Biohazardous Spills
- Evacuate laboratory for 20-30 minutes in order to allow aerosols to settle.
- Contact your supervisor (PI or lab manager).
- Return and pour an appropriate disinfectant solution around, and not on, the spill, ensuring that diffusion takes place.
- Allow time for diffusion (normally 20 minutes).
- Carefully soak up the liquid with absorbent paper and place the paper into an autoclavable container for immediate autoclaving.
- Mop the floor area, using additional disinfectant solution.
- Follow biohazardous waste disposal procedure for disposal of waste generated from spill.
Chemical Spills
- Report the spill to your supervisor and co-workers.
- If you have been trained you can clean-up the spill. If not, and if no other co-worker can clean-up the spill you should call “7111” (Code Brown).
- Inform your supervisor that you are cleaning up the spill.
- Wear protective clothing, nitrile or butyl rubber gloves, splash goggles, and shoe protection where appropriate.
- If you have been fit tested, wear appropriate respirator protection.
- Know the location of the Spill Cart (stairwell #14, 1st floor McDonald Wing) and/or own lab spill cleanup kit.
- Refer to the SOP Chemical Spills for details on cleaning up flammable solvents, acids, bases, and perchloric acid spills.
Radioactive Spills
- IMMEDIATELY notify people near the spill. Evacuate the area if necessary.
- Wash hands first if they are contaminated. Put on two pairs of rubber gloves. Contain the spill and prevent it from spreading.
- Liquids: Cover with absorbent material (paper towels). Solids/Powder: Drop dampened absorbent material on spill and treat as a liquid.
- Turn off any device, instrument, and machine that could enhance the spill.
- Using the most sensitive detector available, monitor spill, equipment, or people involved in order to determine the extent of the spill.
- Mark off contaminated area using masking tape, chalk, or rope. Restrict traffic.
- Remove all non-contaminated persons from the spill area. Contaminated persons should remain in the area for decontamination.
- Notify your supervisor and the UBC Radiation Safety Advisor at 604-822-7052.
- Start decontamination using procedures given in the Radiation Hazard, Spill Response Procedure.