Emergency Response Guide

Emergency Response Guide

General Emergency Procedures

• Call 911 from a campus phone or 301-405-3333 from a cell phone

Medical Emergency: Immediate Procedures

Call for Emergency Response

• 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333.
• Initiate lifesaving measures if required and if trained.
• Do not move injured person unless there is danger of further harm.

Major Incident: Immediate Procedures

Fire, Major Chemical, Biological or Radiation Spill

• Evacuate the area.
• Call for Emergency Response: 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333.
• Attend to injured or contaminated persons and remove them from exposure if you can do so safely.
• Close doors to affected area.
• Do not enter an unknown environment.
• Have person knowledgeable of incident and laboratory remain available to provide information to emergency personnel.

UMD Police Emergency

The University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) operates a full service 911 Emergency Communications Center. All campus emergencies should be reported through UMPD. To reach UMPD

• Call 9-1-1 from any campus phone.
• Calling 301.405.3333 from cellular phones assures a direct connection to the University of Maryland Police Department.
• Calling 9-1-1 from cellular phone will result in connection to Prince George’s County Police Department. This could delay response.

Fire Emergency Response

A fire emergency exists whenever there is the presence of smoke or the odor of burning, when there is an uncontrolled fire or imminent fire hazard in the building or surrounding area, when there is a spontaneous or abnormal heating of any material, or when the building evacuation alarm is sounding.

Clothing or Person on Fire

Stop, Drop, Roll

• Roll person around on floor to smother flames.
• Only drench with water if safety shower is immediately available.
• Obtain medical attention. Call 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333.

Fire Emergency Procedure

• Shut off all equipment and stabilize laboratory experiments if safe to do so.
• Activate the building fire alarm if it is not already sounding.
• Leave the building. Use marked exits. Do not use elevators.
• Call the Fire Department from a safe place.
• Dial 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333 or use campus emergency phones located throughout campus

Only use a fire extinguisher if the fire is very small and you know how to do it safely. If you can’t put out the fire, leave immediately and make sure the fire department is called. Total and immediate evacuation is safest. If you are not able to evacuate, get as far away from the fire as possible. Call 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333 to tell them your location.

All fires, including extinguished fires, must be reported to the fire department.

Sandbox Makerspace Specific Information

Location(s) of FIRE EXTINGUISHER:

• Two fire extinguishers are located immediately inside the entry and exit doors outside rooms 1245 and 1223 (Staff Office and Prototyping Studio)

Location(s) of FIRE EXTINGUISHER in building hallway:

• Two additional fire extinguishers are located next to the stairway doors (outside classroom 1207)

Location of TELEPHONE:

• A campus telephone is located near the first-aid kit and sign-in station

Location(s) of EXIT DOOR/STAIRWELL:

• The preferred exit stairwell is the south stairwell (see solid green line on map.)

Location(s) of FIRE ALARM PULL STATION:

• Fire alarm pull stations are located next to stairwell doors.

Location of nearest SAFETY SHOWER/EYEWASH:

• Eyewash station is located in Electronics Studio (rm 1246)

Location of Assembly Area (outside the building after evacuation):

• The assembly area is located at the north end of hacker green near the 4 benches. If additional distance is needed the alternate assembly area is in the grassy center island of parking lot GG1.

Radiation Spill

Take appropriate action for additional hazards (chemicals), when initiating a spill cleanup; although the radioactive component may be considered minor, the chemical hazard may require additional ESSR support. REMEMBER: life-safety takes precedence over radioactive material spills. For example, obtaining medical support and evacuating buildings for fires are a priority over all minor and major spill actions. Personal Exposure

Radioactive Material Spill in Eye or on Skin or Clothing

• Remove contaminated clothing and put in plastic bag. Seal and label bag.
• Begin decontamination of exposed skin. Use eyewash for eye exposure. Contact the Radiation Safety Officer at 301.405.3960.
• Report incident to supervisor.
• Obtain medical attention at University Health Center or other local medical facilities listed on the Personal Injury page.

Exposure to X-Ray Beams

• Shut off machine. Do Not alter machine configuration until Radiation Safety Officer inspection.
• Obtain medical attention at the University Health Center or other local medical facilities listed below.
• Report incident to supervisor and Radiation Safety Officer.

Minor Radiation Spill

Definition

• Occurs within a posted radioactive material lab
• Localized to a small area in the lab (bench top)
• No personnel skin or clothing contamination
• Involves low quantity of radioactivity (less than 500 uCi)
• Involves no powders or no volatile/airborne radioactive material

• Notify personnel in the immediate area of the spill.
• Confine the spill by placing absorbent paper towels over the spill.
• Have all potentially contaminated personnel stay in one area until they have been monitored and shown to be free of contamination.
• Authorized radioactive material users may perform minor spill cleanup; supervised radioactive material users can conduct minor spill cleanup under direct supervision of the Principal Investigator or another authorized user.
• Absorb the spill liquid and decontaminate surfaces using standard cleaning agents. Dispose of all cleaning materials in radioactive waste containers.
• Monitor surfaces with an appropriate survey meter. Conduct a wipe test to evaluate removable contamination levels. Repeat decontamination until no contamination remains above background with a survey meter and wipe tests indicate removable contamination is less than the action levels. Contact the Radiation Safety Officer if contamination remains post-decontamination efforts.
• When decontamination is complete, monitor all personnel involved (hands and shoes) to ensure no contamination.
• All minor spills must be reported to the Radiation Safety Officer on the day it occurs. To report minor spills or to request support in decontamination, contact the Radiation Safety Officer at 301.314.2000.*

Note

• ESSR staff are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During regular business hours, this number will be answered by ESSR. After regular business hours, it will be answered by the University of Maryland Police Department, who will contact appropriate ESSR on-call personnel.

Major Radiation Spill

Definition

• Occurs outside of a posted radioactive material lab
• Involves a large area within a posted radioactive material lab
• Involves personnel contamination (skin or clothes)
• Involves greater than 500 uCi of radioactive material
• Involves powders or volatile/airborne radioactive material

• Notify personnel in the immediate area of the spill.
• Secure and isolate the spill area to prohibit access and prevent spreading contamination. If safe to do so, confine or stop the spill with absorbent material.
• Call 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333.
• Have all personnel present move to a safe location away from the spill area and remain in the area until they have been monitored and shown to be free of contamination.
• If skin or clothing contamination is known, remove contaminated clothing as quickly as practical and begin decontamination of skin using mild soap and warm water. If possible to do so, record the initial radiation levels on the skin using a survey meter; however, do not delay decontamination efforts.
• Follow the instructions of the Radiation Safety Officer. Do not re-enter the area until the Radiation Safety Officer gives approval.
• Have personnel knowledgeable of the incident remain in the area to provide support and assistance to Radiation Safety and other emergency response personnel.

Laboratory Specific Information

Location of Radioactive Material Spill Supplies:

Sandbox does not permit the use of radioactive material therefore is not equipped or trained to handle a radioactive sill. If a spill of any radioactive material is suspected call 911 or 301-405-3333

Chemical Spill

Only knowledgeable and experienced personnel should clean up a chemical spill. Spill kits with instructions, absorbents, protective equipment, disposal bags, and labels should be available to clean up minor spills.

Chemical Spill on Skin or Clothing

• Flood exposed area with running water from faucet or safety shower for at least 15 minutes.
• Remove contaminated clothing, put into plastic bag and seal it. Avoid contact with eyes.
• Check Safety Data Sheet to determine if delayed effects or symptoms may be expected.
• Obtain medical attention at the University Health Center or other local medical facilities listed on the Personal Injury page.
• Take the Safety Data Sheet with you to medical facility.
• Report incident to supervisor and Chemical Hygiene Officer at 301.405.3960.

Chemical in Eye

• Immediately rinse eye and inner surface of eyelid with water continuously for 15 minutes.
• Forcibly hold eye open to ensure effective wash behind eyelids.
• Obtain medical attention at the University Health Center or other local medical facilities listed on the Personal Injury page.
• Take the Safety Data Sheet with you to medical facility.
• Report incident to supervisor and Chemical Hygiene Officer at 301.405.3960.

Chemical Inhalation Exposure

• Move to fresh air.
• Do not enter area if a life threatening condition may exist (oxygen depletion, explosive vapors, highly toxic vapors or gases).
• Obtain medical attention at the University Health Center or other local medical facilities listed on the Personal Injury page.
• Take the Safety Data Sheet with you to medical facility.

Minor Chemical Spill

Definition

• Identification of chemical is known
• Chemical hazard(s) can be characterized
• Spill kit is compatible with the spilled chemical(s)
• Spill kit contents are sufficient for the amount of chemical(s) spilled
• You have been trained in spill response and decontamination
• Spill response involves no imminent danger to health or risk to structures

• Alert people in immediate area of spill.
• Wear protective equipment including chemical splash goggles, appropriate gloves, and lab coat.
• Avoid breathing vapors from spill. (Individuals using respiratory protection must comply with requirements of the Respiratory Protection Program.)
• Confine spill to small area. Use appropriate spill kit to absorb the spilled material.
• Place clean-up materials in bag, label with the ESSR Hazardous Waste label, and submit waste request form on ESSR website.
• Clean spill area with water.
• Call ESSR for advice as needed at 301.314.2000.*

• Note

  ESSR staff are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During regular business hours, this number will be answered by ESSR. After regular business hours, it will be answered by the University of Maryland Police Department, who will contact appropriate ESSR on-call personnel.

Major Chemical Material Spill

Definition

• Identification of chemical is unknown
• Chemical hazard(s) cannot be characterized
• Spill kit is incompatible with the spilled chemical(s)
• Spill kit contents are insufficient for the amount of chemical(s) spilled
• You have not been trained in spill response and decontamination
• Spill response may involve imminent danger to health or risk to structures

• Attend to injured or contaminated persons and remove them from exposure.
• Alert people in the laboratory to evacuate.
• If spill is flammable, turn off ignition and heat sources, evacuate area, and activate fire alarm.
• Close doors to affected area.
• If the spill or vapors migrate outside of the laboratory to other occupied spaces, activate building evacuation alarm.
• Call 9-1-1 or 301.405.3333.
• Have person knowledgeable of the incident and laboratory remain available to provide information to ESSR and emergency personnel.

Laboratory Specific Information

Location of CHEMICAL SPILL RESPONSE KIT

• Sandbox's Chemical spill response kit is stored under the table near the first aid kit and Safety Data Sheets