Revised 11/21/05
SPILL RESPONSE PROCEDURE FOR THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
1. Immediately alert others working in the area. Notify supervisor or P.I. and
evacuate the area if necessary.
2. Notify the College of Pharmacy’s Chemical Safety Officer (pager; 231-4980 or
office 323-1630).
3. If there is a fire * or if medical attention is needed, contact UK Police at 257-1616
if using an off campus phone or 911 from a campus phone (911 from a cell phone
will get you an area wide dispatch; this will take longer as they are not familiar
with UK’s campus). Ask for an ambulance if medical attention is needed.
4. If the spill involves a flammable material, immediately control/ turn off sources of
ignition in the lab such as Bunsen burners and any other equipment that uses
heat/open flame or has electrical current. Please ventilate the area by ensuring
fume hood is on and opening doors if spilled material poses no contamination
threat.
5. Don the personal protective equipment appropriate to the hazards (these should
already be in your lab; i.e. face shield/goggles, lab coat/apron, nitrile gloves, and
any other PPE listed by MSDS). Reference the MSDS sheets found in your lab
and in the Chemical Safety office (Room 546) and spill response plan in your lab
safety manual.
6. If the spill is moderate in size or larger (more than 1 gallon or 4 liters), if there has
been a release to drains or the environment, or if assistance is needed call
Environmental Management (EM) at 323-6280 or UK Police at 257-1616. If the
material is radioactive contact the Radiation Safety Office at 323-6777.
7. Protect floor drains or other avenues of environmental release by using the spill
materials in the hallway locations (directly beside the first aid kits).
8. When spill materials have been absorbed (please consult MSDS for proper
materials; i.e. paper towels, sand, vermiculite, or other such materials), place
materials in proper containers (i.e. trashcans that are water tight and that have
lids) and fill out a hazardous waste disposal ticket. Either mail or fax the white
copy of the ticket to the EM office for pickup and attach the yellow copy to the
waste container.
9. The container can be placed in the fume hood for proper ventilation until pickup
by EM personnel.
10. The area should be decontaminated with mild detergent and water before work
resumes with any material (additional steps may be required for certain materials;
please consult Environmental Management for guidance).
11. If a fire occurred, it must be reported to the UK Police to comply with the Minger
Act. These types of fires include small fires on campus that are extinguished with
or without a fire extinguisher. You also must report fires to the UK Police even if
they do not involve a fire alarm or response by the fire department. Examples of
this would be a beaker of alcohol that ignites in a laboratory hood, a small trash
can fire, a burnt bag of popcorn in a microwave, or a mulch fire around a shrub.
Revised 11/21/05
PLAN OF ACTION DEPENDING ON SIZE OF SPILL
Minor spills (less than 4 L) of a known material should be cleaned up immediately by
personnel in that area. Appropriate personal protective equipment should be used.
Chemical protective gloves, safety glasses and clothing (such as aprons and lab coats)
should be worn.
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For moderate size spills (greater than 4 L) of a known material, that cannot be cleaned
up without assistance, call the College of Pharmacy’s Chemical Safety Officer (phone:
323-1630, and cell: 519-0880) and the Environmental Management Office at 323-6280.
They will provide technical assistance, equipment, supplies and guidance. All personnel
not directly assisting with the cleanup should be kept away from the area involved.
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Larger spills of know materials (greater than 5 gals.), spills of unknown materials,
spills that result in fire* or explosion, or spills that are immediately dangerous to life and
health should be treated as emergencies. Evacuate the immediate area of the spill and call
the Chemical Safety Officer or the Environmental Management Office (EM). For injured
personal call campus 911. Relay vital information such as chemical(s) involved, biohazardous agents involved, or radioactive materials to the Chemical Safety Officer and
other agencies called.
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If an emergency involves personal injury or chemical contamination, call 911 from
any campus phone and ask for an ambulance to be sent to the area. Be sure to state the
type of contamination on the victim. In cases where corrosive chemical exposure to the
eyes or body of an individual occurs, carefully assist the injured person to an eyewash
station, deluge shower or combination unit. For other chemicals consult the MSDS for
that chemical and follow the recommendations in the first aid section. A copy of the
MSDS (found in the lab manual, in Chemical Safety office Room 546 or online) should
be available for the ambulance crew and should accompany the victim to the hospital.
For exposures to the eyes, flushing with water for a minimum of 15 minutes is
recommended. Make sure the water is getting into the affected area by holding open the
eye lids so that the water comes into direct contact with the eye. This will enable the eye
to be flushed thoroughly. The person should then be seen immediately by a physician.
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* If the fire is contained (i.e. in the fume hood or within a beaker) and poses no threat to
you or the lab, then this should not be considered an emergency. If there is a threat of fire
from an uncontained source, notify the 911 dispatch of this condition. An example of a
threat of fire is a liquid that has spilled under a piece of equipment and there is the
possibility of fire, from a spark or other ignition source. Always call 911 if there is a fire
(flames and smoke) present that is uncontrolled and/or uncontained or if you are unsure
of what to do as they can advise you accordingly.