Work long enough with chemicals, and you will encounter a chemical spill. During the first four months of 2021, Department of Transportation employees dealt with more than 1,200 chemical spills. They caused more than one million dollars in damages.
But a spill does not have to be devastating. Chemical spill cleanup involves basic precautions and steps that you can perform in less than a minute. Yet many people have questions about spills.
What does chemical spill prevention look like? When should someone respond to a spill, and when should they evacuate the area?
Answer these questions and you can keep your laboratory safe. Here is your quick guide.
Plan for a Chemical Spill in Advance
Use as few dangerous chemicals as possible in your lab. Plan what experiments you will run and write out what materials you will need for each one. If there is anything unnecessary on your list, do not bring it into your lab.
Everyone who enters your laboratory should be aware of the danger of a chemical spill. Brief them with a verbal presentation before they walk in. Outline what dangerous chemicals there are and what the safe ways to use them are.
Place a chemical spill response guide near every workstation. Hang up charts on the wall that demonstrate how to respond to spills.
You should also place fire extinguishers, emergency showers, and eyewash stations near the workstations. Everyone should know when and how to use them.
Write out a formal plan on how to respond to spills. Include the contact information for supervisors and chemical spill clean up companies. Provide a step-by-step guide on cleanup and disposal of chemicals.
Prepare Chemical Spill Cleanup Tools
A chemical spill kit should be at every station as well. Place the kit in a brightly colored container so people can see it.
The kit should contain several different items. It should have personal protective equipment, including gloves and goggles. It should have absorbent materials that will soak up the chemicals in your lab.
It should have a storage container or plastic bag to contain waste. You should make sure that the chemicals cannot erode the plastic.
After you use a kit, check to see if there are enough supplies in it. You should keep extra supplies on hand, and you should fill the kit after every use.
Assess the Situation
As soon as a spill happens, take a step back and look at your environment. If you are going to respond to the spill, put on personal protective equipment first. Tell the people in the lab with you to put on their equipment.
Communicate the situation to everyone in the room. Tell them what spilled and what they need to do to stay safe. Keep everyone calm, but be honest about what is happening.
Give people clear instructions. If you need someone to do something, the point at that person and tell them what to do.
Try to minimize contact with the spill. Tell people near it to respond to it, but keep your distance. People crowding near the chemicals can make it hard to move, and the chemicals can make them sick.
Contain All Hazards
You may not be able to stop the spill. But you can take steps to minimize any damage.
Cut off the source of the chemicals. Stop a leaking valve or pick up a fallen container. Shut off any sources of ignition, including electricity.
Turn on the ventilation system. Run fans and open windows to allow air to circulate. Put on a respirator as you get close to the chemical.
If you are using an absorbent material, spread it around the perimeter of the spill. This will keep it from expanding. Work your way toward the center of the spill until its surface is covered.
Floor drains take the chemical out of the room, but they may pour it into an environmentally sensitive area. Build a dike to direct the chemical away if this is the case.
Evacuate
You should not respond to chemical spills that present a significant danger. If it will cause a fire, explosion, or poisoning, you should evacuate the laboratory. You should also leave if a massive amount of chemicals spills.
Order the evacuation immediately. Get everyone in the lab out of the building. As you leave, advise people in adjoining rooms about what they should do.
Call emergency responders and tell them what chemicals spilled and what hazards there are. Give them instructions on how they should respond to the spill.
Signs of toxic poisoning include difficulty breathing, a headache, and irritation of the eyes and skin. These signs are common with a stress response, so err on the side of caution and get medical attention if you have them.
Do not discard clothing that has chemicals on it. As you pull a stained shirt or pants off, you may rub the chemical against your skin. Get help from a doctor to remove your clothing safely.
Once responders have dealt with the immediate emergency, contact a chemical spill cleanup company. It may take some time for them to respond, so work in a different laboratory until they do.
The Essentials of Chemical Spill Cleanup
Chemical spill cleanup relies on basic safety precautions. Make a plan of what chemicals you will bring into your lab. Brief everyone who enters your lab on the dangers of the substances they will use.
Stock every workstation with cleanup tools. These include personal protective equipment.
When a spill occurs, assess the situation and give instructions. Contain the spill by using absorbent materials. If the situation is too dangerous, evacuate the laboratory.
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