Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Incident
The University of Houston Downtown continually monitors for and is prepared to respond to HAZMAT incidences. A small chemical spill, involving 5-gallons or less, of a KNOWN substance and of KNOWN origin can typically be handled by UHD EHS (Environmental Health & Safety) and Facilities Management. Enviornmental Health and Safety in conjunction with Emergency Management and UHD PD is directly connected to the wider Harris County Emergency Response infrastructure. Emergency Management in coordination with UHD PD will disseminate emergency notifications to the UHD community via a combination of emails, text messages, and digital displays. Notifications for public viewing will be published to the UHD Home Page, UHD Facebook, UHD Twitter, and UHD Alerts on Twitter. Contact UHD Enviornmental Health and Safety at (713) 221-8040 for questions regarding HAZMAT accidental spills. UHD PD will respond to all suspicious substance incidents to determine whether additional partners are needed.
Preparing for a HAZMAT Related Incident
If asked to Evacuate:
- Evacuate the building at the nearest exit
- Do not re-enter the building until authorized to do so by emergency personnel
- If unable to exit, go to nearest exit stairwell or safe area and call 911
- Stay informed by receiving UHD Alerts
If asked to Shelter-in-Place:
- If outside, find a safe building to shelter in
- Stay informed by receiving UHD Alerts
Exposure/Ingestion
- In the event you are exposed to a chemical, immediately wash/flush the exposed area for 15 minutes with cool water from an emergency shower or eyewash station (in areas where HAZMAT is stored or used), a restroom sink, or water cooler.
- If a potentially toxic substance was accidentally ingested, inhaled or you were exposed, call 911 immediately.