Chemical and Radioactive Waste Disposal personnel are trained to assist in the event of a major spill l or in any case where chemicals may be released to the environment. Additionally, chemical spill kits are available for all UF labs by placing an order through the website or calling the main EH&S office at 352-392-1591.

Small Spill

For a small spill of a chemical which does not threaten the safety of the workers present, individuals at the scene should do the following.

• Notify all nearby personnel that a spill has occurred and request assistance as necessary
• Don appropriate personal protective equipment for the situation. At a minimum, spill responders should don eye protection and gloves; shoe covers should be considered if the spill is located on the floor.
• Take action to stop the spill (upright bottles, recap or contain leaking containers, etc.)
• Cover the spill with absorbent materials to stop it from spreading. Small acid spills may be covered with soda ash, which will neutralize the acid and make the spill easier and safer to clean up.
• Clean up the spill and any absorbents used. Decontaminate the spill area and bag all cleanup material. Label all contaminated cleanup materials as Hazardous Waste
• Dispose of spill cleanup materials through EH&S by submitting a Chemical Waste Pickup Request

Large Spill

If either the size or the danger level of a chemical spill presents a hazard to those individuals present, or threatens a fire or explosion, workers must immediately:

• ACTIVATE THE BUILDING’S FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IF THE SPILL REPRESENTS A THREAT TO HUMAN LIFE OR MAY CAUSE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION.
• Notify all workers in the space that a spill has occurred, and evacuate all personnel to a safe location.
• Isolate the pace to prevent inadvertent entry: lock any access doors, place signs on doors reading “DO NOT ENTER-CHEMICAL SPILL”
• Call EH&S Chemical and Radioactive Waste Disposal group at 392-8400 for clean-up assistance. If the emergency occurs outside of normal work hours, contact the University Police Department at 392-1111.