HS026
1. Completed by: Ken Wyse
Safe work procedure
Staff/Student number: z8903240
The Safe Work Procedures Guideline (HS027) should be consulted to assist in the completion of this form
Faculty/Division:
Medicine
School/Unit:
Lowy Cancer Research Building and Wallace Wurth building
Document number
SoMS_IIR_SWP32
Initial Issue date
March 2010
Current version
3.0
Current Version
Issue date: January 2014
Next review date
January 2017
2.Safe work procedure title and basic description of activity
Title: Biological Spills Clean Up Procedure
Description: To
describe the procedure how to clean up spills of potentially infectious biological materials and genetically
modified organisms (GMOs)
DEFINITION: Biological material can include Infectious, Biological, Clinical, GMO, human or animal blood and
body fluids and unknowns biological agents
.
3.List hazards and risk controls as identified during risk management
Associated risk
assessment
number and
location:
N/A
Hazards
Lack of training
Controls
All lab workers inducted. All lab workers must attend Biosafety for P2
training.
If the spill is major, this is handled by HAZMAT instead.
Incorrect
disinfectant
There is evidence that disinfectant is appropriate for the agent being used
Exposure to
hazardous
substance
PPE - Always wear a long sleeve gown, double gloves (nitrile preferred),
eye protection and a respiratory protection
Unintentional
release of GMO
All spills dealt with immediately
Exposure to
hepatitis B
Hepatitis B vaccination is strongly recommended for workers handling
human blood or tissues. Hepatitis B is a potentially fatal disease and is very
contagious. Infection with blood-borne pathogens occurs through a direct
route of entry e.g. cuts, burns, needle sticks, eyes, and mucous membranes.
Treat any blood or body fluids as infectious
4.List resources required including personal protective clothing, chemicals and equipment needed
Warning Signage
PPE - Always wear a rear fastening long sleeve gown, double gloves (nitrile preferred) with the cuff of the gown firmly
inside the cuff of the glove, eye protection and respiratory protection (p2 mask or half or full face respiratory)
Absorbent padding or paper towel
Tongs or tweezers
Virkon (or other appropriate decontaminant)
Biohazard disposable waste bag
PC2 clinismart waste bin
PC2 biohazard spill kit
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5.List step by step instructions or order for undertaking the task
All biological spills should be dealt with as soon as possible
Spill procedures
Liquid spills generally form three fractions:
1. the bulk of the liquid forms a puddle;
2. small splashes of liquid escape; and
3. a small portion of the liquid forms airborne particles.
In the event of a spill, the following procedures should be observed:
 Avoid breathing in aerosol and vacate the area.
 Warn other people to keep away from the area (verbally and with signs). When should people be
evacuated from the room (considering that airconditioning will spread aerosols)
 Keep the area cleared for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow time for aerosols to settle or be diluted by
air handling systems.
In case of splashing with infective agent or GMO
 Remove any contaminated clothing.
 Wash affected area with soap and water (use eyewash if applicable).
 Wash exposed skin (hand, face).
 Notify your supervisor.
Assemble a clean-up team consisting of three people: one observer, one person to clean and another to pass materials
and disinfectants. All three must wear all PPEE listed below
After waiting at least half an hour, the team should:
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Make up the Virkon according to Manufacture’s instruction
Put on protective clothing and equipment.(gloves, gown, eye protection and respiratory protection)
Wear double gloves (nitrile preferred) while decontaminating – make sure the gloves are over the cuffs of the
gown.
Assess the extent of the contaminated area.
Lay paper towels impregnated with Virkon over the spill. Cover the spill working from the outside to the
centre. Wait for least for 10 minute for the Virkon to be affective.
Do not pour Virkon directly onto a spill as this can produce more aerosols.
Use tongs to pick-up the contaminated paper towel. Also use tongs to pick-up any sharps in the spill such as
broken glass or needles.
Dispose of contaminated materials in an approved PC2 waste bin or sharp bin.
Wet the contaminated area with Virkon waiting for 10 minutes.
Re-wipe over the contaminated area with Virkon impregnated paper towel.
REPEAT ABOVE as many times as necessary to clean and decontaminate the area
Dry the area as wet areas attract contaminants.
Decontaminate the tongs by soaking in Virkon for 10 minutes or autoclave them.
Remove gloves and dispose of in PC2 waste bin.
Wash and dry hands
Take gown off and put it into bag for steam sterilization
Remove eye protection and respiratory protection
Rewash hands and dry thoroughly.
Notify your supervisor.
Fill in an incident report.
Note: reusable eye protection and respiratory protection must be cleaned following use. Gloves and gown must be worn
during this process
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Procedure for Biological Spill in a Centrifuge
· If a tube breaks during centrifugation, immediately stop the centrifuge and allow the rotor to completely stop. Do not
open the lid
· If a spill is identified after the centrifuge lid is opened, carefully close the lid and evacuate the laboratory and close the
laboratory door.
Place signage on the centrifuge warning of a spill and people are not to use. This needs to be dated, with signature (so
people know it is current)
· Allow 30 minutes for any aerosols that were generated to settle before cleaning up the spill.
· Post a sign on the laboratory door indicating there is a biohazard spill and do not enter.
· Notify your supervisor and the plant custodian.
· Don the proper PPEE (double gloves, lab coat, eye protection and respiratory protection).
· Locate all the equipment you will need to clean up the spill
.If the sealed rotor or buckets can withstand high temperature. Thermally decontaminate intact at 121C for a minimum of
15 minutes
If not:
· If possible, take the centrifuge into the biological safety cabinet.
· If the spill is contained in the rotor, take the rotor into the biological safety cabinet.
· Alternatively, transfer the buckets to a biological safety cabinet.
· Use a mechanical device (eg. tweezers, tongs) to remove the tube top and any tube pieces into a biohazard sharps
container.
· Remove the tube adapter from the rotor, being careful not to spill the contents.
· Add Virkon to the adapter and let sit for 10 minutes.
· Pour the solution in the tube adapter onto absorbent material sufficient to absorb the fluid located within the tube
adapter.
· Place all contaminated absorbent material in the biohazard waste container.
· Wash the tube adapter with Virkon.
· Intact tubes may be wiped down and placed into a new container.
· If the centrifuge bowl has been contaminated, carefully wipe the inside of the centrifuge with Virkon
· Rewipe the centrifuge bowl.
· If there are areas of the centrifuge that are contaminated but can’t be disinfected without disassembly, get the custodian
to directly contact the company
· Remove gloves and dispose of in the PC2 bin
. Wash and dry hands.
· Take gown off and put it into bag for steam sterilization
· Remove eye protection and respiratory protection.
. Clean any reusable PPEE (must re-gown and glove for this procedure)
· Rewash hands and dry thoroughly.
· Fill in an incident report.
Procedure for Biological Spills inside Biological Safety Cabinets
· Leave the biological safety cabinet blower on and begin cleanup immediately.
· While wearing PPE cover the spill area with paper towels or Virkon soaked paper towels.
· Do not place your head in the cabinet to clean the spill, keep your face behind the viewscreen.
· If necessary, flood the work surface as well as the drain pans and catch basins below the work surface, with Virkon. Be
sure the drain valve is closed before flooding the area under the work surface.
· Wipe cabinet walls, work surfaces, and inside the viewscreen with Virkon.
· Lift the front exhaust grill and work surface; wipe all surfaces with Virkon. Be sure no paper towels or soiled debris are
blown into the area under the spill tray
· If the work surface, as well as drain pans and catch basins under the work surface, have been flooded with Virkon, soak
up the Virkon in the work surface after 10 minutes time. Repeat the flooding step
· Place a container under the drain valve and drain the Virkon under the work surface into the container.
· Wipe the areas under the work surface to remove residual decontaminant.
.Turn on the UV light for 20 minutes
.Dispose of all paper towel used in the cleanup in the PC2 waste bins
· Remove gloves and dispose of them in the PC2 bin
. Wash and dry hands.
· Take gown off and put it into bag for steam sterilization
· Remove eye protection and respiratory protection
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· Rewash hands and dry thoroughly.
· Fill in an incident report.
· Notify your supervisor and the plant custodian. Fill in an incident report.
Depending on the nature of the spilt material, it might be appropriate to arrange for the BSC to be fumigated
Clean any reusable PPEE (must re-gown and glove for this procedure)
6.List emergency shutdown procedures
For major spills, vacate the area and warn other people to keep away from the area (verbally and with signs).
Notify your supervisor and the plant custodians.
Dial x56666 if required
7.List emergency procedures for how to deal with fires, spills or exposure to hazardous substances
The basic principles of biological material spills management are:
 Standard precautions apply, including use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as applicable
 Spills should be cleared up before the area is cleaned (adding cleaning liquids to spills increases the size of the
spill and should be avoided)
Generation of aerosols from spilled material should be avoided
8.List clean up and waste disposal requirements
All laboratory gowns that are or may have been contaminated by the spill must go immediately into the laundry bag to be
decontaminated by pressure steam sterilization (autoclaving) before being sent to the cleaning contractor.
All biological or GMO waste that has been chemically treated must be disposed as chemical waste.
All other waste, including gloves, respiratory protection (if disposable), biological or GMO waste must be place in the PC2
waste bins.
Reusable PPE such as safety glasses and respirators must be appropriately cleaned before going back to storage.
NOTE: where non-disposable respirators are used, people must be fitted with the respirator and trained in their use.
9.List legislation, codes of practice, manufacturers manual, industry standards etc used in the development of
this SWP
WHS Act and Regulation 2012
Australian/New Zealand Standards 2243.3:2010. Safety in laboratories - Microbiological safety and containment
UNSW HS Policy: HS321 - Laboratory Hazardous Waste Disposal guideline
10a.List competency required – qualifications, certificates, licensing, training - e.g. course or instruction:
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UNSW
UNSW
UNSW
UNSW
Laboratory Safety Awareness training
Health & Safety Awareness training
PC2 training course
Hazardous Substances training
10b. List competency of assessor
11.Supervisory approval, and review
Supervisor:
Signature:
Responsibility for SWP review:
Date of review:
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12.SWP Sign off sheet
SWP name and version:
In signing this section the assessor/ authorisor agrees that the following persons are competent in following this
SWP
Name
Signature
Date
Competent
Name of
Assessor/Authoriser
Assessor/Authoriser
signature
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