Sterile eyewash cups or irrigator loops are commercially available to assist in opening the eyelids without prying or traumatizing the injured eye and causing excess pain. This section describes the procedures for decontamination in the event of a minor chemical spill onto surfaces, materials, instruments, or equipment. Please address handling of spills of solids and liquids if both are stored in your lab. Lab workers are responsible for the clean-up of releases that are clearly incidental, i.e., do not pose a significant safety or health hazard to workers in the immediate vicinity or to the worker cleaning the release. Lab workers should not handle spills that have the potential to become an emergency within a short time.
Incidental spills are of limited quantity, exposure potential, or toxicity.
Lab workers shall be properly trained to recognize emergency conditions and to notify appropriate responders for situations that are beyond their own capacity. When a spill occurs, first cordon off the spill area to prevent inadvertently spreading the contamination over a much larger area. Pick up small spills of solids with paper towels wetted with water or an appropriate solvent. Solids may be swept up, if harmful aerosols will not be generated. Clean instruments or large areas contaminated with solids with an HEPA filter vacuum cleaner to prevent aerosolization of the contaminant.