Hazard Spills or Gas Leaks

Hazardous Spills

Hazardous spills may be of a chemical, radioactive, or biological nature. If the identity of the chemical spill is unknown, treat it as toxic material and do not attempt to clean up the material.

If, in the judgment of the person or persons responsible for such materials, the spill presents any danger to themselves or the other building occupants, the following steps should be taken by appropriately trained personnel:

  1. Confine or stop the spill by using absorbent materials on hand, avoiding contact with skin, eyes, and clothing and shutting the doors of the room.
  2. If deemed necessary, sound the building fire alarm so evacuation can begin.
  3. Call the ECU Police Department at 911 on Main Campus; 744-2246 on the Health Sciences Campus, giving your name, department, and location of the emergency.
  4. Call the ECU Office of Environmental Health and Safety at 328-6166. For spills of radioactive materials, call the Office of Radiation Safety Office at 744-2418. For spills of biological materials call the Biological Safety Office at 744-3437.
  5. Evacuate to the designated evacuation site for the building. Do not return to the building until instructed to do so by ECU Police, Environmental Health and Safety, or Radiation and Biological Safety personnel.
  6. Do not walk through or stand in any spill areas.
  7. After evacuating, stay with your department coworkers or classmates so that supervisors and instructors can determine that you have safely evacuated the building.

Flammable, Toxic, Corrosive, and Cryogenic Gas Leaks

If a gas cylinder should begin leaking and if, in the judgment of the person or persons responsible for such materials, it presents any danger to themselves or the other building occupants, the following steps should be taken:

  1. Confine the fumes or fire by shutting adjacent doors.
  2. Sound the building fire alarm so evacuation can begin.
  3. Call the ECU Police Department at 911 on Main Campus; 744-2246 on the Health Sciences Campus, giving your name, department, and location of the emergency. Call the ECU Office of Environmental Health and Safety at 328-6166.
  4. Evacuate to the designated evacuation site for the building. Do not return to the building unless instructed that it is safe to do so by ECU Police or Environmental Health and Safety Personnel.
  5. Do not walk through or stand in a gas or vapor cloud.
  6. Suspected gas leaks or suspicious odors should also be reported to the ECU Office of Environmental Health and Safety and the ECU Police Department so appropriate action can be taken.