Advance preparation for spill management is essential. Use these procedures to help you preplan your response to spills in the recombinant DNA laboratory. These procedures address minor spills involving small quantities of biological materials. In the case of a large spill or a spill involving a highly infectious agent, contact the Office for Research Safety (ORS) for assistance with decontamination and cleanup. More detailed spill management information is available. Call 1-5581 (Evanston campus) or 3-8300 (Chicago campus) for assistance. In all cases the principal investigator is responsible for maintaining an adequate supply of a chemical disinfectant effective against the microorganisms being investigated.

Spill in a Biological Cabinet

A spill confined to the interior of a biological safety cabinet generally presents little or no hazard to personnel in the area. However, chemical disinfection procedures should be initiated at once while the cabinet ventilation system continues to prevent the escape of the contaminants from the cabinet.

• Maintain cabinet ventilation.
• Warn others in the laboratory.
• Notify the principal investigator.
• Wear protective gloves, a lab coat, and eye protection during the procedure.
• Spray or wipe walls, work surfaces, and equipment with appropriate disinfectant. A disinfectant with detergent has the advantage of detergent activity that will help clean the surfaces by removing both dirt and microorganisms.
• Use sufficient disinfectant to ensure that drain pans and catch basins below the work surface contain the disinfectant. Lift the front exhaust grill and tray and wipe all surfaces. Wipe the catch basin and drain the disinfectant into a container.
• Observe the recommended contact time for the disinfectant.
• Place the used disinfectant, gloves, and wiping materials into an autoclavable container and autoclave them.

This procedure will not disinfect the filters, fans, air ducts, and other interior parts of the cabinet. If the entire interior of the cabinet needs to be disinfected, contact ORS for direction.

Spill in the Open Laboratory

For a small spill of biological material in the open laboratory, take the following action:

• Warn others in the laboratory.
• Notify the principal investigator.
• Wear gloves and protective clothing.
• Decontaminate with an appropriate disinfectant.
• Autoclave wastes as described above.
• If clothing is known to be contaminated, carefully remove it, folding the contaminated area inward. Place the clothing into an autoclavable bag.
• Wash arms, face, and hands.

Spill in a Centrifuge

Spills in centrifuges have the potential for generating large volumes of aerosols. When the operator becomes aware that a spill has occurred, the following action should be taken:

• Turn off the centrifuge and allow time for the aerosols to settle.
• Warn others in the laboratory.
• Notify the principal investigator.
• Wear gloves and protective clothing.
• Decontaminate with an appropriate disinfectant. Place contaminated equipment in a leakproof bag and move it to a biological safety cabinet, if possible, for decontamination.

Spill Involving Radioactive Materials

Source: NIH Laboratory Safety Monograph, a supplement to the NIH Guidelines for Recombinant DNA Research, 1979.

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