MSDSs

Principal investigators, employees, and students working in research labs should be aware that required safety training for lab workers includes emergency response training. The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard and the OSHA Standard for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (Hazwoper) mandate such training. 

Emergency training applies to building evacuation procedures during fires and explosions, recognition of system alarms, and appropriate action in the event of spills of hazardous materials in the lab. Lab workers must receive training to distinguish between the types of spills they can handle on their own and those spills which are classified as "MAJOR." Major spills dictate the need for outside help. 

Lab workers are qualified to clean up spills that are "incidental." OSHA defines an incidental spill as a spill that does not pose a significant safety or health hazard to employees in the immediate vicinity nor does it have the potential to become an emergency within a short time frame. The period that constitutes a short time is not defined. Lab workers can handle incidental spills because they are expected to be familiar with the hazards of the chemicals they normally handle. If the spill exceeds the scope of the lab workers' experience, training and willingness to respond, the workers must be able to determine that the spill cannot be dealt with internally. 

Emergency assistance is provided by ORS or an outside agency. Spills requiring the involvement of individuals outside the lab are those exceeding the "normal" exposure. Spills in this category are those which have truly become emergency situations in that lab workers are overwhelmed above their level of training. Their response capability is compromised by the magnitude of the incident. OSHA elaborates that emergencies such as this involve: 

• the need to evacuate employees in the area
• the need for response from outside the immediate release area 
• the release poses, or has potential to pose, conditions that are immediately dangerous to life and health 
• the release poses a serious threat of fire and explosion
• the release requires immediate attention due to imminent danger
• the release may cause high levels of exposure to toxic substances
• there is uncertainty that the worker can handle the severity of the hazard with the PPE and equipment that has been provided and the exposure limit could be easily exceeded
• the situation is unclear or data is lacking regarding important factors 

Depending on the circumstances, what begins as an incidental spill could at some point escalate into a major emergency. Responding lab workers must monitor if conditions change. Again, lab-specific training must cover how to tell the difference! 

ORS employees have received in-depth training qualifying them for emergency response beyond the level of incidental spills. They are prepared to answer calls which exceed the training scope of lab workers. Lab workers are encouraged to play it safe and contact ORS for clean-up assistance when in doubt about the status of a spill.

Incidental chemical spill clean-up procedures:

Procedure for Spills of Volatile, Toxic, or Flammable Materials

Procedure for Chemical Spill on a Person 

Procedure for Cryogenic Liquid Spill on a Person 

Procedure for Small, Low-Toxicity Spills 

Mercury Spill Procedure

Quick Reference for Spill Cleanups

Internal ORS Links: What's New | Emergency Response | Administration | Biological Safety | Chemical Safety | Hazard Communication | Laboratory Safety | New to NU? | Radiation Safety

External ORS Links: Northwestern Home | Vice President for Research | Big 10 EH&S Links | Risk Management | Employee Safety Handbook

ORS - Evanston • 2145 Sheridan Road • Tech NG71 • Evanston, IL 60208
ORS - Chicago • 303 E. Chicago Avenue • Ward B106 W223 • Chicago, IL 60611
Phone 847/491-5581 or 312/503-8300 • FAX 847/467-2797 or 312/503-0547
e-mail researchsafety@northwestern.edu
Last Revision 09/29/2001
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