Spills

Spills are a very big deal, but we can only address them very briefly here.

First and foremost, if you have an emergency, call 911 for assistance! Or, if you work at Harborview Medical Center, call 5555. If others in the building are in danger, or if there is a fire, pull the fire alarm, evacuate and call 911 (5555 for Harborview).

If no one is hurt, and there is no risk of fire or explosion, ask yourself if you can manage that spill. Do you:

• know what was spilled?
• know the chemical hazards of the spill?
• have suitable personal protection?
• have cleanup supplies?

If the answer to all four questions is yes, then you can clean up the spill safely. If the answer to any of the questions is no, then you should call EH&S for advice. Obviously, it pays to be ready for spills.