![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.5833333333333335in"
height="0.8055555555555556in"}OHSAS 18001 / Integrated Safety Management

Emergency Response Preparedness

Desk-Top Drill-02

Date: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Drill Topic:** *Spill of a small quantity of chemical within a
Building*

**Scenario:** This is a drill. Around 11:30am (scenario time), a worker
in one of your buildings was moving several bottles of chemicals from a
shelf to make room for storing a piece of equipment. A 1 liter bottle of
Ethyl Acetate 99.99% Spectra-grade was bumped off the counter and fell
on the floor. The bottle broke completely leaving broken glass and loose
liquid. It was known that the bottle was about half full before
breaking, meaning that 500 ml split is on the ground in a puddle. It
immediately began evaporating. The worker could smell the sweet odor of
acetate as he started to pick up the larger glass pieces and think what
to do. The worker was not highly concerned because he has been using
this product for years and had handled drips and minor spillage with
paper towels. The worker needed to decide to clean it up the liquid
himself for seek more equipped response. He went to his supervisor to
report the incident. The worker is experiencing some minor effects of
exposure such as a mild headache and has definitely breathed in some
vapors.

**Participant's Drill Action:** Answer the following items so that the
incident is addressed in a safe fashion.

1\. What do you do as an employee/supervisor? Where do you draw the line
on your actions?

2\. What is the extent that your organization will handle this type
event? How far do you go before seeking Emergency Services Division
help?

3\. Do you know if BNL has the means to determine the concentration of
vapor in the air? How would you summons such help if it were available?
Is it important to know this?

4\. What PPE is recommended for your staff that will enter in the area?

5\. If you will clean up the liquid, what PPE should be used by clean-up
crew? Where do you go to get the equipment?

6\. Is there a threshold of less or more liquid that would change your
response actions? (For example, if it was a 1 gallon bottle or a 5 ml
ampoule. Would you do things differently? Why?

  ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  Participant's Name:                               BNL#

  Participant's Signature:                          Date:
  ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.5833333333333335in"
height="0.8055555555555556in"}OHSAS 18001 / Integrated Safety Management

Emergency Response Preparedness

Desk-Top Drill FY05-02

**Date:**

**Drill Topic:** *Spill of a small quantity of chemical within a
Building*

**Scenario:** This is a drill. Around 11:30am (scenario time), a worker
in one of your buildings was moving several bottles of chemicals from a
shelf to make room for storing a piece of equipment. A 1 liter bottle of
Ethyl Acetate 99.99% Spectra-grade was bumped off the counter and fell
on the floor. The bottle broke completely leaving broken glass and loose
liquid. It was known that the bottle was about half full before
breaking, meaning that 500 ml split is on the ground in a puddle. It
immediately began evaporating. The worker could smell the sweet odor of
acetate as he started to pick up the larger glass pieces and think what
to do. The worker was not highly concerned because he has been using
this product for years and had handled drips and minor spillage with
paper towels. The worker needed to decide to clean it up the liquid
himself for seek more equipped response. He went to his supervisor to
report the incident. The worker is experiencing some minor effects of
exposure such as a mild headache and has definitely breathed in some
vapors.

**Participant's Drill Action:** Answer the following items so that the
incident is addressed in a safe fashion.

1\. What do you do as an employee/supervisor? Where do you draw the line
on your actions?

2\. What is the extent that your organization will handle this type
event? How far do you go before seeking Emergency Services Division
help?

3\. Do you know if BNL has the means to determine the concentration of
vapor in the air? How would you summons such help if it were available?
Is it important to know this?

4\. What PPE is recommended for your staff that will enter in the area?

5\. If you will clean up the liquid, what PPE should be used by clean-up
crew? Where do you go to get the equipment?

6\. Is there a threshold of less or more liquid that would change your
response actions? (For example, if it was a 1 gallon bottle or a 5 ml
ampoule. Would you do things differently? Why?

**Critique of Drill:**

**Participating in Drill:**

**Observer/Qualifier:**

**Facts on this type of response**

Emergency Services Division (ESD) Fire Rescue (F/R) is equipped to
handle this type of event from the stand point of a toxic exposure and
fire hazard.

Fire Rescue takes the lead on this type response. When F/R arrives, they
isolate the room and may evacuate the whole building, as appropriate.
SSD will secure the perimeter of the event zone.

F/R personnel enter the room wearing SCBA and bunker gear and observe
the spill. They may be able to identify the liquid using a direct
reading meter, but not determine the concentration in air. Further tests
for airborne concentration can be performed if F/R contacts SHSD for
testing with real-time meters specific to Ethyl Acetate. Within a few
hours, the BNL can determine if the airborne concentration exceeds OSHA
and ACGIH levels. Confirmatory test samples may be taken for off-site
analysis and that may require days to weeks to receive results.

The F/R Incident Commander in conjunction with SHSD IH would determine
when it is safe to re-occupy the building and the room or if
decontamination of the room/building is necessary. If the potentially
exposed workers have symptoms or contact with the liquid, they will be
decontaminated and OMC will evaluate their health effects.

There is training at the BTMS web site [Emergency Planning and
Response](http://training.bnl.gov/course/id43_m.htm) (GE-EMERGPLAN)

Actions/Issues that need to be addressed by the organization undertaking
a response to this type of event:

-   Isolation of the exposed workers to prevent contamination of other
    people and other areas,

-   Limiting entry into the suspect area,

-   Shutting down of HVAC systems to prevent the spread to other areas,

-   Decontamination of the area,

-   Decontamination of exposure people to remove chemicals from skin,

-   Decontamination and disposal of exposed equipment, PPE, furniture,
    etc.