What to Do When There is a Chemical Spill
Each day of our lives we can possibly come in contact with hazardous materials. They can be used to help us in many tasks from home cleaning to powering our cars. Care must be exercised when handling chemicals, otherwise they can harm us and those around us. If you know the measures to take when there are accidental releases of these harmful materials, it could spell the difference between life and death. Dealing with hazardous materials is not a thing to be taken for granted because the tiniest release can become a real big problem.
Harmful gas released in the air can be most dangerous because it is unseen. You can save your life and the life of those around you if you have the right equipment and if you know what you should do. Even if the hazardous material released is just small, it still poses a dangerous situation and it must be dealt with immediately. Knowing the measures in dealing with accidental chemical releases can keep you at ease and enable you to act decisively at once.
If your company has a hazard communication program, it is best to participate in it. You can get all the information that you need so that you can understand the hazards of the chemicals you work with, chemical labeling and the material safety data sheet (MSDS). Your facility should also have a ‘Spill Guidelines’ which you should be familiar with. You can also ask your supervisor where you can get a copy of the ‘Emergency Response Plan.’
All workers who are likely to witness a spill, leak or accidental release measure of a hazardous material should undergo the training on ‘First Response Awareness Level’. It is important for employees to know reporting procedures to initiate emergency response. There is a training for the first group of workers who actually respond to spills, called the ‘First Responder Operations Level’ training. This training is for workers who are tasked to be the first on the scene so that they can secure and contain the issue.
The first responders are the ones who examine the situation and determine the next step to take. The area may be evacuated, place barriers around the spill to prevent the contamination from spreading. Signs and caution tapes can be put up to warn others about the spill and prevent them from going in harm’s way.
The spill need to be contained next. The materials that have been specifically determined to use for the type of hazard that has been released should be used.
You should never use sandbags to stop any spill because they are not made to absorb hazardous substances.
Source: http://www.lifeandexperiences.com/safety-in-manufacturing-what-you-need-to-focus-on/