5.4.1 Incidental Spills
5.4.1 Incidental SpillsA spill is considered incidental if the criteria below are met:
Physical:
- The spill is a small quantity of a known chemical.
- No gases or vapors are present that require respiratory protection.
Equipment:
- You have the materials and equipment needed to clean up the spill.
- You have the necessary proper personal protective (PPE) equipment available.
Personal:
- You understand the hazards posed by the spilled chemical.
- You know how to clean up the spill.
- You feel comfortable cleaning up the spill.
- You know how to properly dispose of spill cleanup procedures.
- You have a procedure to replace items used during the spill cleanup.
5.4.1.1 Incidental Spill Cleanup Procedures
5.4.1.1 Incidental Spill Cleanup Procedures- Notify other people in the area that a spill has occurred. Prevent others from coming in contact with the spill (i.e. walking through the spilled chemical). The first priority is to always protect yourself and others.
- Put on the Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as goggles, gloves, etc. before beginning cleanup. Do not unnecessarily expose yourself to the chemical.
- Stop the source of the spill if possible, and if safe to do so.
- Try to prevent spilled chemicals from entering waterways by building a dike around access points (sink, cup sinks, and floor drains inside and storm drains outside) with absorbent material if you can safely do so.
- Use the appropriate absorbent material for liquid spills (detailed in the following section).
- Slowly add absorbent material on and around the spill and allow the chemical to absorb. Apply enough absorbent to completely cover the spilled liquid.
- Sweep up the absorbed spill from the outside towards the middle.
- Scoop up and deposit in a leak-proof container.
- For acid and base spills, transfer the absorbed materials to a sink, and complete the neutralization prior to drain disposal.
- For absorbed hazardous chemicals, label the container and dispose of through the hazardous waste managementprogram.
- If possible, mark the area of the spill on the floor with chalk.
- Wash the contaminated surface with soapy water. If the spilled chemical is highly toxic, collect the rinse water for proper disposal.
- Report the spill to your supervisor.
- Restock any spill clean up supplies that you may have used from any spill kits.