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HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SPILL PLAN Specific countermeasures against chemical spills are often a function of the identity of the agent and are impossible to either anticipate or justify economically. Vapors with a high degree of water solubility can be neutralized with a large volume of water sprayed into the chemical cloud as it drifts toward the hospital. This approach would require multiple hose outlets, hoses and protective gear for the hose operators. In the light of the above considerations; it seems apparent that the only viable course of action in the event of a spill would be to limit or reduce entrance of the materials into our hospital. The steps designed to accomplish this, follows: SECTION 2: PROCEDURE A. EXTERNAL SPILL 1. In order to avoid contamination of the hospital air supply by toxic gases; it will be necessary to shut down all air handling units. This shut down can be accomplished by turning off each disconnect switch for each the air handling. All necessary operations can be performed by manipulating switches inside the hospital. Maintenance employees could handle the shut down on the first and second shifts; third shift coverage would most likely involve members of the Security Department and Nursing supervisory personnel. There should be proper coordination and training of all Security and Nursing personnel in order to assure shut down before large quantities of the gases enter into the hospital. POLICY: Appendix 5 JEFFERSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL POLICY/PROCEDURE SUBJECT: HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SPILL PLAN DISTRIBUTION: All Departments ______________________________________________________________________________ SECTION 2: PROCEDURE (CONTINUED) 2. All floor personnel should be instructed to secure windows in nursing units and anywhere else an open window is noted. If there are ill-fitting or cracked windows; the floors should maintain a stock of wide duct tape in order to effect emergency repairs. The ventilator units in all patient rooms should be turned off and the tops covered with newspaper or sheets in order to limit the diffusion of gases into the rooms. 3. Personnel routinely stationed near doors including; a. Front desk - Switchboard and Admitting b. Rear employee entrance by Clinical Engineering c. All side doors of both MOC(N) and MOC(S). d. Emergency Room and One Day Surgery e. Rear door by Marketing f. All other doors/entrances as they become available through construction should be given stock of material adequate to plug up any holes or cracks around doors as well as wide duct tape or other sealing material to plug small cracks. 4. Since the switchboard is located near the main entrance of the hospital; it is considered extremely vulnerable in the event of a chemical spill on the highway. The front doors are poorly fitted and it could become impossible to operate the switchboard very shortly after a spill. Communication control will be shifted to Administration or the Nursing Supervisors office depending on the time the chemical spill occurs. 5. All interior fire doors should be closed in order to reduce drafts and limit the spread of vapors penetrating the hospital. 6. Ideally, all stairway and elevator doors should be sealed as tightly as possible since the shafts act as natural chimneys and would be expected to contain a high concentration of toxic vapors. 7. It follows from #6 that all elevators should be rendered inoperative, except for one unit to be used in a dire emergency. 8. Ingress and egress to the hospital should be strictly limited to absolutely essential uses since opening and closing of doors could introduce variable amounts of the toxic POLICY: Appendix 5 JEFFERSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL POLICY/PROCEDURE SUBJECT: HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SPILL PLAN DISTRIBUTION: All Departments ______________________________________________________________________________ SECTION 2: PROCEDURE (CONTINUED) agent. One of the outside doors into the Emergency Room will be designated as the only available entrance to the hospital. 9. In the event of a chemical spill in our vicinity, the switchboard will announce the Hazardous Spill Plan is in effect and all doors and windows should be secured. B. Internal Spills The hospital does have some extremely dangerous chemicals in-house. These chemicals are mainly kept in the laboratory, pathology , central supply and in the outside chemical storage area. 1. General spill plan. a. Contain the spill, if it poses no hazard to life. b. Leave the area. c. Emergency; eyewash, shower and medical care if needed. d. Access the MSDS e. Notify Nursing Shift Supervisor 2. Small spill clean up operation. a. Attend to any persons who may have been contaminated with the spill. b. Notify person in the immediate are about the spill. c. Evacuate all non-essential persons from the spill area. d. Avoid breathing vapors of the spilled materials. If necessary, use an approved respirator. e. Leave on, or establish, exhaust ventilation if it is safe to do so. f. During clean up or small spills, wear appropriate protective apparel (aprons, rubber gloves, goggles, etc.). as is suggested by the appropriate MSDS. 3. Large spill clean-up operation. a. General · Secure the area. · Protect person. · Inform supervisor / operator POLICY: Appendix 5 JEFFERSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL POLICY/PROCEDURE SUBJECT: HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SPILL PLAN DISTRIBUTION: All Departments ______________________________________________________________________________ SECTION 2: PROCEDURE (CONTINUED) · Leave to clean-up Spill Clean-up Team (Fire Department) b. Notification. · The Administrator on call or the Nursing Shift Supervisor may , at their discretion, implement the Internal Disaster Plan. · Proper notification of the spill must be made to the Missouri Emergency response commission by the Safety Director. c. Clean up authority · In compliance with the Missouri Emergency Response Commission, federal laws and other regulatory agencies; the clean up of any extremely dangerous chemical spill shall be the responsibility of the local Fire Department or HazMat Team, when no on-site HazMat team exist. In summary, it appears that the only reasonable course of action will be to maintain a safe distance from any extremely dangerous chemical or from any unknown chemical. If necessary, outside agencies (fire dept., police, chemical specialist) should be able to effectively deal with the material; there is the possibility that the clean-up may take longer than anticipated. With that the possibility exists that other contingency plans may need to be activated as is dictated by the situation. Refer to the Internal Disaster Section of the Manual. |
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| Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Hwy 61 S, P.O. Box 350, Crystal City, Missouri 63019, (636) 933-1000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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