Here is what you should do if your facility experiences a chemical emergency.
Some industries work with a variety of chemicals every day. Some of these chemicals could become dangerous if people are exposed to them. That’s why chemical emergencies can be such scary occurrences. Don’t panic, though, because there are ways to maximize your safety during these stressful situations. Here is what you should do if your facility experiences a chemical emergency.
Seal the Room Where the Chemical Emergency Took Place
The last thing you want is for a spilled chemical to spread and present health risks to everyone in the area. To keep a chemical emergency contained, you want to seal off the room where the chemical is located. Plastic sheeting, duct tape, trash bags, and towels are all perfectly suitable for containing a spill. By taking these precautions, the amount of damage a chemical spill can cause will be limited.
Close All Doors and Windows
Doors and windows serve as exit points for any chemical that gets spilled. You don’t want hazardous chemicals escaping to the outdoors because those chemicals will be able to cause more damage, both to people and the environment. To prevent the spread of hazardous chemicals, close off any doors and windows in the vicinity, and also turn off any ventilation that could circulate the chemicals through the air. Doing this ensures that whatever hazardous chemicals are in the room are contained so that they can’t harm anyone else.
Decontaminate Yourself (If Needed) and Help Decontaminate Others
If a chemical agent does end up affecting you, then you want to decontaminate yourself, as well as assist in the decontaminating of others.
To properly decontaminate yourself, there are a few steps you’ll want to follow:
- Remove all affected clothing (cut clothing that typically gets removed over the head so it doesn’t have to touch your nose, eyes, or mouth)
- Only keep clothing on if it’s stuck to your skin
- Use water to flush your eyes if they’re irritated
- Wash skin by using water and soap
- Put all contaminated items inside of a plastic bag, then seal the bag
Contact the Fire Department
The fire department should be one of your first points of contact if there’s ever a chemical emergency in your building. For that reason, you should get in touch with them the moment you’re aware of chemical exposure around your business.
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