Chapter 3 · Spill management

Each laboratory must have a documented spill kit and procedure for infectious material spills. Basic procedure: alert colleagues, don appropriate PPE, cover the spill with absorbent material, apply disinfectant (appropriate to the biological agent), leave for the contact time, clean from the outside in, dispose of waste in biohazard bags, remove PPE, and perform hand hygiene. All spills must be documented.

Chapter 3 · Practical example

Chemical spill management — neutralise first, clean second

Chemical spills must be managed according to a documented procedure with the appropriate PPE and neutralisation agents. Improvised responses can make the situation worse.

▲ The situation

A scientist knocks over a 100 mL bottle of concentrated sulphuric acid on a bench. The acid begins spreading toward the bench edge.

Reference: ISO 15189:2022 Clause 6.3; COSHH Regulations

✓
Good practice

The scientist immediately alerts staff to clear the area, locates the chemical spill kit (stored next to the acid cupboard), dons acid-resistant gloves, applies sodium bicarbonate granules to neutralise the acid, then absorbs the neutralised material with paper towels, places all waste in a chemical waste bag, washes the area with water, removes PPE, and washes hands. The incident is documented.

✗
Poor practice

The scientist grabs standard nitrile laboratory gloves and paper towels to wipe up the spill immediately. The gloves are not acid-resistant — they begin to degrade on contact. The concentrated acid corrodes the paper towels, spreading the spill further. Two colleagues approach to help without PPE. By the time the spill is controlled, three staff members have skin exposure and one has clothing damage.

● What this means for your practice

Chemical spill kits must be located immediately adjacent to the chemicals they address, and every staff member who works with that chemical must know the procedure. Standard laboratory gloves are not chemical-resistant gloves. Improvised responses to chemical spills consistently cause more harm than the original event.