Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)

Call 9-911 from an on-campus phone and 911 from a cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel.

Hazardous Materials Spills

Emergency Response Procedures: Chemical, Bio-hazardous and Radioactive Spills

In case of emergency, call x2222 from a Providence College campus phone or 401.865.2222 from your mobile phone.

The following identify procedures for handling various hazardous spill emergencies in the laboratory and workplace. Chemical spills include liquid and solid spills. Fuel spills include all petroleum based fuels/oils.

Injury or Illness

All injuries, however slight, must be reported immediately to the supervising Faculty member or, in the case of faculty accidents, the Department Chair. An Injury Report Form (in the department office) must be completed and submitted to the Department Chair and EHS Office within 48 hours. Employee accidents or work related illnesses must also be reported to Human Resources x2341 within 24 hours.

Chemical Exposure to Skin:

Immediately flush with cool water for at least 15 minutes.
If there are no visible burns, remove all jewelry and soap area.
Seek medical attention if a reaction occurs or if there is any doubt about possible problems.

Chemical Exposure to Skin – Serious:

Remove all contaminated clothing.
Locate the nearest emergency shower and soak for at least 15 minutes.
Have someone contact the Office of Public Safety x2222.
Seek immediate medical attention.

Chemicals in Eyes:

Irrigate eyes for at least 15 minutes with tempered water from emergency eyewash station.
Remove contact lenses if possible.
Notify the Office of Safety and Security x2222.
Seek immediate medical attention.

Smoke and Fumes:

Get out to fresh air.
DO NOT ENTER a location where potentially dangerous fumes might place you at risk.
If someone is down, contact emergency personnel and let them enter.
Seek medical attention for exposure as soon as possible.

Clothing or Laboratory Coat on Fire (Stop, Drop and Roll):

Extinguish burning clothing by: STOP, DROP, ROLL
Douse with cold water or use emergency shower or fire blanket. If using a fire blanket, do not allow the person to remain standing.
Remove contaminated clothing if possible.
Cover injured person to prevent shock. Seek medical attention.

Chemical Spills

There are a wide range of chemicals present in a laboratory. The safe clean-up of a chemical spill requires some knowledge of the properties and hazards posed by the chemical, and any added dangers posed by the location of the spill.
If you believe a spill is beyond your capacity to clean up, do not attempt to do so. STOP and contact the Office of Environmental Health & Safety x2549.
Spill supplies, which may include absorbents such as spill pads or vermiculite, neutralizing agents, and personal protective equipment, are present in each laboratory.
Always consult the SDS of a spilled material, and print a copy of the SDS to send with emergency responders if someone has been exposed and is being taken to receive medical treatment.
Any spill that results in an accidental release to the sewer must be reported to the Office of Environmental Health & Safety immediately.

Minor Spill:

A minor spill is characterized by all of the following criteria:

Hasn’t spread outside the laboratory;
Can be contained, absorbed, and/or neutralized;
Did not result in a fire or explosion, nor does it present a risk of fire or explosion; and
Did not result in personnel requiring medical attention, nor does it present a risk to personal health and safety.

Minor Spill Clean Up:

Alert people in the immediate area of the spill.
Put on appropriate Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) – gloves, protective eyewear, and lab coat.
Contain liquid spills with absorbent material such as spill pads or vermiculite.
Sweep up solid spills. Avoid generating airborne dust.
Completely clean area where spill occurred.
Place the absorbed/swept up spilled material in a suitable hazardous waste container. Contaminated PPE should be containerized with spilled material.

Label the container with a hazardous waste label and place in a main accumulation area.

Major Spill:

A major spill is characterized by any of the following criteria:

Requires evacuation of the area.
Results in a fire or explosion, or presents a risk of fire or explosion.
Results in personnel requiring medical attention.
Presents a risk to personal health and safety, i.e., may result in exposure to toxic substances.
Is not contained within a laboratory.

For a Major Spill or Leak:

DO NOT attempt to clean up a major spill on your own. Leave it to the experts!
Alert people in the immediate area of the spill.
Contact the Office of Public Safety at x2222 and stand by in a safe location.
Only if it’s safe to do so, you may:
- Remove any injured or contaminated persons.
- Help any contaminated persons use the safety shower/eye wash.
Seek medical attention if you have been exposed.

Mercury spill:

For a large mercury spill, evacuate the area, call Public Safety, and keep others clear of the area. For small spills (e.g, broken thermometers) notify the lab supervisor; the lab supervisor should take the following the steps:

Provide maximum ventilation in the contaminated area.
If the mercury is spilled in an oven or other heated device, turn off the unit, evacuate the area and call Security at 401.865.2222.
Avoid contamination of shoes or other items in the area. Never sweep with a broom, as this breaks up the droplets and results in increased vaporization.
Locate the nearest mercury spill kit.
Push pools of mercury together. Pick up pools with a medicine dropper, mercury pump, or pipette with a closed bulb and transfer into a plastic bottle.
Use mercury clean-up powder to form an amalgam of the residual that can then be picked up. All mercury and cleanup-up debris must be disposed of as hazardous
Waste.
For assistance, contact Environmental Health & Safety at 401.865.2549.

Fuel and Oil Spills

Spill supplies are located in the Physical Plant hazardous waste bunker, the Power Plant, and various mechanical rooms throughout campus. In the event of a fuel (gasoline or diesel) or oil spill, follow these steps only if it is safe to do so:

Stop the source of the leak.
Contain the spill.
Secure the area to prevent pedestrian or vehicular traffic through the area; notify the Office of Public Safety x2222 to assist if necessary.
Absorb the spill with spill supplies. Containerize the spill debris, label it with a hazardous waste tag, and put it in the hazardous waste bunker.
Notify the EHS Office at x2549.

If the spill can’t be stopped or contained, or it is not safe to do so, notify the Office of Public Safety to isolate the area and emergency personnel will handle the cleanup effort.

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