Radioactive Spill

 

Important Contacts

Key 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

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

Prepare 

Respond 

Immediately report all incidents, injuries, and potential exposures to your Principal Investigator (PI) and for compliance purposes, report all chemical, biological, hazardous gas and radioactive incidents using the 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.
  • 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 people in immediate area
  • Contact radiation safety officer at (310) 206-4633
  • Wear PPE (safety goggles, disposable gloves, shoe covers and long-sleeve lab coat)
  • For liquid spills, place absorbent paper towels over it. For solid spills, place damp towels over it
  • Use forceps to place used towels in a plastic bag, then dispose of them in a radioactive waste box
  • Monitor area, hands, and shoes for contamination with an appropriate survey meter or method. Repeat until the contamination is no longer detected.
  • Isolate all potentially contaminated personnel in one area until they have been monitored and confirmed to be free of contamination
  • Contact radiation safety officer at (310) 206-4633
  • Close the doors to prevent entrance into the spill area
  • Have a person knowledgeable of the incident report it.
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