcedure. Prcedure: Intrductin The determinatin t perfrm the initial risk assessment f any hazardus material spill will be at the discretin f the user, supervisr, r first respnder. The user must be knwledgeable abut the chemical r slutin that was spilled either by first-hand experience, training, r thrugh the use f a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), frmerly knwn as MSDS. If the user has determined that he/she des nt have the capacity t assess the situatin apprpriately, it is the duty f the user t cntact a supervisr r the Department f Safety Services. The tw principle determinatins that need t be made are: evacuating the area/zne/building and hw t prceed with spill remediatin. One shuld mind that preserving life has pririty ver prtecting prperty; prperty can be replaced and envirnment decntaminated. TTUHSC EL PASO faculty, staff, students, r visitrs that have nt been frmally trained t remediate a hazardus spill (based-n the initial assessment) shall nt attempt t d s and will instead evacuate the affected znes and ntify Safety Services fr guidance. Chemical Spills Chemical spills can result in chemical expsures and cntaminatins. Chemical spills becme emergencies when: The spill results in a release t the envirnment (e.g., sink r flr drain). The spill is ptentially dangerus t life and health. The material r its hazards are unknwn. Staff cannt safely manage the hazard due t the hazardus nature r quantity f the chemical. Effective emergency respnse t these situatins is imperative t apprpriately mitigate r minimize adverse reactins when chemicals incidents ccur.
If a spill invlves radilgical materials cnsult sectin 7 f the Emergency Guidelines f the Radiatin Safety Manual fr prper respnse. Only trained radiatin wrkers are permitted t assess a spill f a radiactive material. Emergency cntact infrmatin fr areas with hazardus materials will be psted at the entrance t these spaces. Factrs t Cnsider Befre Spill Clean-Up Txicity (txic r pisnus) hazard Vlatility (prpensity t vaprize) hazard Reactivity (ability t react hazardusly with ther materials) hazard Crrsivity (ability t crrde tissue r materials) hazard Flammability (ability t burst in t flames) hazard Radiactivity (ability t give ff damaging particles f energy) hazard Explsiveness (ability t explde) hazard Asphyxiate (ability t decrease breathable xygen in an area) hazard Pharmaceutical (ability t affect physilgy if internalized) hazard Size f Spill and Area Quantity f Chemical Clean-up materials available Clean-up capacity r training In the event f a significant chemical expsure r cntaminatin, it is essential t immediately assess hw the spill culd affect peple in the area/zne/building. Depending n the initial risk assessment, peple may need t be evacuated and/r the spill islated as a safety precautin. If skin r eye expsure ccurs, remve cntaminated clthing and flush the affected area using an eye wash, drench hse r shwer fr a least 15 minutes r as determined by the SDS. Obtain medical assistance as indicated. If assisting an expsed wrker, ne shall wear apprpriate persnal prtective equipment (PPE) befre attempting t assist. Department Managers / Supervisrs must review all expsure situatins, and make sure affected emplyees receive apprpriate medical treatment and /r assessment, and arrange fr cntainment and clean-up f the chemical as apprpriate. Small r minr chemical spills may be cleaned-up by adhering t the material s SDS; this includes being able t understand the SDS and having the apprpriate means and PPE t remediate the spill. Small spill is generally defined as a spilled material vlume; < 1 liter f chemical that is nt highly txic, des nt present a significant fire r envirnmental hazard, and is nt in a high traffic area such as a public hallway. This shall be determined during the initial risk assessment f the spill. The lcatin f the spill, presence f HVAC supply/exhaust, and prximity t peple must als be taken int cnsideratin during the assessment. Large chemical spill include spills f larger quantities, spills f any quantity f highly txic chemicals in public areas r adjacent t drains. Large spills may require emergency respnse. Cntact the Department f Safety Services fr guidance; email is nt a medium suitable fr immediate respnse. A lcal Fire Department HAZMAT (hazardus materials) team, r a spill remediatin cntractr, r bth may need t be cntacted based n the assessment f the spill. Spills f this scale will usually require area/building evacuatin and islatin f the spill. WHAT TO DO WITH A SMALL CHEMICAL SPILL (<1 LITER, NON-HAZARDOUS) Evacuate all nn-essential persns frm the spill area. If medical assistance is needed, dial 911 frm a campus phne. Once medical assistance is requested, call TT Plice and ntify them f the emergency.
Invlve the Unit Safety Officer in this prcess as sn as pssible. Help anyne wh may have been cntaminated. Use emergency eyewashes/shwers r a regular sink, and flushing the skin r eyes fr at least 15 minutes. Pst smene just utside the spill area t keep peple frm entering. Avid walking thrugh cntaminated areas. Yu must have the prper PPE and materials t clean yu spills. Check the chemicals Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in yur labratry / clinic r nline fr spill clean-up prcedures, r call the Department f Safety Services fr guidance. Never attempt t clean-up a spill withut the required PPE as established by the SDS. If flammables are invlved, turn-ff surces f flames, electrical heater, and ther electrical devices, (i.e. any heat r spark prducing equipment that may cause flammable vaprs t flash r ignite). Cntain the spill t a small area. Take measures t prevent it frm spreading with materials prvided in yur spill kit. If a spill kit is nt available, use paper twels r ther apprpriate absrbent material t prevent the spill frm spreading. Avid breathing vaprs frm the spill. If the spill is in a nn-ventilated area, d nt attempt t clean it up. Exit lab r clinic, and call the Department f Safety Services fr guidance. Never clean-up a hazardus spill alne. Due t ptential reactins with sme chemicals it is imprtant that yu DO NOT ADD ANYTHING (INCLUDING WATER TO A SPILL BEFORE REVIEWING THE SDS. Fllw instructins in the apprpriate spill kit t cllect and label the spill/srbent mixture. Call the Department f Safety Services t pick-up the waste. WHAT TO DO WITH A SMALL CHEMICAL SPILL (>1 LITER, HIGHLY TOXIC) If the chemical spill is cntained and islate with n immediate danger t persns, cntact the Department f Safety Services fr guidance. If the spill presents a situatin that is immediately dangerus t life and health (IDLH) r presents a significant fire risk, crdinate with department staff t detur building ccupants away frm the spill, infrm TT PD and Safety Services, activate the building evacuatin system, evacuate the immediate area, and wait fr emergency respnse t arrive. If safe t d s, remve injured and/r cntaminated persns(s) frm the area. If medical assistance is needed, dial 911 frm a campus phne, and call TT Plice. Infrm them f individuals affected and lcatin. If a flammable is invlved and if pssible t d s safely, turn ff all surces f flames, electrical heaters, and ther electrical equipment that may cause vlatile vaprs t flash r ignite. As yu evacuate the area, evacuate peple in yur area with yu and clse dr(s) behind yu. Avid walking thrugh cntaminated areas r breathing vaprs f the spilled material. Cntact the Department f Safety Services fr guidance. Pst smene safely utside and away frm the spill area t keep peple frm entering. Any emplyee with knwn cntact with a particularly hazardus chemical must be decntaminated (including washing f the hair and skin) as sn as pssible; unless prevented by physical injuries r cntraindicated by the SDS. Table 1: Examples f highly txic chemical spill.
Highly Txic Chemical Spills D nt try t clean up spills f any size which ptentially invlve the chemicals listed belw. All spills f this nature require emergency respnse: Armatic Amines Hydrazine Brmines Nitriles Carbn Disulfide Nitr-Cmpunds Cyanides Organic Halides Ethers CHEMICAL SPILL FLOW CHART PROCEDURES
IS SPILL MINOR OR MAJOR? Minr Majr Able t cntain and clean-up spill. Unable t cntain r clean-up the spill due t the hazardus nature and / r quantity f spill. Cnsult the SDS and ntify thers in the immediate area that a spill has ccurred and evacuate as needed. With the PPE listed in the SDS and with the apprpriate spill kit materials, fllw instructins t cntrl spread f liquid. Evacuate and cntain the area. Ntify the Department Safety Services Main Office Number: 215-4820 TT Plice: 215-7111 Decntaminate area and equipment as instructed in SDS. Dcumentatin Prcess Ntify Supervisr Ntify the Department Safety Services Prevent thers frm entering area. Chemical Spill Release Prcedure
Fr the Department f Safety Services Persnnel If yu receive a phne call cncerning a chemical spill release: Is immediate medical attentin required? (Is anyne hurt physically, bleeding, passed ut, cntaminated with spilled chemical) If yes t abve, have they cntacted 911? If nt, infrm them that yu will d s. If the emergency still expanding / getting wrst? If YES cllect infrmatin belw, then call 911 If NO cllect infrmatin belw; refer t Safety Managers fr aid determinatin. Obtain Name: Phne number: Spill Lcatin: What has been Spilled: Hw much: D they require assistance? YES NO Instruct them t: Evacuate spill lcatin Keep thers ut f spill lcatin until Safety Services arrives Infrm Safety Manages. Upn arrival t scene, Safety Managers need t: If the spill is reactive r emergency is spreading call 911 If the spill is basically cntained, but due t nature f chemical hazmat assistance will be required, call Fire Department HAZMAT. Remain at spill lcatin and wait fr Fire Department t escrt t spill lcatin.