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Spill Procedures and Reporting

 
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The information on this page was developed to assist you in handling and reporting various types of spills. If the spill is small, follow the steps below and contact Environmental Health & Safety (EHS )for waste pick up.

If the spill is large, notify the Police, 911 or EHS immediately.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) UHD Police Emergency

713-221-8040

713-221-8911

713-221-8065

 911

 

Laboratory Spill Procedures for Small and Large Quantities

 

Small Chemical Spills (Average .5 Liter)

 

Step 1.

Alert people in immediate area of a spill and ask them to step away.
 

Step 2.

Wear PPE, including safety goggles or face shield, compatible gloves and lab coat. Contain area with kitty litter, vermiculite, or sand to keep from spreading on the counter or on the floor.
 

Step 3.

Use appropriate spill kit to neutralize and adsorb inorganic acids and bases. Example: Strong Acids can be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate. Strong Bases can be neutralized with sodium bisulfate or citric acid.
 

Step 4.

Clean neutralized spill area with soap and water if possible.
 

Step 5.

Collect residue, place in container, and label it. Call EHS for waste pickup at x5396 (713-222-5396) or x8040 (713-221-8040).
 
 

Small Flammable Spill (Average .5 Liter)

  Step 1. Alert people in immediate area of a spill and ask them to step away.
 

Step 2.

 Wear PPE, including safety goggles or face shield, compatible gloves and lab coat. Contain area with kitty litter, vermiculite, or sand to keep from spreading on the counter or on the floor.
 

Step 3.

 Contain area with inert material or go directly into the clean-up phase.
 

Step 4.

 Soak up material using absorbent spill pillows and pads
 

Step 5.

 Clean spill area with soap and water if possible.
 

Step 6.

 Collect residue, place in container, and label it. Call EHS for waste pickup x5396 (713-222-5396) or x8040 (713-221-8040).

 

Large Chemical Spills (4 liter jugs or more) or Highly Toxic Chemicals (LD/50 of 150 mg/kg or less)    

  Step 1. Do not enter room if a large spill is suspected or a highly toxic spill is suspected.
 

Step 2.

 If you have entered the room, leave the room immediately and shut the door
 

Step 3.

 Do not attempt to clean!
 

Step 4.

 Notify and alert people around you to evacuate. Sound Pull Station Alarm if necessary.
 

Step 5.

 Notify UHD Police, 911, or EHS x5396 (713-222-5396) or x8040 (713-221-8040)immediately.

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Facilities Management Spill Procedures

 

Spill Prevention Control & Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan

Purpose: To protect the "navigable" waters of the United States, a business or organization must develop a plan that would prevent any oil pollution from contacting any water resources. Pollution generated from properties can reach navigable waters through runoff into floor drains, catch basins, drainage swales and reach storm sewers, drainage ditches, storm water ponds, or channels that would ultimately transcend upon a river, lake, pond, bayou or ocean

 

If you discover an oil leak from:

 
  • A transformer
 
  • Above ground storage tank
 
  • Waste oil drum
 
  • An emergency generator
 
  • Kitchen grease disposal unit
 
  • Electrical transformers
 
  • Hydraulic reservoir
 
 

 Follow these steps:

 
  1.  Identify the source and material causing the spill/leak if safe to do so.
  2. Evacuate area if imminent danger is apparent for fire or explosion. If such a hazard exists, call 911
  3. Notify EHS x8040 (713-221-8040) and UHD Police x8911 (713-221-8911) for assistance.
  4. Locate Emergency Response Oil Spill Kits in nearby area.
  5. Don PPE located inside kit (eye protection, gloves ,tyvek, boots, etc.)
  6. If reasonably possible and trained to do so, try to stop the leak.
  7. Surround the spill area with absorbent materials to contain it from spreading and reaching drains or water pathways. Apply drain covers if available.
  8. EHS must be notified to contact appropriate personnel. UHD's EHS Manager communicates to all state and federal agencies for reporting, documenting, and emergency response purposes.

 

Most spills greater than 25-gallons are considered reportable quantities to TCEQ and other regulatory agencies (emergency personnel, federal agencies and to state/municipal authorities) and must be reported by them. The UHD SPCC Plan has a list of instructions and contacts.

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