IX. EMERGENCY PLANNING EMERGENCY PLANNING, SPILL RESPONSE & REPORTING Any unexpected event or accident situation that occurs during the transport, storage or use of hazardous materials constitutes a potential emergency. The EHRS must be notified immediately when such an event results in contamination of work areas or personnel, or if significant quantities of hazardous materials are released into the environment. Specific emergency procedures must be followed in such circumstances. It may also be required to notify the Temple University Police Department and the University Fire Marshal s Office depending upon the nature of emergency. Please visit the Emergency Action Plan that is administered by the University Fire Marshall Office. Each lab or area where hazardous materials are located is required to develop emergency procedures specific to their lab or area. The following items must be completed: Design an emergency egress map Make a list of emergency contact names and post by the phone. The EHRS posts an emergency contact sheet that is required to be posted at each phone. The PI or designee must post their emergency phone number on the sheet. Ensure that an up to date chemical inventory is readily available and has been submitted to EHRS on an annual bases. Inventory needs to be made available to First Responders. Ensure that all lab doors are properly posted. Develop and document lab-specific emergency procedures. You should anticipate small spills by having the appropriate safety equipment and spill response kit on hand. Each lab or area must have an emergency and spill plan which addresses their specific need. Departments,/Centers/Labs should include items to address individual that may have special needs. If there is a spill immediately alert personnel in the area. Do what is necessary to protect life. Confine the spill if possible. Call for assistance if the spill is large, a threat to personnel, students or the public, or if it involves radioactive materials, corrosives, highly toxic, or reactive chemicals. The Supervisor, PI, Department Head or Manager must ensure that all lab personnel are aware of the location and hours of the nearest hospital, Occupational Heath and or Student Health. The name, location and hours of operation must be included in the CHG worksheet.
Do no attempt to personally clean a major spill or a spill of an unknown or extremely hazardous substance. Examples of extremely hazardous substances include bromine, hydrazine, cyanides, Class 1A flammable solvents, alkali metals, and white phosphorus. Emergency assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may call the EHRS if you need assistance and information regarding management and/or use of hazardous materials. For concerns about security, injuries, fire safety or any other emergency, you should call extension 1-1234 and state the nature of your concern and the specific assistance you seek. The EHRS is ready to provide emergency assistance any time of the day and any day of the week. Follow the following guidelines to obtain emergency help: During business hours (8:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays), contact EHRS at (215) 707-2520, or call the page operator at (215) 707-4545 and ask the operator to page a representative of EHRS. During other hours and on weekends and holidays, call the page operator at (215) 707 4545 and ask the operator to page a representative of EHRS and if needed, the Fire Marshal s Office. University Security may also be contacted at 1-1234. Fires The following procedure should be followed in case of fire: Sound the building fire alarm. Call extension 1-1234 and state the nature of the problem and location If possible, and trained to do so, attempt to put out the fire by approved methods (e.g., fire extinguisher) and only if other fire hazards or radiation hazards are not present Notify all persons present to vacate the area and immediately call the EHRS Once the fire is out, isolate the area to prevent the spread of possible contamination Survey all persons involved in combating the fire for possible contamination Decontaminate personnel by removing contaminated clothing and flushing contaminated skin with lukewarm water, then washing with a mild soap
In consultation with the EHRS, determine a plan of decontamination and the types of protective devices and survey equipment that will be necessary to decontaminate the area Allow no one to return to work in the area unless approved by the EHRS Cooperate with the CHO, Fire Marshal s Office, and/or the EHRS s staff in the investigation of the root and causes. Follow the instructions of the CHO and/or the EHRS s staff in the decontamination techniques, surveys and documentation Explosions/Fires, or Major Emergencies Take the following steps in case of fire, explosion or any other such incident in the work area: Sound the building fire alarm. Notify all persons in the area to leave immediately Call extension 1-1234 and state the nature of the problem and location Notify the EHRS Upon arrival of firefighters, inform them where hazardous materials(including radioactive materials) are stored or where radioisotopes were being used; inform them of the present location of the hazardous materials and the best possible entrance route to the hazardous area, as well as any precautions to avoid exposure or risk of creating contamination by use of high pressure water, etc. Cooperate with the EHRS, Fire Marshal s Office, and campus security in investigating the root cause. Provide bioassay samples if requested; and Allow no one to return to work in the area unless approved by the EHRS Follow the instructions of the EHRS s staff in the decontamination techniques, surveys and documentation Chemical Spills Please refer to the Chemical Spill Managment Policy for instructions on how to respond to minor and major chemical spills. Each lab must develop and implement a spill plan Contamination Only Skin contamination is always a possibility when working with hazardous materials and can result in significant health hazards if not removed. Injury with Personnel Contamination
In the event of a serious injury (heavy bleeding, heart attack, etc.) seek medical assistance immediately. Notify your supervisor and the EHRS. For a minor injury (e.g., puncture wound, suspected inhalation or ingestion of hazardous material, skin contamination, etc.): Assist person with use of body shower and/or eyewash equipment. Flush body and/or eyes with water for at least 15 minutes Remove contaminated clothing while under body shower. Wash skin with mild soap and water-do not use neutralizing agents, creams, lotions or salve See medical attention. Environmental Release and Oil Spill Notification Immediately notify EHRS for suspected or known releases to the environment (air, water, land,drains). EHRS can be contacted during normal business hours at 215-707-2520 or after hours via the Page Operator at 215-707-4545. Campus Police must also be notified at 215-204-1234(1-1234)). Notifications must be made to regulatory agencies immediately after a known, confirmed or suspected release. Preparing Spill Plans o Review your chemical inventory to identify hazards of chemicals used and stored in your area. o Purchase or assemble a spill kit appropriate for your chemicals. Consider special needs for air and water reactives, poisons, and hydrofluoric acid. o Post Emergency Contact Information or call lists at the entrance to the area. o Train lab occupants on area spill procedures. Spill Kit Supplies Supplies are available from lab and safety catalogs. o Basic Kit Supplies: Chemical Resistant Container for Kit Universal Absorbents Goggles, Gloves Disposable Coverall or Apron Shoe Covers Dust Pan and Whisk Broom for Solids Hazardous Waste Labels o Add as needed in your area:
Spill Training Personal Protective Equipment such as face shields, aprons, boots. General neutralizing agents such as sodium bicarbonate for acids, and citric acid or sodium bisulfate for bases. Agent specific neutralizers available for acids, bases, formaldehyde and solvents. Mercury collection sponges. Specialized supplies for air or water reactive chemicals and Hydrofluoric Acid. Only add respirators if additional training and program requirements have been met. Spill Training for your area should include: o Recognition (sight, smell, alarms, etc.) o First aid for chemical injuries that may occur in your area o Handling emergencies (notification, action) o Prevention/Containment (secondary containment, spill limitation) o Clean-up (personal protection, use of equipment, preventing damage, etc.) o Packaging and handling of residue How to Minimize Spills o Store hazardous liquid containers in a pan or tray big enough to hold the contents if the container breaks or leaks. o Buy liquids in plastic coated bottles. o Use bottle carriers for protection and containment. o Put pans under experiments. o Use traps on vacuum lines. o o Use carts designed to prevent materials from sliding off the cart. Have sink stoppers and drain covers handy to prevent material from entering drains. ACCIDENT REPORTING All accidents or incidents must be reported and properly documented: The main requirements are: All injuiries must be reported by the injured employee to his/her supevisor The supervisor must complete an incident report. See Department or Area for specific details of what forms need to be compeleted. Please refer to Temple University Human Resources for additional information.
Supervisors and/or departments should investigate the cause or causes of incidents to prevent reoccurrence. Contact EHRS for assistance if needed. Follow-up should be done by the department to ensure that corrective action has been taken. All incident reports with listed corrective actions must be kept on file with the CHG worksheet and be readily available fore review upon request. EVERYDAY HAZARDS Finally, laboratory workers must remember that injuries can and do occur outside the laboratory or other work area. It is important that safety be practiced in offices, stairways, corridors, and other places. Here, safety is largely a matter of common sense, but a constant safety awareness of everyday hazards is vital.