Health and Safety      College of Science and Engineering (COSE)

Image: Pictures representing the depts of the College of Science and Engineering

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

 

Responding to Chemical Spills

 

Nature of Emergency 

Recommended Action

Minor Chemical Spill

  1. If the spill is small and you know how to clean it up, do so promptly. If unsure contact the PI or Stockroom.

  2. Wear protective equipment (i.e. gloves) and avoid breathing vapors from spill.

  3. Use appropriate kit to neutralize and absorb inorganic bases and acids or other chemicals. Collect residue into a container and dispose as chemical waste.

Spill Is Larger Than You Are Comfortable Handling

  1. Isolate the spill area.

  2. Remove ignition sources and shut down equipment.

  3. Open windows (if safe to do so).

  4. Evacuate the room and close the door.

  5. Call 911 and alert the stockroom and nearby labs.

Uncontrolled Chemical Reactions

  1. Leave the area promptly and close the door.

  2. Call 911.

  3. Alert the stockroom and nearby labs

  4. If you believe there is a serious and immediate danger to others, pull the fire alarm in the main hallway to evacuate the building.

Chemical Splash on Face

  1. Take person(s) from spill area to nearest emergency eyewash.

  2. Hold eyelids open.

  3. Flood affected area for at least 15 minutes or longer if pain persists.
    (Don’t worry about making a mess.)

  4. Take person to Student Health Center AFTER flushing the affected area. Call 911 if the injury is too serious to move the victim.

  5. Ask someone to alert the stockroom and EHOS.

Chemical Splash on Body

  1. Take person(s) from spill area to nearest emergency shower.

  2. Remove contaminated clothing while victim is under the shower.

  3. Use a towel or coat to shield the person from view.

  4. Flood affected area for at least 15 minutes or longer if pain persists. (Don’t use creams, lotions, or salves – leave that for medical personnel)

  5. Don’t worry about making a mess.

  6. Take person to Student Health Center AFTER flushing the affected area if he/she is able to walk. Call 911 if the injury is too serious to move the victim.

  7. Ask someone to alert the stockroom, dept. chair or EHOS (415.338.1449).

 

top

 

 

Evacuations

An alarm sounds when a pull station is activated, the system detects smoke, or a public safety emergency requires a mass evacuation. Treat all alarms as an emergency. Try to avoid unhelpful questions like “Is this a drill?” or “How long will this take?”.

 

Responding to the building evacuation alarm

  1. Stay calm and leave the building through the nearest safe exit
  2. Take the stairs not the elevator.
  3. Don’t wait for the elevator. The system is designed to bring elevators down to the main floor until they are reactivated by Plant Operations staff.
  4. Gather in an open space and wait for instructions. Look for members of the COSE Evacuation Team possessing a two-way radio at building entrances.
  5. After hours, go to the main entrance of the building you are in and wait for emergency personnel. Main entrances for TH-and HH are on the 3rd floor patio, and for SCI it is near room 107 or along 19th Avenue.
  6. Re-enter the building only when emergency personnel say it is safe to do so.

 

Assisting persons with disabilities

    1. Station wheelchair users by one of the stairwells and ask a volunteer to wait with them.
    2. Inform the person monitoring an exit that a disabled person is still in the building so he or she can notify campus police.
    3. Don’t evacuate wheel chair users unless ordered to do so by the police or fire departments or in case of immediate danger.
    4. Note that evacuation chairs are available in each building for emergency personnel to use: SCI 142 (Engineering copy room); SCI 276 (History office);
      TH 808 (Chemistry meeting room).

Until the extent of the emergency is known, wheelchair users should wait by one of the outer stairwells until people are allowed back in the building or emergency professionals evacuate them.

 

top

 

 

 

Lab Fires and Other Incidents

COSE faculty and staff may respond to small "incipient" fires with a fire extinguisher only if it is safe to do so. For larger fires or other larger scale incidents, chemical releases, etc., evacuate the area and turn off equipment (if safe to do so). Close the door and pull the fire alarm if the floor or large area needs to be evacuated. Call 911 or 415.338.2700 to provide the Dispatcher with details as you evacuate. Let building emergency team members know what is going on when you leave the building.

 

Laboratory Safety Accident Examples (AIHA Lab Health and Safety Committee)

Fire Safety in the Lab and Fire Extinguishers (ILPI Lab Safety)

 

SF State Home