2.5 – Chemical Spills & Accidents

2.5.1 General Information

Try to anticipate the types of chemical spills that can occur in your laboratory and obtain the necessary equipment (spill kits and personal protective equipment) to respond to a minor spill.  Learn how to clean up minor spills of the chemicals you use regularly safely.  A SDS contains special spill clean-up information and should also be consulted. Knowledgeable and experienced personnel should only clean up chemical spills.  Spill kits can be found on the red emergency carts on each floor of Hall-Atwater Laboratories.

If the spill is too large for you to handle, is a threat to laboratory personnel or the public, or involves a highly toxic, or reactive chemical, call for assistance immediately: 911

2.5.2 Cleaning Up Chemical Spills

If you are cleaning up a small spill yourself, make sure that you are aware of the hazards associated with the materials spilled, have adequate ventilation (open windows, chemical fume hood on) and proper personal protective equipment (minimum – gloves, goggles, and lab coat).  Consider all residual chemical and cleanup materials (adsorbent, gloves, etc.) as hazardous waste.  Place these materials in a sealed container (plastic bags) and store in a chemical fume hood. Contact the Director of EHS for disposal instructions.

Minor Chemical Spills

During regular business hours, call the Chemistry Department Office (ext. 2210) and ask them to contact the Director of EHS. After business hours, call Public Safety (ext. 3333).

  • Alert people in the immediate area of the spill hazard.
  • Increase ventilation in the area by opening windows, turning on fume hoods, etc.
  • Wear appropriate protective equipment, including safety goggles, gloves, and a long-sleeve lab coat.
  • Avoid breathing vapors from the spill.
  • For inorganic acids and bases, use an appropriate kit to neutralize and absorb the spilled material. Collect the absorbent residue, place it in a container, and dispose as hazardous chemical waste.
  • For other chemicals, use appropriate absorbent kit or absorb the spill with vermiculite, dry sand, diatomaceous earth, or paper towels.  Collect the absorbent residue, place it in a container, and dispose as hazardous chemical waste.
  • Hazardous Waste must be labeled in accordance with the Wesleyan University Hazardous Waste Rules and Procedures.
Major Chemical Spills
  1. Attend to injured or contaminated persons and remove them from exposure.
  2. Alert people in the laboratory to evacuate.
  3. If spilled material is flammable, turn off ignition and heat sources. Place other device (plastic bag) over spilled material to keep substance from volatilizing.
  4. Call Chemical Spill Emergency Response number 911 or 3333, they will page the Director of EHS and alert chemical spill responders appropriately.
  5. Close doors to affected area and take a head count of personnel who are in your area.
  6. Have a person with knowledge of the incident and laboratory available to answer questions from responding emergency personnel.
Mercury Spills
  • Use a vacuum line with an in-line dry trap attached to a tapered glass tube similar to a medicine dropper to pick up mercury droplets.   Do not use a domestic or commercial vacuum cleaner.
  • Cover small droplets in inaccessible areas with one of the following:
  • Powdered Sulfur
  • Powdered Zinc
  • Place residue in a labeled container and dispose of as hazardous chemical waste

Never use a domestic vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury spills.  A special HEPA/Carbon filtered vacuum cleaner is available. Large mercury spills require pre-monitoring for toxic levels of mercury vapor. Special Personal Protective Equipment and Evacuation of the area may be required.

Large spills must be reported immediately to the Emergency Response phone # (3333).  Public Safety will call the Director of EHS to respond to these spills.

Alkali Metal Spills
  • Smother with powdered “Met-L-X”, (1 gallon containers are available in the Sciences Stockroom) by scooping powder onto small metal fires.  Have the material available before starting any procedures using Alkali Metals.
White Phosphorus

Smother with wet sand or wet “non-combustible” absorbent, call the Director of EHS for assistance.