Chemical Spills
Hazardous materials come in the form of explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons, and radioactive materials. Many products containing hazardous chemicals are used and stored in homes routinely, and in the university research setting, these materials are handled daily.
Hazardous materials in various forms can cause death, serious injury, long-lasting health effects, and damage to buildings, homes, and other property.
If there is a hazardous materials release/chemical spill inside a building:
- Isolate and secure the spill area
- Warn others in the immediate area
- Based upon the hazard, attempt clean-up if trained and if you have appropriate personal protective equipment
- If assistance is needed, call 911 and give the location and type of material spilled
- Evacuate the building if required (use of public address system preferred or use of building fire alarm system)
- Meet with and assist emergency response personnel
If there is a hazardous materials release/chemical spill outside the building:
- Isolate and secure the spill area
- Warn others in the immediate area
- If assistance is needed, call 911 and give the location and type of material spilled
- Do not wash spilled material into storm drain
- Meet with and assist emergency response personnel
If there is a personnel injury involving chemical contamination:
- Assist with emergency eyewash / shower use, as appropriate
- Provide first aid immediately for serious injuries
- Call 911 and give the location and type of material involved
- Notify Campus Police or the Physical Plant at 740-4545 or 740-4547 immediately
- As possible, without doing harm to the victim, remove and bag contaminated clothing and gross personal contamination
- Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the material involved. A MSDS is a document created by a manufacturer or distributor of a chemical that provides information about the contents, characteristics, physical hazards, and health hazards associated with the chemical.