Chemical Spill
Important Contacts
UC Police Department (UCPD) & UCLA Fire: 9-1-1
Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S): (310) 825-9797
Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM): (310) 825-2200
DGSOM Security: (310) 267-7100
Facilities Management (FM): (310) 825-9236
Alert
- If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
Prepare
- Ensure laboratory contacts for emergencies are up to date
- Know when a spill is safe to clean up
- Keep a sufficient reserve of materials to clean up spills near experimental areas (PPE, spill absorbents compatible with the chemicals in use, brushes, scoops, sealable containers etc.)
- Create a spill response plan with the following:
- Names and telephone numbers of who should be contacted
- Evacuation plans
- Instructions to contain spilled materials, such as potential escapes to the environment
- Inventory of all spill control materials and PPE
- Means for proper disposal of cleanup materials and affected clothing (in most cases, as hazardous waste)
- Review the UCLA Chemical Hygiene Plan for spill clean-up procedures
- For more information, follow EH&S Chemical Safety.
Respond
Immediately report all incidents, injuries, and potential exposures to your Principal Investigator (PI) and Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) hotline at (310) 825-9797 Option 1.
- Remove all contaminated clothing, dispose in a biohazard bag or decontaminate using bleach
- Ensure your shoes are not contaminated with hazardous material to prevent spreading outside of the immediate area
- Wash the exposed area thoroughly with soap and water for 20 minutes
- Obtain medical attention, if necessary
- Report incident to Principal Investigator (PI) and EH&S Hotline Option +1 (310) 825-9797.
- Immediately rinse the eyeball and inner surface of eyelid with water for 20 minutes (use faucet or eye wash)
- Hold eye open so your eyelids are washed thoroughly
- Obtain medical attention
- Report incident to your Principal Investigator (PI).
- Alert those in immediate area
- Wear PPE to clean (safety goggles, gloves, shoe covers and long-sleeve laboratory coat)
- Only clean spills where there is no danger to your breathing or risk of ignition
- Confine spill as much as possible
- Use appropriate kits for neutralizing and absorbing both inorganic acids and bases. Place in a secure container and dispose as chemical waste
- For other chemicals, use appropriate kit or absorb spill with vermiculite, dry sand or diatomaceous earth. Place in secure container and dispose as chemical waste.
- Alert people in the vicinity to evacuate
- Attend to any injured and contaminated persons; remove them from exposure
- If spilled chemical is flammable, turn off all ignition and heat sources if it is safe to do so
- Call 9-1-1, let the responder know this is a spill in a UCLA laboratory
- Close doors to affected area to keep spill area confined
- Post “Do Not Enter” signs or prevent entry into the spill area
- Have a person knowledgeable of the incident available to provide information to responders about the spill.