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Emergency Action Plan
Policy Statement: According to the "University Policy on Fire Emergencies", employees are not required to fight fires and should evacuate the building immediately in the event of a fire. Public Safety has primary responsibility for managing fire emergencies and must be notified immediately of such situations at their emergency number, 911. Employees may use fire extinguishers to fight small, incipient stage fires (no larger than a waste paper basket) only if they have been trained in the proper use of a fire extinguisher and are confident in their ability to cope with the hazards of a fire. In such cases, fire-fighting efforts must be terminated when it becomes obvious that there is danger of harm from smoke, heat, or flames.
Emergency Coordinator: The Chemistry Department Emergency Coordinator is Stephanie Greene, Department Manager. This person should be contacted with any questions about this Emergency Action Plan.
Reporting Fires and Emergencies: If you discover a fire, activate the nearest fire alarm pull station and call Public Safety at 911. If the fire alarm does not work, or your building is not equipped with one, call 911 and notify occupants verbally of the emergency and the need to evacuate. The building is equipped with pull stations and an audible alarm.
You may attempt to put out the fire if you have been trained in and are comfortable with using a fire extinguisher. Otherwise, immediately evacuate.
Evacuation Procedures: Evacuate via the nearest stairwell or street/grade level exit. Stay at least 100 feet from the building. After you have left the building, go to your pre-designated assembly point and remain there. At the assembly point, supervisors account for personnel and report any that are unaccounted for to the Emergency Coordinator or Public Safety.
The pre-designated assembly point for this building is the steps at the Woodrow Wilson School. In inclement weather, seek shelter in the Woodrow Wilson School lobby.
Training: Employees must receive training on all elements of this plan upon its initiation. Thereafter, new employees must receive training when first assigned to the Department. Additional training is necessary only when an employee's required actions under the plan change, or when there are changes to the plan.
Spill Response Plan: Pre-planning is essential to handling a spill. Laboratory workers should consider the following items to prepare themselves and their laboratories for spill control and cleanup.
1. Review Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) or other references for recommended spill cleanup methods and materials, and the need for personal protective equipment (i.e., respirator, gloves, protective clothing, etc.).
2. Acquire sufficient quantities and types of spill control materials to contain any spills that can be reasonably anticipated. The need for equipment to disperse, collect and contain spill control materials (i.e., brushes, scoops, sealable waste containers, etc.) should also be reviewed. A variety of commercial kits are available from laboratory safety supply catalogs. Five-gallon sealable buckets containing vermiculite are also available at the loading dock of Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Frick Laboratory, and E-Quad.
3. Acquire recommended personal protective equipment and know how to use it properly.
4. Place spill control materials in a readily accessible location within oR immediately adjacent to the laboratory.
Spill Response Procedure: A spill control cart is available on the second floor of Old Frick and in the waste storage room on the loading dock. Spill kits are available from the Chemistry stockroom.
In the event of a spill, the general procedure listed below should be followed:
1. Immediately alert others in the area and the supervisor, and evacuate the area, if necessary.
2. Contact Public Safety at 911 if there is a fire or medical attention is needed.
3. Attend to any persons who may have been contaminated. Contaminated clothing must be removed immediately and the skin flushed with water for no less than fifteen minutes Clothing must be laundered before reuse.
4. If a volatile, flammable material is spilled, immediately warn others in the area, control sources of ignition and ventilate the area.
5.Don personal protective equipment, as appropriate to the hazards. Refer to the MSDS or other references for information.
6.Using the chart below, determine the extent and type of spill. If the spill is large, if there has been a release to the environment, or if assistance is needed, contact Public Safety at 911 or EHS at 258-5294. In the event of a release to the environment, immediately contact Public Safety at 911 and notify Bob Ortego, Environmental Compliance Manager, at 258-1841.
| Category |
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Size |
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Response |
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Treatment Materials |
| Small |
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up to 300 cc |
|
chemical treatment or absorption |
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neutralization or absorption spill kit |
| Medium |
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300 cc - 5 liters |
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absorption |
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absorption spill kit |
| Large |
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more than 5 liters |
|
call Public Safety |
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outside help |
7. Consider the need for respiratory protection. The use of a respirator or self-contained breathing apparatus requires specialized training and medical surveillance. Never enter a contaminated atmosphere without protection or use a respirator without training. If respiratory protection is needed and no trained personnel are available, call Public Safety at 911 and then call EHS at 258-5294. If respiratory protection is available, be sure there is another person outside the spill area in communication or in sight, in case of emergency.
8.Protect floor drains or other means for environmental release. Spill socks and absorbents may be placed around drains, as needed.
9.Clean up the spill according to the previous table.
Loose spill control materials should be distributed over the entire spill area, working from the outside, circling to the center. This reduces the chance of splash or spreading of the spilled chemical. Bulk absorbents and many spill pillows do not work on hydrofluoric acid. POLYZORB products and their equivalent will handle hydrofluoric acid.
Many neutralizers for acids and bases have a color change indicator to show when neutralization is complete.
Several materials for cleaning up mercury spills are available in chemical catalogs, safety supply catalogs and at some of the science and engineering stockrooms. Broken thermometers, gauges or other mercury-containing materials, may be placed in a plastic bag or glass or metal container, and sealed.
10. When the spilled materials have been absorbed, use a brush and scoop (spark-resistant if flammable materials are involved) to place materials in an appropriate container. Polyethylene bags may be used for small spills. Five gallon pails or 20 gallon drums with polyethylene liners may be appropriate for larger spills.
11. Complete a hazardous waste sticker, identifying the material as Spill Debris involving XYZ Chemical, and affix the sticker to the container or bag. Remember the use of an absorbent does not alter the chemical properties of the chemical. Contact EHS at 258-5294 for advice on storage and packaging for disposal.
12.Place the container in a hood or other properly ventilated area until the next chemical waste pick-up.
13.Decontaminate surfaces involved in the spill using a mild detergent and water, as appropriate.
Report all spills to your supervisor or the principal investigator.
Additional Information: Additional information on emergency action planning can be found in the Princeton University Health & Safety Guide, on the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) web page, or by contacting the University Safety Engineer (extension 8-5849) or the University Fire Marshall (extension 8-6805).
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