Biological Spill

UF EH&S Spill Response: 392-1591 (UPD After Hours 392-1111 )

Precautions   The following procedures are provided as a guideline to biohazardous spill cleanup.  A full discussion of spill response procedures starts on page 77 of the Biological Safety Manual.

Inside the Biosafety Cabinet

1. Leave the cabinet on/running to prevent escape of contaminants from the cabinet.
    

2. Cover the area with paper towels or other absorbent material.
    

3. Pour appropriate disinfectant (e.g. a fresh 1:10 dilution of household bleach, 0.5% sodium hypochlorite) over the spill as a disinfectant solution to inactivate biohazardous material. If necessary, sufficient disinfectant solution shall be used to ensure that the drain pans and catch basins below the work surface contain disinfectant. Disinfect under the front exhaust grill if needed. Walls and equipment in the biological safety cabinet that may have been splashed shall be wiped with disinfectant.
    

4. Let disinfectant solution sit for 30 minutes.
    

5. Pick up absorbent materials and wipe up excess disinfectant solution.
    

6. Place material in biohazard bag.
    

7. Use tweezers, forceps, or tongs to pick up broken sharps and place in a sharps container.
    

8. Rinse all disinfected areas with water and allow to dry.
    

9. Follow with 70% ethanol.

In the Lab, Outside the Biosafety Cabinet

1. Notify room occupants of the spill.
    
2. All persons should leave the laboratory immediately.
    

3. Close the door.
    

4.  If clothing is known (or suspected) to be contaminated, remove the clothing with care, folding the contaminated area inward. Place the clothing into a red bag for autoclaving.
    

5. Wash all potentially contaminated body areas as well as the arms, face and hands. Shower if necessary.
    

6. Any exposed persons should seek medical advice or treatment:

   a)      During working hours go to the UF Student Health Center (SHCC):

   i)        Main Campus (Infirmary) location: Fletcher Drive next to the Florida Gym and the Racquet Club, 392-1161

   ii)      UF Health Science Center Satellite location: Second floor of the Dental Towers of the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center. Take a Dental Tower elevator to the second floor, turn left, and straight ahead is SHCC@Shands in Room D2-49, phone 392-0627

   b)      After hours or on weekends, seek treatment at the nearest emergency room.
    

7. Post a sign on the door to keep people out.
    

8. No one should enter for approximately 30 minutes so that aerosols can be cleared by the ventilation system or allowed to settle.
    

9. During this time, notify the PI or lab supervisor. Notify the biosafety office for large spills, those you are uncomfortable handling, those involving BSL-3 agents, or those involving select agents.
    

10. Protective clothing should be worn when entering the laboratory to clean the spill area. Latex or nitrile gloves, autoclavable, or disposable footwear, safety glasses, and an outer garment. If you have been issued an N95 respirator to work with this agent, put that on.
     

11. Take the “bio spill kit” into the laboratory room, and place paper towels, spill pillows, or other absorbent materials around and on the spill. If the spill was on the floor, do not use a surgical gown that may trail on the floor when bending down.
     

12. Carefully pour a fresh 1:10 dilution of household bleach (0.5% sodium hypochlorite) over the spill as a disinfectant solution; avoid splashing and work from the outside towards the center.
     

13. Let disinfectant solution sit for 30 minutes.
     

14. Use paper or cloth towels to wipe up the disinfectant and spill, working toward the center of the spill. Discard all towels and other clean up materials into a discard container/red bag as they are used.
     

15. Wipe the outside of the discard containers, especially the bottom, with a towel soaked in a disinfectant.
     

16. Place the discard container and other materials in an autoclave and sterilize.
     

17.  Remove shoes or shoe covers, outer clothing, respirator, and gloves and sterilize by autoclaving.
     

18. Wash hands, arms and face; shower if necessary.
     

19. If gaseous decontamination of the room is required, contact the Biosafety Office.

Contact Information

• Biological Safety Officer - Karen Gillis (kgillis@ehs.ufl.edu)
• Associate Biological Safety Officer - Bhavna Bhardwaj (bhardwaj@ehs.ufl.edu)
• Telephone number: (352) 392-1591

PO Box 112190 Building 104/Newell Drive University of Florida Gainesville, FL  32611-2190 ph:  (352) 392-1591 fax: (352) 392-3647

This page last edited June 02, 2008. Comments or questions are welcome to webmaster@ehs.ufl.edu