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Responding to Injuries and Inhalation Exposures First
Aid Kits Emergency responders also must have chemical information readily available. A safe laboratory will have a posted inventory at each main laboratory entrance. To insure emergency response preparedness the laboratory supervisor must submit the chemical inventory to the OEHS at JRC 150 on an annual basis. Following an injury the person in charge of the laboratory at the time of occurrence must complete an injury consultation form (see appendix A). The injury consultation form serves as a guideline for appropriate information communication to the injured person and as a notification to the Laboratory Safety Committee Chairperson. The information will be used to better prepare the University faculty and staff in the prevention and response of accidents and injuries. Injury consultation forms are available from the Chemistry Laboratory Manager, the Laboratory Safety Chairperson, Department Chairpersons, and the OEHS. First aid kits are available in all undergraduate chemistry laboratories and the chemistry stockroom in Wilson Hall. It is highly advised for each department to provide and maintain first aid kits in a centralized location. Typical first aid kits will contain a variety of prepackaged items. Upon each use immediately replenish the first aid kit items. Inhalation of a Biological Material When a biological material has been spilled take care to minimize aerosolization of the material. Take the following steps if the spill has resulted in aerosolization: • Immediately notify all other persons in the laboratory, hold your breath, and evacuate. • Remove all personal protective equipment by turning it inwards to decrease the spread of contamination. • Wash hands and any other potentially exposed area with soap and water for a minimum of 15 minutes. • Post a spill sign and do not reenter the lab for at least 30 minutes. • Notify the laboratory supervisor and the OPS at 6911. • Immediately seek medical assistance. Needlesticks and Puncture Wounds • Wash well with disinfectant or antiseptic soap (preferably a type with iodine)and water for 15 minutes. • Squeeze around affected area to encourage bleeding. • Notify the laboratory supervisor. • Seek medical assistance immediately. Needlestick Wounds With the Potential for BL3 Exposure • Wash the affected area with disinfectant, antiseptic soap and warm water for 15 minutes. • Squeeze around the area to encourage flow of blood out of the wound. • Notify the laboratory supervisor. • Immediately seek medical attention. Chemical Injury or Exposure Response When an injury has occurred general response guidelines are as follows: • Protect yourself from exposure and stabilize the injured person. When possible wash your hands prior to and after giving first aid. Use gloves whenever possible. The First Aid Manual for Chemical Accidents is available in the Chemistry Stockroom, WH 317. • Call 6911 when emergency medical attention is required or when not sure how to respond. • Utilize the safety shower available in the laboratory when appropriate. Clothing must be removed to prevent prolonged chemical contact with the skin. Rinse the exposed area for at least 15 minutes. • Use the emergency eyewash stations to rinse harmful chemicals from the eyes when appropriate. Eyes must be rinsed for a minimum of 15 minutes. • Offer the injured person medical attention. Contact 6911 immediately if he or she desires medical attention by an emergency room physician. Contact a family member to transport the injured person during non-emergency situations. • Contact Public Safety at 6594 to report all injuries and complete an accident report. An accident report must be completed within 24 hours of the incident. • Report all accidents involving injuries to the Office of Environmental Health & Safety at 2171 within 24 hours of the incident. The OEHS will contact the Laboratory Safety Committee chairperson. The laboratory chairperson will contact the departmental chairperson and follow-up on the status of the persons injury. Small Cuts and Scratches • Clean the area with soap and water. • Apply a clean dressing over the wounded area. Significant Bleeding • Immediately call the OPS at 6911. • Reassure the injured person. • Lay the injured person down. • Do not remove any objects that may have impaled the person. • Place direct pressure on the wound with a clean cloth or sterile bandage. Do not apply a torniquet. • If the pressure does not slow the bleeding, elevate the wound above the heart. • If the bleeding is severe, elevate the persons legs approximately 12 inches. First degree burns are characterized by pain, redness and swelling. • Run cool water over the burn or soak it for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes. • Cover the burn with a sterile bandage or clean cloth. • Do not apply any ointments, salves, or sprays. Second and third degree burns are characterized by red mottled skin and blisters. White or charred skin is indicative of a third degree burn. • Call the OPS at 6911. • Do not remove any burnt clothing. • Cover the burns with dry sterile, or clean bandages. • Do not apply ointments, salves, or sprays. When necessary, use the eyewash or safety shower as instructed in the procedures below. Insure your own safety by wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment. Chemical Burns to the Skin • Remove the victim's clothes, including his/her shoes. • Rinse the area for a minimum of 15 minutes. • Do not apply burn ointments to injured areas. • Call the OPS at 6911, when the burn is large. Chemical Burns to the Eyes • Forcibly open the eyelids to insure all of the chemical is removed. • Wash from the nose to the ear to insure the chemical does not wash back into the eye. • The wash must continue for a minimum of 15 minutes. • Cover the injured person's eye's with a clean or sterile gauze. • Call the OPS at 6911. Responding to Hydrofluoric Acid Burns UAH requires persons having responsibility for laboratories that use or store hydrofluoric acid (HF) to maintain a commercially prepared gel of calcium gluconate in the laboratory area. The gel is used for immediate treatment of skin exposures to HF. HF causes serious damage to tissues and bones. The faster the treatment the smaller the chance of serious injury. In the event of a burn caused from HF, the following steps must be immediately taken: • The skin must be copiously washed, beginning immediately after exposure. • Apply a bulky dressing soaked in a commercially prepared quaternary ammonia compound, calcium gluconate or magnesium oxide topical ointment. Always follow the manufacturers directions supplied with the HF burn ointment/solution if they differ from these. • Seek immediate medical attention. • Immediately call the OPS at 6911. • Use the First Aid Manual for Chemical Accidents or refer to the MSDS to effectively treat the injured person. • If the injured person, is unconscious, turn his/her head or entire body onto the left side. Be cautious about performing CPR. This could potentially poison you from the mouth-to-mouth contact. If available, use a mouth-to-mouth resuscitator. • Evacuate the area and move the victim to fresh air. • Immediately call the OPS at 6911. • When the victim is not breathing, perform CPR. Be cautious as the mouth-to-mouth contact can result in the responder becoming poisoned. Where available use a mouth-to-mouth resuscitator. • When the victim is breathing, loosen his/her clothing and maintain the airway. • Place one hand under the injured person's neck and gently lift. • Rotate the injured person's head back to obtain maximum extension of the neck by pressing down on his/her forehead with your free hand. • If additional airway extension is necessary, pull the injured person's lower jaw into a jutting-out position. • Treat the person for chemical burns of the eyes and skin. |
