HM5207 – Hazardous Material Spill Contingency Plan

Objective

This Plan is intended to minimize hazards to human health or the environment from fires, explosions, or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents to air, soil, or surface water. The provisions of the plan will be carried out immediately whenever there is a fire, explosion, or release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents which could threaten human health or the environment.

Scope

This shall apply to the Memphis campus of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). UTHSC departments or sections housed in off-campus facilities should follow the hazardous materials spill contingency plan of their host. This plan is maintained by Campus Safety and Emergency Management and is reviewed annually.

Definitions

Emergency Hazardous Material Spill – Emergency chemical spills are spills of any hazardous material in a quantity or location that the employee has not been trained to handle. These spills are generally more than a liter in volume and involve a highly toxic or reactive compound, present an immediate fire or environmental hazard, or require additional PPE (e.g., respirator) and specialized training to properly clean.

Non-Emergency Hazardous Material Spill – Spills involving a material, a quantity and in a location that the employee has been trained to handle and for which the employee has appropriate PPE and spill response materials. For example, a small spill of a routinely handled chemical reagent on a fume hood benchtop.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Written or printed material concerning a hazardous chemical that is prepared in accordance with the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). Formerly known as Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), an SDS contains information on the potential health effects of exposure to chemicals, or other potentially dangerous substances, and on safe working procedures when handling chemical products.

Roles and Responsibilities

UTHSC Administration shall:

  1. Designate, in writing, a person to serve as the campus emergency manager to ensure emergency management responsibilities are fulfilled as described in this UT System policy SA0200.
  2. Ensure the availability of personnel and resources to implement this plan.

Departments directors, principal investigators, and supervisors of personnel that handle hazardous materials and waste shall:

  1. Ensure that personnel handling hazardous chemicals and waste have access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in their work areas.
  2. Provide in areas where hazardous materials are handled chemical spill kits capable of cleaning up non-emergency spills of hazardous materials.
  3. Train personnel to properly handle hazardous materials and waste and how to respond in the event of a spill. This training must include the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls, the use and location of emergency equipment (e.g., emergency eye wash, emergency showers, fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, AEDs, egress routes, etc) and work practices to minimize the potential for exposure to hazardous chemicals.

UTHSC personnel, including staff and students, that handle hazardous materials and waste shall:

  1. Comply with procedures for large and small chemical spill response as detailed in this plan and the UTHSC Office of Research Chemical Hygiene Plan.
  2. Know how to access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for the hazardous materials in their work areas.
  3. Maintain chemical spill kits capable of cleaning up non-emergency spills of hazardous materials.
  4. Contact the spill response team to initiate emergency spill response.
  5. Perform other assigned duties related to the management of hazardous materials and waste.

Personnel from the Office of Research Safety Affairs and Campus Safety and Emergency Management will constitute the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team (HMRT). The HMRT shall:

  1. Respond to emergency hazardous material spills.
  2. Complete training appropriate for the response to hazardous material spills.
  3. Coordinate emergency spill response activities with UTHSC departments and other emergency responders.
  4. Report releases to the appropriate state and federal agencies in accordance with 49 CFR Part 355.

UTHSC Campus Police shall:

  1. Maintain emergency contact information for Research Safety Affairs and Campus Safety and Emergency Management personnel.
  2. Notify the Safety Office or Hazardous Material Response Team in the event of an emergency hazardous material spill.

The hazardous material and waste contractor (Excel) shall:

  1. Assist with hazardous material emergencies upon request by authorized UTHSC personnel.
  2. Manage the transportation and disposal of hazardous chemical waste.
  3. Comply with federal, state, and local laws related to hazardous material management and emergency response.

The Memphis Fire Department shall:

  1. Respond to emergency alarms of reports of fire.
  2. Respond to hazardous material emergencies, when the nature of the incident response requires training and equipment beyond the capabilities of the HMRT.

Training

Members of the HMRT initially receive 40-hours of training in accordance with the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER). Such training includes the following topics:

  1. Chemical, biological, physical, and radiological hazards
  2. Risk assessment techniques
  3. Personal protective equipment
  4. Control, containment, confinement, and clean-up techniques
  5. Decontamination
  6. Basic chemistry and toxicology

Annual hazardous materials emergency response refresher training is provided to the HMRT (ERT). Such training includes the following topics:

  1. The UTHSC Emergency Response Plan
  2. Chemical, biological, physical, and radiological hazard awareness
  3. Notification procedures

Procedure

  1. General Procedures for Non-Emergency Hazardous Material Spills

Non-emergency hazardous material spills can be cleaned up by properly trained lab personnel familiar with the hazards and handling of the hazardous materials that have been spilled. They must use appropriate PPE (e.g., safety glasses/goggles, lab coat, gloves) and a lab spill kit. In general, when a non-emergency spill occurs in the lab, the area around the spill should be isolated, everyone in the lab should be made aware of the spill, and the spilled material should be absorbed and collected using either pads or some other absorbent. Decontamination of the spill area should be conducted using an appropriate solvent (soap and water is often the most effective). Proper PPE shall be worn, and only trained personnel shall conduct the cleanup after reviewing the SDS(s) to obtain chemical-specific cleanup information. Spills of hazardous chemicals must be handled as hazardous waste.

As detailed in the Chemical Hygiene Plan, each laboratory must have a spill response kit available for use. Lab spill kits can either be purchased from a vendor or created by lab personnel, but each spill kit must be equipped to handle small spills of the most common hazards in the laboratory. Spill response and cleanup materials that should be in the kit include:

  1. Absorbent materials such as pads, booms, oil dry or kitty litter
  2. Neutralizing agents (e.g., Spill X) for acids and/or bases if high volume of acids and/or bases are stored in the laboratory
  3. Containers such as drums, buckets, and/or bags to containerize spilled material and contaminate debris generated during the cleanup process
  4. PPE such as gloves, safety glasses and/or goggles, lab coat or apron, chemical-resistant booties
  5. Caution tape or some other means to warn people of the spill
  1. Emergency Hazardous Material Spill Procedures

    Emergency spills are spills of any hazardous material in a quantity or location that the employee has not been trained to handle. Emergency spills are generally more than a liter in volume and involve a highly toxic or reactive compound, present an immediate fire or environmental hazard, or require additional PPE (e.g., respirator) and specialized training to properly cleanup. The following procedures must be followed in the event of an emergency hazardous material spill:
    1. Cease all activities and immediately evacuate the affected area (make sure that all personnel in the area are aware of the spill and also evacuate).
    2. If chemical exposure has occurred to the skin or eyes, the affected personnel should be taken to the nearest safety shower and eyewash station.
    3. Dial (901) 448-4444, which will contact the UTHSC Police Department (UTHSC PD). The UTHSC PD will contact the Safety Office to initiate an emergency hazardous material spill response and clean-up. If necessary, the UTHSC PD will be able to contact the appropriate authorities (e.g. fire department, administration, etc.). Callers must be prepared to provide the following information: the name of person reporting, any injuries or exposures, the location of the spill (building and room number), the type of material(s) and approximate volume spilled, control measures already implemented, controlled access to the spill location until the spill response team arrives. (This can be done by closing doors, posting signs or otherwise preventing personnel from entering the vicinity of the spill or areas where toxic vapors may be present.)
  2. Fires or Explosions

In case of a fire or explosion building occupants must take the following steps.

  1. Activate the nearest manual fire alarm.
  2. If the fire alarm has not sounded, contact Campus Police (901-448-4444) and relay pertinent information.
  3. Confine the fire and smoke by closing doors and windows, but do not lock doors. Evacuate the building immediately upon the sounding of the fire alarm. Do not use the elevators. Proceed to the muster point designated for your building.
  4. Locate your supervisor or Building Manager for Emergencies immediately and let them know you are out of the building.
  1. Arrangements with Local Emergency Response Teams and Contractors

UTHSC maintains a contract with hazardous material and waste contractor Excel TSD for services and disposal of hazardous materials and waste. The Memphis Fire Department and/or its Hazardous Materials and Rescue Squad may be utilized to respond to hazardous material emergencies when the nature of the incident response requires training and equipment beyond the capabilities of the HMRT. A copy of the UTHSC Emergency Response Plan has been provided to the Memphis-Shelby County Local Emergency Planning Commission to facilitate response efforts.

Responsible Official

Contact Name

Office Name

Telephone Number

Email

Tim Barton, Chief Safety Officer

Campus Safety

and Emergency Management

(901) 448-7374

tbarton4@uthsc.edu

Related Policies

UTHSC Emergency Response Plan SA0200: Emergency Management

Attachments

Emergency Contact Information

Spill Response Equipment and Materials Hazardous Waste Storage Area Evacuation Plan

ATTACHMENT 1

Hazardous Material Spill Contingency Plan Emergency Contact Information

Title:

Chief Safety Officer (Emergency Coordinator)

Name:

Tim Barton

Address:

3 N Dunlap Street, Room S206, Memphis, TN 38163

Work Phone:

901-448-7374

Home Phone:

901-586-7871

  

Title:

Environmental (Waste) Coordinator

Name:

Keith Hoover

Address:

3 N Dunlap Street, Room S301, Memphis, TN 38163

Work Phone:

901-448-6115

Home Phone:

901-907-2898

  

Title:

Radiation Safety Officer

Name:

Terry Coggins

Address:

3 N Dunlap Street, Room S223, Memphis, TN 38163

Work Phone:

901-448-6114

Home Phone:

662-418-8857

  

Title:

Fire Safety Specialist

Name:

Scott Adams

Address:

201 East Street, Memphis, TN 38163

Work Phone:

901-448-5619

Home Phone:

901-573-6280

  

Title:

Emergency Response Contractor

Company:

Excel TSD of Tennessee, LLC

TN Manager:

Nathan Jenkins, 901-283-2267

President

Steve Neal, 501-804-4030

  

TN Emergency Management: (800) 322-8362

National Response Center: (800) 424-4425

ATTACHMENT 2

Hazardous Material Spill Contingency Plan Emergency Response Supply List

Van Vleet Building Room S106 & S108

  • Spill Kits: Acid, Caustic, Solvents, Mercury, Hydrofluoric Acid, Bio-Hazard
  • Absorbent pads-Oil, Universal and General Purpose
  • Absorbents: Oil Dri, Vermiculite, Zorbitol
  • Caution tape, heavy duty large black bags
  • Drums: Various sizes steel and plastic
  • Respirators and Face masks
  • Goggles and Safety Glasses
  • Nitrile and Neoprene gloves
  • Tyveks-Yellow and White
  • Lab Coats
  • pH paper
  • Peroxide formation paper
  • Calgonate cream for skin exposure to Hydrofluoric Acid
  • First aid kits
  • Shovels, Brooms, Mops, Ladder
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Fire alarms

3 North Dunlap Street, Room S208

  • Spill Kits: Acid, Caustic, Solvents, Mercury, Hydrofluoric Acid, Bio-Hazard
  • Caution tape, heavy duty large black bags
  • Drums: Various sizes steel and plastic
  • Respirators and Face masks
  • Goggles and Safety Glasses
  • Nitrile and Neoprene gloves
  • Tyveks-Yellow and White
  • Lab Coats
  • pH paper
  • Peroxide formation paper
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Fire alarms

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HM5207 – Hazardous Material Spill Contingency Plan
Version: 2 // Effective: 12/19/2023
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