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Mission Statement
Team Services
In Case of a Spill
-Chemical
Spill
-Self Cleanup
-Small Mercury Spill
-Large Mercury Spill
-Flammables Spill
The FIRST Building
Training
Emergency Response Guidebook
- ERG
Hazmat Response
Technical Assistance
Emergency Contact
Numbers
Contact Information
Useful Links
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Steps to be taken with a chemical spill - The steps that should
be taken for a given chemical spill vary based upon the size and nature
of the release. When in doubt, UGA Dispatch ((706) 542-2200), and the
HART team should be contacted immediately at ((706) 542-5801), or (706)
542-2200 for after hours calls). Appropriate steps to follow after a
spill include:
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Any injured personnel should be attended to
immediately and taken to an emergency room as necessary,
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Turn on the fume hood to help expel
contaminated air from the laboratory,
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For the spill of a flammable material, shut
off all spark sources in the laboratory,
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Evacuate the laboratory as necessary,
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Notify your Principal Investigator and all
laboratory personnel of the spill. Larger spills, and those involving
flammable or toxic material may require additional notifications up to
and including the entire building). Some situations may require the
building to be evacuated until the release can be cleaned up and the
building ventilated,
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If it is possible to do so safely, place
absorbent materials on the spill. Once absorbed, place the contaminated
absorbent in a non reactive container, and contact hazmat at (706)
369-5706 to make arrangements for disposal (see outline below),
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If assistance from the HART team is required,
notify the Environmental Safety Division at ((706) 542-5801, or (706)
542-2200 for after hours).
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Remain on scene in a safe location until
emergency personnel arrive and have a chance to ask you questions.
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Performing your own spill cleanup -Each laboratory suite
should be equipped with a chemical spill kit that can be used to clean
up relatively small and/or spills relatively non-hazardous materials.
Laboratory personnel should only clean up spills if:
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The appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE) is available,
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Laboratory personnel have been trained in the
proper use of PPE,
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Appropriate spill control materials are on
hand,
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The laboratory worker knows the properties of
the spilled material, and feels comfortable performing the clean up
procedures,
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Another person is present to supervise or
assist should a problem arise. TOP
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Elemental Mercury Spills (small) – Thermometer sized spills
of mercury should be handled by laboratory personnel. Directions for
the clean up of elemental mercury are located on the ESD Laboratory
Safety website at:
http://www.esd.uga.edu/chem/pub/mercuryspill.pdf.
For additional
information on thermometer spill clean ups, contact the ESD Laboratory
Safety group at ((706) 542-5801).
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Elemental Mercury Spills (large) – For releases of elemental
mercury in excess of the volume contained in a thermometer, the HART
team should be contacted immediately by calling the spill in to the
following number ((706) 542-5801). The HART team has specialized
equipment for performing large volume mercury spill removals.
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Flammable Materials – The clean up of small quantities of
flammable materials can usually be safely accomplished by laboratory
personnel using absorbents such as kitty litter or vermiculite.
Great care must be taken to insure that all of the material has been
cleaned up and properly disposed of. Numerous laboratory fires have
been attributed to the incomplete cleanup of flammable materials. When
even small quantities of flammable liquids are left under balances,
refrigerators, and other electronic devices, the result is often an
explosion and fire. When in doubt, please contact the HART team for
assistance.
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