| EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING FACT SHEET |
Vice President for Research Chemical
and Biological Safety Committee Office for Research SafetyBased on Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR) 1910.120, Hazardous waste operations and emergency response.
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CHEMICAL SPILLS YOU CAN HANDLE YOURSELF
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 that 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 routinely handle during an "average" workday. If the spill exceeds the scope of the lab workers' experience, training or willingness to respond, the workers must be able to determine that the spill cannot be dealt with internally.
Emergency assistance is provided by the Office for Research Safety (ORS) or an outside agency. Spills requiring the involvement of individuals outside the lab are those exceeding the exposure one would expect during the normal course of work. Spills in this category are those which have truly become emergency situations in that lab workers are overwhelmed beyond their level of training. Their response capability is compromised by the magnitude of the incident. OSHA elaborates that emergencies such as this involve:
Depending on the circumstances, what begins as an incidental spill could at some point escalate into a major emergency. Responding lab workers must monitor changing conditions. 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.
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ALL SPILLS THAT REQUIRE OUTSIDE INTERVENTION
A. Emergency Response Procedures. Call 911 to report fires, explosions, medical emergencies, and hazardous material spills (dial 456 for non-emergencies).
An ORS Incident Report form must be completed for each emergency incident involving laboratories.
B. Hazardous Materials Response. ORS has a staff specially trained to respond to biological and chemical spills and releases. When necessary ORS works closely with University Police, the Division of Safety and Loss Prevention, and local emergency responders such as the Chicago or Evanston fire departments and hazmat teams.
Following a "MAJOR" incident, ORS responders may determine, based on the circumstances of the spill or release, that clean-up of the site can be handled by lab workers or other University employees (under the direction of the lab supervisor or ORS). The ORS incident commander (IC) evaluates the magnitude, training requirements, and potential hazard of post-emergency response operations. The IC determines whether the clean-up is an "incidental" exposure. If so, the responsibility for clean-up falls to the lab principal investigator/supervisor to assign.
In the event that ORS is called to an "incidental" spill (i.e., lab workers have been conservative in assessing hazard and assumed worst case), ORS representatives will participate in or oversee the clean-up to support the lab workers. In both of these cases where clean-up becomes a lab responsibility, ORS can provide clean-up supplies and equipment, personal protective equipment (to the level of training of the workers), and safety instructions.
An ORS Incident Report form must be completed for each hazardous materials incident involving laboratories.
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GENERAL UNIVERSITY EMERGENCY INFORMATION
A. University Emergency Response Plan. The Division of Safety and Loss Prevention maintains the University's Emergency Response Plan. The Emergency Response Plan formalizes responses to all classes of emergencies, from small events to catastrophes. The University Police follow an internal Operation Plan for emergencies. In emergency situations, the role of UP is to investigate the situation, provide site security, implement the emergency plan, and establish communications. ORS will advise and assist with hazardous material spill control and clean-up. When the ability to respond adequately to an emergency is beyond the capability of University personnel, UP will call the local fire department or local hazardous materials response team, as provided in the Operation Plan.
B. Building Emergency And Evacuation. The senior officials of ORS, UP, the Division of Safety and Loss Prevention, and Facilities Management are authorized to initiate evacuation of buildings. The University's Emergency Response Plan requires that department heads cooperate to establish building safety committees and appoint building safety managers and alternates. The building safety committees shall develop emergency and evacuation plans for each building. The plans shall include a telephone tree for notifying key persons in case of emergency. All building occupants shall receive training in their respective emergency plan. Safety wardens shall be appointed for each building.
In the event of a fire, hazardous material release, or other hazardous situation requiring emergency response in a safety warden's zone, the warden will:
The warden shall not be placed in imminent danger.
C. Incident (Accident) Reporting. All laboratory incidents shall be reported to ORS, including minor spills, fires, or injuries. Laboratory incidents shall be investigated. ORS requires that an ORS Incident Report form be completed by the person(s) involved in the incident. The person's supervisor is expected to sign the completed form. The form is then submitted to ORS for subsequent review and comment by the Chemical and Biological Safety Committee. The supervisor shall be responsible for implementing corrective action to prevent repeat incidents.
In the event of worker injury, the Division of Safety and Loss Prevention in the Office of Risk Management must be contacted to initiate the Workers' Compensation process.
D. Signs. The following signs and labels are required for all laboratories in University facilities: