CHAPTER 28 – SCAFFOLD EQUIPMENT (SUPPORTED)

A. References

B. Appendices

Appendix A: VCEA Emergency Response Procedures for Large Biohazard and Chemical Spills, Radioactive Spills.

C. Scope

This chapter establishes chemical, biohazard, radioactive, mercury spill cleanup procedures and asbestos exposure response for Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture (VCEA) supervisors and employees. Also, this chapter establishes First Aid measures in case of a chemical spill into the eyes, on clothing and skin. Occupants of the laboratories are allowed to clean small biohazard and chemical spills that may take less than 10 minutes for a cleanup. This chapter provides guidelines for the supervisors and employees on when to ask for help and not attempt a cleanup. WSU Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) responds to the mercury spills and large chemical spills on the WSU Pullman campus, collects and provides spill and hazard information to the first responders (WSU Police and Pullman Fire). Radiation Safety Office (RSO) evaluates and cleans up radioactive material spills. VCEA employees may only clean radioactive spills if they are a registered Radiation Worker under the direction of a Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) approved Authorized User (AU) and the spill response is conducted in a manner consistent with the AU’s RSC approved protocols. For large biohazard spills, only the Biosafety Office (BSO) within the Office of Research Assurances (ORA) or licensed contractor and WSU EHS can be contacted to evaluate and clean the spills. Only EHS, RSO, and BSO spill response personnel and their designees assists with identifying and coordinating necessary evacuation efforts, establish exclusion zones, evaluates large spill hazards using monitoring equipment and/or observations and calculations, and performs large spill cleanup and other necessary functions promoting protection of human health and the environment. VCEA personnel are permitted to be designees of EHS, BSO, or RSO provided that the employee has training and knowledge of large spill response (this is not common) and acts under the direction and supervision of the incident response lead and with the consent of the employee’s unit director. A full time VCEA employee with safety as a primary duty may act as incident commander until EHS, BSO, or the RSO arrives at which point incident command, coordination, and response will be yielded to the EHS, BSO, or RSO unless directed otherwise by those organizations.

D. Responsibilities

Supervisors:

Responsible for overseeing employee’s attendance to the Initial VCEA Safety, Departmental trainings and trainings at the time of hire.
Responsible to provide laboratory specific training with the emphasis on a small spill cleanup, provides information about the amounts of chemicals and/or biohazard materials that are allowed to clean and explains first aid measures in case of a chemical spill into the eyes, on clothing and skin.
Assigns personnel to maintain emergency and spill response equipment and stock materials.
Responsible for the personnel obtaining and maintaining necessary training when radioactive or biohazard materials and other types of dangerous equipment and materials are used in the laboratory.
Assigns personnel to weekly check the working order of the eyewash stations.
Communicates personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements to the employees in accordance with this APP’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Chapter.
If necessary, provides oversight or assigns a designee to oversee a small spill cleanup activities.
Evaluates small spill response location after a cleanup and approves or provides a criteria to approve the area for reoccupation by non-spill response trained personnel.
Responsible for proper disposal of the spill materials.
Coordinates with EHS and BSO in case of a large spill.
Coordinates with RSO in case of a radioactive spill.
Prepares and provides incident summary to the affected personnel and department(s).
Coordinates all communication to EHS, RSO and BSO when needed.
Submits Incident Report online to the Human Resources within 24 hours after the spill even if no one received any injuries.
Submits a follow up Accident Investigation Report after a complete investigation (See SPPM 2.26 for more details).

Employees:

Immediately inform their supervisor when hazards outside the scope of the employees training, ability or understanding are encountered.
Attend Initial VCEA Safety training provided by EHS or available online, basic departmental and laboratory specific training as assigned.
Obtain and maintain additional training when radioactive equipment or biohazard materials are used in the laboratory.
Familiarize themselves with this chapter; personnel not adhering to the contents of this chapter may be subject to a disciplinary action.
If using a respirator, maintain current medical approval, be involved into the WSU’s Respiratory Protection Program, have respirator training as well as the fit tests.
Report volunteer use of the respirator to the supervisor and review advisory information for this king of use on the EHS’s website.
Wear personal monitoring equipment if required by the laboratory conditions. Such conditions might include, but not limited to toxic gasses, flammable atmospheres, radioactive elements and equipment in the laboratory.
Participate in the annual medical surveillance when enrolled into the WSU Respiratory Protection Program (or more frequently if required).
Maintain emergency and spill response equipment as well as stock the materials.
Attend PPE training and maintain PPE. Based on knowledge and training, employees are expected to be capable of identifying the appropriate PPE for a spill response based on the information provided in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and/or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Biosafety Manual (BSM), as well Standard Policies and Procedures Manual (SPPM).
Safely cleanup chemical and biohazard spills that take 10 minutes or less. Employees must evacuate immediately, inform their supervisor and place a note on the door(s) of the laboratory to prevent other personnel from entering if the spill takes longer than 10 minutes or if it is toxic by inhalation, flammable or combustible chemical with a flash point below 78 ⁰F (26 ⁰C) as well as radioactive material spill.
Employees must not attempt to cleanup any amount of mercury. They must evacuate immediately, place a note on the door(s) of the laboratory or space to keep other personnel away; employees inform their supervisor and/or EHS as well as follow guidelines of the corresponding section of this chapter.
Employees do not attempt to clean up any amount of radioactive materials, disassemble or alter any parts of equipment containing radioactive materials.
Employees evaluate location after a cleanup per supervisor’s direction.
Employees participate in after a spill cleanup review/debriefing.

E. Training

VCEA supervisors and employees must be trained on the following topics before attempting to cleanup a spill:

The contents of this APP chapter.
Personnel do not perform spill cleanup that requires PPE different from a regular use or from PPE described in this chapter. The example of such equipment might be a mandatory respirator use for a spill cleanup when it is not required during regular use or handling.
Training on engineering and administrative controls that may reduce or preclude the need for PPE in the laboratory;
Available sources of chemical hazard information, including SDS (also see this APP’s Hazard Communication chapter) and WSU specific information sources (e.g. laboratory signage or chemical inventories) to assist in identifying potential spill hazards.

Training records are provided to the VCEA and Departments.

Re-training will be required when:
- There have been changes in the workplace, such as new processes and equipment, which render previous training obsolete;
- Changes in the types of equipment that render previous training obsolete;
- When an employee exhibits inadequate knowledge, skill and understanding or non-conforming use of the equipment; and/or
- When policies in WSU or VCEA as well as regulatory requirements change.

All VCEA employees must recognize any of the following conditions as an emergency and act accordingly:

Personnel qualified to clean up the release are not available in the work area (WAC 296-62, Part R).
Protective equipment or supplies necessary for the cleanup (e.g., respirators, absorbents) are not available.
Released chemical material cannot be identified.
Volume of the released chemical material exceeds one liter of undiluted material, or four liters of diluted material.
Any amount of released mercury, asbestos or radioactive material.
Released chemical or other material is potentially explosive or highly flammable.
Released chemical material is highly toxic.
Released chemical or biohazard material is outside the employee’s immediate work area.

In case of occurrence, follow guidelines of the corresponding section of this chapter and the guidelines of Appendix A, VCEA Emergency Response Procedures for Large Biohazard and Chemical Spills, Radioactive Spills.

F. Notes and definitions

Non-business hours are hours before 8:00 am and after 5:00 pm during the school year (August-May) and before 7:30 am and after 4:00 pm during the summer (May-August) Monday through Friday. Also, non-business hour’s definition applies to the weekends and WSU holidays.

G. small Biohazard material spills

Do not attempt to cleanup a small biohazard spill if you don’t have current Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) approval. Only laboratory personnel with current biological safety training can handle a small spill.

Next materials are identified as biohazards:

Recombinant DNA materials
Genetically-modified organisms including transgenic animals or plants
Oncogenic viruses
Infectious agents
Blood and blood-contaminated materials
Animal carcasses and parts (excluding materials which can be rendered or composted)
Infectious animal bedding and materials
Human and nonhuman primate tissues, bodily fluids, and tissue cultures
HEPA filters from biological safety cabinets and BSL-3 facility exhaust ducts
Sharps (needles, syringes, scalpels, lancets, etc., regardless of whether contaminated or not).

If a spill of any listed above materials occurs and employee(s) don’t have current biosafety training, they need to follow procedures outlined in the Appendix A for a large biohazard spill.

To cleanup a small spill, employee(s) with all necessary training and permissions must follow laboratory specific Biosafety Manual (BSM) procedure. If BSM is not available or outdated, follow next steps to cleanup a small biohazard spill that will take 10 minutes or less:

Notify others working in the area of the hazard. Place a note on the door if necessary.
Remove spill supplies from a spill kit bucket and line the bucket with a biohazard bag. Retrieve a sharps container for disposal of glass/sharps.
Put on two layers of gloves. Put on splash goggles.
Prepare disinfectant.
If no sharps/broken glass, disregard the next step and proceed with the one after that.
Using tongs or forceps, place broken glass/sharps in sharps container. Use dust pan and broom or brush for shattered glass.
Cover the spill area with absorbent materials such as absorbent mats and pads, paper towels, SSS clean-up powder.
Remove the absorbent material. If using a powder or solidifier, use dustpan and broom or brush. Dispose of all absorbent materials and tools into a biohazard bag.
Spray/apply disinfectant to the contaminated area and wait appropriate contact time.
Remove disinfectant with paper towels and place the paper towels in the biohazard bag for disposal. If using Sani-Cloth wipes, allow for surface to air dry.
Repeat application of the disinfectant and its removal to allow for sufficient disinfection of contaminated surfaces.
Remove only outer pair of gloves and dispose of them in the biohazard bag.
Remove goggles with inner gloves still on and disinfect goggles and any other items utilized in the spill response. If preferred, dispose of the goggles into a biohazard bag.
Remove inner gloves and dispose of them in the biohazard bag.
Place the biohazard bag in a biohazardous waste container for treatment and disposal.
Wash your hands with soap and water as soon as possible.
Restock the spill kit for the next use.
Contact Facilities Services and Biosafety officer to arrange waste disposal pick up after a spill cleanup. Facilities Services will help to determine if items are suitable for autoclaving, incineration or disposal through a licensed company.
The supervisor or the faculty in charge of the laboratory space must submit Incident Report online to the Human Resources within 24 hours after the spill even if no one received injuries. The supervisor also submits a follow up Accident Investigation Report according to SPPM 2.26 when investigation of the spill is complete.

The laboratory that works with biohazard materials must have a fully stocked spill kit available to the occupants of the laboratory space(s) at all times. The spill kit must contain next items:

Roll of paper towel
Approved EPA registered disinfectant (Sani-Cloth, Vircon, Envirocide, Rocal, Bleach, etc.). If using a spray bottle with bleach, it must contain a 10% solution that must be changed every six months.
Biohazard bags of different sizes
Disposable broom or brush & dustpan
Tongs/forceps
Absorbent powder and paper towel
Gloves – change annually
Splash goggles (1 pair) – check straps annually

It is responsibility of the laboratory occupants, personnel and volunteers to determine when to ask for help by dialing emergency numbers and not attempting to clean up a spill outside of the scope of this section. If the spill would take longer than 10 minutes to clean by the trained laboratory personnel, but not an immediate threat to the health and safety of the laboratory personnel and general public, the cleanup may be arranged with Technical Safety Services, EnV Services, Bioquell, or other licenced contractor.

Contact Office of Research Assurances with any questions:

Primary contact:

Levi O’Loughlin, biosafety officer

(509) 335-1585

levi.oloughlin@wsu.edu

Secondary contact:

Mike Kluzik, director

(509) 335-9553

mkluzik@wsu.edu

In case of a large biohazard spill or spill posing a threat to the health and safety of the laboratory personnel and general public, follow a procedure outlined in Appendix A for large biohazard spills.

It is responsibility of the laboratory occupants and personnel to determine when the spill is outside of the scope of this section and ask for help by dialing emergency numbers during business or non-business hours.

H. radioactive material spills

VCEA employees, other than those identified in the scope, must not attempt to cleanup a spill if it contains or suspected to contain any radioactive materials. Follow procedures outlined in Appendix A for the radioactive spills.

The following circumstances are considered to be an emergency radioactive materials spill:

An individual’s skin and/or clothing has become contaminated with one or more radionuclides (any quantity).
A spill is uncontained, or has spread or been tracked into unrestricted, unprotected public area.
Airborne radioactive material (RAM) is thought to be present.
A mixed hazard spill is present that requires a coordinated response from EHS and RSO.

Any other cases are not considered an emergency. If spill occurs in the area with controlled access by some means (i.e, a door), place a note informing other personnel about the spill and contact Radiation Safety Office (RSO) at (509) 335-7183 or radsafe@wsu.edu to schedule a cleanup. Also, use this contact information for any questions regarding equipment with sealed sources, waste disposal or training.

If any of the emergency statements above are true, please call the RSO or 911 then follow procedure outlined in Appendix A of this chapter for the radioactive spills.

The supervisor submits Incident Report online to the Human Resources within 24 hours even if no one received injuries. After investigation is complete, the supervisor submits Accident Investigation Report according to SPPM 2.26.

I. Mercury spills

Do not attempt to cleanup any amount of spilled mercury. When spilled mercury is found, evacuate immediately and close the door(s) to the laboratory or other isolated space controlled by some means (i.e, a door), place a note informing other personnel about the spill and contact EH&S at 5-3041 using WSU phone or (509) 335-3041 from any other phone during the business hours to schedule a cleanup.

The spill is considered a critical emergency only if it occurs in a public area such as hallway, lobby or sidewalk and cannot be isolated. Call EHS at 5-3041 using WSU phone or (509) 335-3041 from any other phone during the business hours. Provide all information to the EHS receptionist. If mercury spill occurs in a public area during the non-business hours, dial 5-9000 from the WSU phone or (509) 335-9000 from any other phone, provide the operator with all necessary information (time of the spill if known, building, room number or floor, contact phone number) and wait for the responders to arrive in a safe location.

EHS cleans any spilled mercury, returns for monitoring readings after 24-hour-period and releases the area for reoccupancy if the tests show that no mercury vapors present.

J. Asbestos exposure response

Intact asbestos materials do not pose a health threat. But if the material becomes damaged or deteriorated, asbestos fibers can be released into the air and then can be inhaled by the occupants of the space or passersby. Asbestos fibers are inhaled through the bronchial tubes to the bronchioles and are embedded in the alveoli. Exposure to elevated levels of these microscopic fibers has been linked to the lung cancer and other serious health problems, such as asbestosis (excessive scar tissue on the lungs that restricts breathing) and mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the chest cavity). The odds of getting asbestos-related illness increase with the level and duration of exposure.

Common asbestos products include floor tile, linoleum, pipe insulation, tank insulation, ceiling tiles, popcorn ceilings, textured walls, fireproofing, lab counters, and fume hoods, roofing shingles and tar, gaskets on pipes, ovens, furnaces and other equipment.

To determine unsafe conditions, it is required to go through the Asbestos Awareness training with EHS (online; login required) at the time of hire. The training can be repeated as many times as necessary.

Conditions are considered to be unsafe when following building materials are found deteriorated or damaged:

damaged ceilings
walls
pipe insulation
other building surfaces

When any of named above conditions are found, employees must report them to their supervisor or call 5-9000 or (509) 335-9000 as well as submit a work request through My Facilities website to report unsafe conditions with their supervisor’s permission.

If any asbestos containing material is located and needs to be removed, but do not pose a threat to the health of the occupants of the space, supervisor or employee must submit a work request through My Facilities website to arrange a pickup.

To avoid exposure, supervisors and employees must follow next steps:

Not not try to repair or renovate University building space themselves
Not install equipment themselves that requires connection to University facilities (like pulling computer cable through a ceiling or wall spaces)
Call for an inspection before starting a project that could involve asbestos
Must be careful not to damage building materials and surfaces that may contain asbestos
Report damaged ceilings, walls, pipe insulation or other building surfaces to the supervisor
Avoid drilling through possible asbestos containing material, moving suspended ceiling tiles, abrading popcorn ceilings, cracking or scratching asbestos flooring, tearing pipe insulation, or any other action that disturbs the matrix of the asbestos material.

If there are any questions about identification of asbestos containing materials in the building, office or work space, use the Asbestos Sampling Database tool to find more information. If this tool did not provide necessary information, please call 5-3041 from WSU phone or (509) 335-3041 from any other phone with any questions. For evaluation and labeling asbestos containing surfaces such as pipes, contact the EHS Asbestos Program Manager at 5-5311 or (509) 335-5311 as well as at mrmckibbin@wsu.edu to schedule an appointment.

For more information, refer to the Asbestos Safety/Management Plan chapter of this APP.

It is responsibility of the building occupants and personnel to determine when conditions are not safe and report the issue.

K. Small chemical spills

Attempt to clean only small spills of known chemicals that will take 10 minutes or less without any additional personal protective equipment (PPE) to the required by the Section 8 in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and/or Section 5 in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). If chemical is unknown, evacuate immediately, call EHS during the business hours at 5-3041 from a WSU phone or (509) 335-3041 from any other phone or call 911 during the non-business hours.

Each laboratory space that uses chemicals must have a spill cleanup kit available to the occupants of the laboratory at all times. The spill kit must contain of the following items:

Personal protective equipment normally used during routine work in the laboratory (gloves, safety glasses or goggles, lab coat, fully closed shoes and long sleeved clothing with long pants)
Absorbent pads or mats
One-gallon Ziploc bags
Dust pan and brush
Duct tape
Five-gallon bucket with a lid

Restock all used materials after a spill cleanup and keep additional items if needed and appropriate for the laboratory space.

Do not use neutralization due to a possible emission of hazardous or toxic gases as a byproduct unless directed by EHS or a supervisor trained in the specific chemistry of the spill.

There are five different groups of chemicals with specific requirements and guidelines for a small spill cleanup:

General group (includes all not hazardous, not corrosive, not toxic and not flammable or combustible chemicals)
Corrosive group (includes acids, bases and all chemicals that can cause damage to the living tissue)
Oxidizing group (includes sulfuric and nitric acids as well as halogens, peroxides and other chemicals capable to lower ignition temperature of a combustibles substance such as clothing, paper, wood, etc.)
Flammable and Combustible group (includes alcohols, ethers, benzene, acetone, cleaning solvents and all chemicals that ignite and burn with extreme rapidity)
Toxic group (includes phthalates, sodium hydroxide, lead, pesticides and other chemicals that may be harmful to the environment or hazardous to the human health if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin)

The following subsections of this chapter provide guidelines for a small spill cleanup for each group of chemicals.

General group.

Chemicals of the General group do not have assigned symbols in the Global Harmonized System (GHS).

For a solid material spill, use wet brush to sweep the chemical, place it into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label bag or container and dispose according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

For a liquid chemical or its solution, use inert binding materials such as chemical absorbent pads/mats (recommended), sand, earth, diatomaceous earth, diatomite or vermiculite. Collect all spill materials into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label bag or container and dispose according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

It is responsibility of the laboratory occupants and personnel to determine when the spill is outside of the scope of this subsection and ask for help by dialing emergency numbers during business or non-business hours.

For a chemical spill on the clothing, body, skin or into the eyes, please see First Aid section L at the end of this chapter.

Corrosive group.

Chemicals of Corrosive group are always marked with a following GHS symbol:

Make sure to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) described in the Section 8 of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and/or in the Section 5 of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) before attempting a small spill cleanup.

For a small spill of a solid and dry material, sweep up with dry brush or pick up mechanically avoiding dust formation and place into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label container. Dispose according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

For a small spill of liquid corrosive chemical or a spill containing solution of such chemical, use chemical absorbent pads/mats (recommended), sand, earth, diatomaceous earth, diatomite or vermiculite to bind the chemical. Avoid formation and inhalation of a mist, aerosol or vapor. If corrosive solution had evaporated into the air, evacuate immediately and follow protocol for the large chemical spills outlined in Appendix A. Do not attempt to neutralize corrosive solution due to a possibility of hazardous vapors off-gassing. In this case, a hazard specific respirator might be required – only EHS personnel are authorized to cleanup corrosive vapor generating spills. Place all spill materials into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label bag or a container and dispose according to Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

For a corrosive chemical spill on the clothing, body, skin or into the eyes, please see First Aid section L at the end of this chapter.

Oxidizing group.

Chemicals of the Oxidizing group are always marked with the following GHS symbol:

Make sure beforehand that personal protective equipment (PPE) required by the Section 8 of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and/or by the Section 5 of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is sufficient to attempt a cleanup of a small spill. If it is not so, evacuate immediately and follow procedures outlined in the Appendix A for large chemical spills.

Keep combustibles such as wood, oil, paper, fats, organic matter, clothing and other similar materials away from a spill because a contact with the oxidizer can cause a fire. Remove all ignition and spark sources if safe to do so. If possible, take precautions against static electricity discharges.

If a small spill of a solid and dry oxidizing material occurs, sweep up using dry brush and avoiding dust formation. Collect all spill materials into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label container and dispose according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

If a solution containing oxidizing chemical is spilled, use any inert and non-reactive material such as absorbing pad or pillow (recommended), sand and earth to bind the chemical. Avoid aerosol, mist or vapor formation. If it is not possible, evacuate immediately and follow protocol for large chemical spills outlined in the Appendix A. Do not use sawdust, paper or any other organic based material to clean up the spill because they are combustible in nature. Place all spill cleanup materials into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label container and dispose according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

For the oxidizing chemical spill on the clothing, body, skin or into the eyes, please see First Aid section L at the end of this chapter.

Flammable and Combustible group.

Chemicals of Flammable group are always marked by the following GHS symbol:

By general definition, Flammable chemicals are the ones with a flash point below 73⁰F (23⁰C) and up to 100⁰F (38⁰C), and Combustible chemicals are the ones with a flash point starting at 101⁰F (38.5⁰C), but a subject to the regulation only up to 200⁰F (94⁰C).

Before attempting to cleanup a small spill, establish beforehand a flash point for the flammable chemical using Safety Data Sheet (SDS) information in Section 9. Do not attempt to cleanup even a small spill if a flash point of flammable material is 78⁰F (26⁰C) or lower. The flash point restriction is set higher for the VCEA due to the specifics of the building maintenance conditions on WSU Pullman campus.

Flash point describes minimal temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.

Do not attempt to cleanup small flammable chemical spill even if the flash point is above 78⁰F (26⁰C), but room temperature at the time of a spill is higher than the flash point. In this case, evacuate immediately and follow protocol outlined in Appendix A for large chemical spills.

In case of fire, do not use fire extinguisher if you are not trained by the Fire and Safety Compliance Officer on campus (call 5-4310 or (509) 335-4310 for more information). Evacuate immediately, pull the fire alarm trigger in a hallway, leave the building, stay 75 feet away. Dial 911 providing a description of a location where the fire had started and wait for the responders to arrive.

Do not attempt to clean up a small spill if flammable material also has toxic by inhalation properties (see Toxic group subsection for more information) and/or the spill occurred outside of the fume hood. Refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Section 11 and/or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Section 2 for more information to determine such properties.

Remove all sources of ignition, heat, sparks and take precautions against static discharges if safe to do so.

When liquid flammable materials or their solutions are spilled, use inert materials such as absorbing pads or mats (recommended), sand, diatomite, diatomaceous earth, vermiculite and universal binders to absorb the liquid. It is also possible to use a fire extinguisher and cover flammable material with a foam to prevent evaporation, but do not do so if you were not trained by the Fire and Safety Compliance Officer on WSU campus on use of the fire extinguishers. Contact WSU Fire and Safety Office at 5-4310 or (509) 335-4310 for more information.

In case if flammable solid material is spilled, use wet brush to collect the spill. Avoid dust, mist or aerosol formation. If it is not possible, evacuate immediately and follow guidelines for large chemical spills in Appendix A.

Do not attempt to clean up even a small spill of a self-reactive materials, peroxides or readily combustible solids that can ignite from friction. Evacuate immediately and follow protocol outlined in Appendix A for large chemical spills.

All materials and spilled chemicals need to be placed into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label container and disposed according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

For a flammable or combustible chemical spill on the clothing, body, skin or into the eyes, please see First Aid section L at the end of this chapter.

Toxic group.

Chemicals of the Toxic group are always marked by the following GHS symbols:

Acutely toxic (extremely poisonous):

Chronic toxicity (the effects of the chemical accumulate in a body; often has carcinogenic properties):

Follow guidelines below before attempting a small spill cleanup. Do not attempt any small spill cleanup if toxicity values of the chemical are lower than the ones below:

LD₅₀ Oral – 25 mg/kg

LD₅₀ Dermal – 100 mg/kg

LC₅₀ Inhalation – 1 mg/L or 1 g/m³or 1 ppm

Chemicals with toxicity values lower that the ones above are “poisonous by inhalation” even if only one out of three values is lower than the ones provided above. Do not attempt any spill cleanup and follow protocol outlined in the Appendix A for large chemical spills if the spill occurred outside the fume hood. If the spill occurred inside the fume hood and didn’t expand further, close the sash, post a note about the spill on the fume hood and on the door(s) of the laboratory and contact EH&S during the business hours to schedule a cleanup.

Chemicals with toxicity values lower than provided below should not be cleaned up by the laboratory occupants if a small spill occurred outside the fume hood:

LD₅₀ Oral – 300 mg/kg

LD₅₀Dermal – 1,000 mg/kg

LC₅₀ Inhalation – 4 mg/L or 4 g/m³ or 4 ppm

If any of the three values for any toxic chemical are lower than the ones provided, do not attempt a small spill cleanup if the spill occurred outside the fume hood, evacuate immediately and follow protocol outlined in Appendix A for large chemical spills. Attempt to clean up small chemical spills outside the fume hood only if all three toxicity values are higher than the ones provided above.

The information about chemical’s toxicity can be found in Section 11 in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and/or in Section 2 of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Follow provided above guideline if there is no clear indication in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and/or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on when a cleanup of a small spill is allowed. If the guidelines in the SDS (Section 6) and/or SOP (Section 8) are clear and are different from the ones provided in this subsection, follow the guidelines outlined by the SDS and/or SOP.

If a liquid toxic chemical or its solution was spilled, use inert binding materials such as vermiculate, sand, diatomite and absorbing pillows or pads (recommended) to bind the substance and prevent evaporation. If a dry toxic chemical was spilled, use dry brush to sweep and collect chemical avoiding dust formation. Place all spill materials into the appropriate clearly marked with “Dangerous Waste” label tightly sealable container and dispose according to the Dangerous Waste Disposal Procedures for Chemicals at the end of this section.

For a toxic chemical spill on the clothing, body, skin or into the eyes, please see First Aid section L at the end of this chapter.

DANGEROUS WASTE DISPOSAL PROCEDURES FOR CHEMICALS:

Fill out and attach a “Dangerous Waste” label when waste is first added to the waste container or bag. Use full name of the chemical(s) without abbreviations. No formulas are allowed on the waste labels. Mark off appropriate check box for major hazard or write it on a label. Mark on the label the chemical constituent percentage(s) adding up to 100 %. If percentages are slightly different, when container is full, fill out the new approximate percentages on the label.
Make sure that chemicals placed into the same waste container are compatible with each other. See Section 10 in SDS and/or Section 9 in SOP for information.
Collect not only the solution, but the first rinse of water from the glassware and treat it as a dangerous waste.
Call EHS at 5-3041 (509-335-3041) or submit an Online Chemical Collection Request on ehs.wsu.edu to schedule a pick up. Provide all necessary contact information. Dispose of all hazardous wastes within 24 hours after chemicals are no longer needed for your experiments. Call EHS with any questions.

L. FIRST AID IN CASE OF CHEMICAL SPILL INTO THE EYES, ON CLOTHING AND SKIN:

The user(s) of the laboratory need to familiarize themselves with the location(s) of the Eyewash Station(s) and Safety Shower(s) before starting work with chemical(s) in the laboratory. They need to make sure that their work station is not further than 50 feet away from the nearest Eyewash Station and Safety Shower. In case of emergency, the victim will need to reach the emergency equipment within 10 seconds after the spill.
Occupants of the laboratory must weekly check working order of the Eyewash Stations per supervisor’s assignment. Safety Showers are checked annually by the Facilities Operations on the WSU Pullman campus and not activated by the laboratory users unless there is a true emergency.
If the chemical is spilled into the eyes, rinse the eyes for at least 15 minutes at the Eyewash Station while keeping eyelids open. Rinse under the eyelids as well. If using contact lenses, remove them within first 5 minutes of washing if possible to do so. After washing, follow guidelines provided in Section 4 of the SDS and/or Section 7 of the SOP for medical advice.
If chemical is spilled on the skin, but the area is small, use a drench hose (if available) in the laboratory to wash off the chemical for at least 15 minutes. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes and do not reuse them unless they are thoroughly cleaned. Follow guidelines in Section 4 of the SDS and/or Section 7 of the SOP for medical advice.
Safety Shower needs to be activated when large quantities of chemical(s) are spilled over the body, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is not sufficient to fully protect the skin. In this case, pull the handle of the Safety Shower, remove clothing and shoes while washing away the chemical. Continue rinsing for at least 15 minutes. Do not rub the skin as it might be damaged by the chemical(s). After washing, follow Section 4 of the SDS and/or Section 7 of the SOP for medical advice.
The supervisor must submit an Incident report within 24 hours after the spill with a follow up Accident Investigation Report (per SPPM 2.26) when investigation is complete.

Appendix A

VCEA Emergency Response Procedures for Large Biohazard and Chemical Spills, Radioactive Spills.

Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture (VCEA)

Emergency Spill Response Procedures

Large Biohazard Spills.

If any vessel or package containing biohazard material is leaking, broken or releases ample amount of biohazard material in a way that a cleanup will require more than 10 minutes by the trained laboratory personnel or no trained personnel is available at the time of a spill, take following actions:

Immediately leave the laboratory and notify other personnel in the area of the release.
Prevent personnel from entering the area by posting a note on the entrance(s) to the laboratory. The note may contain next or similar wording:

Keep out! Biohazard spill!

Call 911 and report release to the emergency dispatcher by providing location, building, room number and contact information.
Stay nearby in a safe location to assist spill response personnel and the 911 dispatcher.

Contact supervisor(s) on the phone number(s) provided on the laboratory sign. If no emergency contact for the laboratory space is available, contact building coordinator. The list is maintained by the Facilities Operations and can be found on their website My facilities>Building coordinators>Coordinator listing.

Supervisor or Faculty in charge of the laboratory space must submit Incident Report to the Human Resources within 24 hours after the spill with the following accident Investigation Report per SPPM 2.26 after the investigation is complete.

If personnel is injured and contaminated with biohazard material, the Office of Research Assurances will assist to ensure that non disposable equipment and buildings (i.e. ambulance, hospital) are decontaminated. The spilled materials are to be cleaned up by the laboratory personnel.

In the event of a mixed waste (biohazard material and chemicals), the Biosafety Officer will not be part of the response team. Biosafety Office (BSO) will provide guidance on the hazards associated with the biohazard material and how material can be deactivated. Once the emergency is over and the chemical hazard has been eliminated, the response team will verify completion of a cleanup and decontamination. If not, laboratory personnel will decontaminate the area after a cleanup.

Large Chemical Spills.

In case of a large chemical spill, evacuate immediately and close and/or lock the door of the laboratory or space where the spill occurred. Next, follow the steps outlined below:

During the business hours:

Call EHS at 5-3041 on the WSU phone or (509) 335-3041 from any other phone or call WSU Facilities Services Dispatch on 59000 from the WSU phone or (509) 335-9000 from any other phone.
Provide information about materials involved (if known), quantity of the materials, incident location (building, room number, etc.), contact name, contact phone number, contact meeting location. Follow the instructions provided by the operator.
Keep other personnel away from the spill area. Place a note on the entrance door(s) of the laboratory listing main hazards of the spilled chemical. The example of the note might be as follows:

Keep out! Chemical spill in the laboratory. Toxic and corrosive substance spill.

Wait for the responders to arrive at the agreed safe location.
Contact supervisor(s) on the numbers provided on the laboratory sign for the emergencies during the business hours. If the sign is not available, outdated or there are no number(s) listed, contact building coordinator. The list of coordinators can be found on My facilities>Building coordinators>Coordinator listing.

During non-business hours:

Non-business hours are the hours before 8:00 am and after 5:00 pm during the school year (August-May) and before 7:30 am and after 4:00 pm during the summer (May-August) Monday through Friday. Also, non-business hour’s definition applies to the weekends and WSU holidays.
Dial 911. Provide information about materials involved (if known), quantity of the spilled materials, accident location (building, room number, etc.), contact name, contact phone number, contact meeting location. Follow the instructions provided by the operator.
Keep other users and occupants of the laboratory away from the affected area by placing a note similar to the one provided above on the door(s) of the laboratory.
Wait for the responders to arrive at the agreed safe location.

After all steps above are complete, notify emergency contact(s) during the non-business hours for the laboratory by dialing phone number(s) provided on the laboratory sign next to the door(s). If there is no laboratory sign, it is outdated or there are no phone numbers provided, contact building coordinator. The list of building coordinators maintained by the Facilities Operations and can be found on their website My facilities>Building coordinators>Coordinator listing.

Faculty in charge of the laboratory space must submit an Incident Report online with Human Resources within 24 hours after the spill had occurred and follow up with an Accident Investigation Report per SPPM 2.26 when investigation is complete.

Radioactive spills.

In all cases of physical injury, even minor injuries, medical attention takes precedence over contamination concerns. In the event of a medical emergency that involves an individual who may be contaminated with radioactive material, radiation workers (authorized users and Radiation Safety Office (RSO) managers) and other occupants of the laboratory space must make all reasonable efforts to control the spread of contamination and to warn first responders of the radiological hazards and risks.

In case of a radioactive spill, follow next steps:

Contact Facilities Services at 5-9000 or (509) 335-9000 during business or non-business hours. Describe the situation, provide location of the spill including building, room number and kind of radioactive material spilled (if known). The operator will make a decision if Pullman Fire and Police Departments and/or Radiation Safety Managers need to be reached.
Provide your contact number and safe location where you can wait for the responders to arrive. The Radiation Safety Office (RSO), authorized users, and radiation workers have an obligation to respond to and provide assistance and consultation to the first responders in situations that may put an emergency victim or first responder at risk of injury from a source of radiation.
Faculty in charge of the laboratory space must submit an Incident Report online with Human Resources within 24 hours after the spill had occurred and follow up with an Accident Investigation Report according to SPPM 2.26 when investigation is complete.

If personnel is injured and contaminated with radioactive material, RSO will assist to ensure that non disposable equipment and buildings (i.e. ambulance, hospital) are decontaminated.

In the event of a mixed waste (radioactive material and chemicals) RSO will not be part of the response team. RSO will provide guidance on the hazards associated with the radioactive material, provide guidance about monitoring equipment, provide any necessary training on use of the monitoring equipment, provide readings and warn the spill response team when radioactive material may become a hazard and cleanup should be aborted as well as suggestions on how to safely mitigate the release. Once the emergency is over and the chemical hazard has been eliminated, RSO will verify completion of the cleanup and decontamination via testing.

In case if spill is beyond capabilities of the lab personnel (based on volumes, the Nuclear Science Center (NRC) is the only location), Washington State Department of Health has a list of approved contractors that can clean up the spill. There is no WSU contract currently in place.

Emergency notifications policy

If any of the conditions below are met, the Critical Emergency Operations Team (CEOT) and/or supervisor of the response team should contact WSU and other personnel using the call list below:

Immediate threat: Any developing or anticipated situation which poses an immediate (or continuing) threat to WSU Pullman Campus.

Leadership and or Alert Notification: Fatality or significant disruption of academic, research, or utility/operation. Any developing or anticipated situation which will require activation of the Alert Notification System, the COWS system, posting on the Alert website, or messaging using e-mail list serves.

Significant Event: Any developing or anticipated situation that, because of the severity, duration, scope, or impact will involve resources beyond ordinary daily operations or mutual aid.

Press Attention or Social Media Component: Any developing or anticipated event which generates interest or coverage sufficient to warrant a response from WSU to limit disinformation, reduce public concern, or provide mitigating information to the public.

Policy Input: Any developing or anticipated event which will likely require the engagement of/or policy input from senior WSU leadership.

BUSINESS HOURS		AFTER HOURS
Office of Emergency Management	509-335-7471	Office of Emergency Management on-call staff	509-335-7471
Bill Gardner	509-335-8548	Bill Gardner – cell	509-432-1370
Steve Hansen	509-335-4212	Steve Hansen – cell	509-432-9852
Mike Larsen	509-335-4625	Mike Larsen – cell	509-432-9350
Mike Gaffney – office	509-335-4611	Mike Gaffney – cell	509-338-0318
Sarah Kubishta – office	509-335-7471	Sarah Kubishta – cell
Julie Lusby – office	509-335-4796	Julie Lusby – cell	208-596-6843
WHITCOM-non emergency	509-332-2521	WHITCOM-non emergency	509-332-2521
Whitman Co. Health Department	509-397-6280	Whitman Co. Health Department	911
Travis Frost (USDA)	509-335-3238	Travis Frost (USDA)	208-413-0649
H2O Environmental	208-343-7867	H2O Environmental	208-343-7867

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