[Lab in the News] BC Children's Chemical Spill

This week, our BC Children's Hospital was treated to a Code BROWN, or major chemical spill of parafromaldehyde. Para-formaldehyde can cause skin and eye irritation, and can be harmful if inhaled. It is also highly flammable.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-children-hospital-chemical-spill-1.3259740

Each hospital drills every year in case of this occurrence, and the procedures in place seem to have been followed to the letter. No one was reported hurt, and the spill was contained in under two hours.

Just in case you aren't familiar with common protocol, each hospital usually has a color coded to indicate that a chemical spill has occurred to the staff without alarming patients or visitors. Once a Code Brown is called, there are processes in place to do some or all of the following:

- Summon security or someone trained to address the spill.
- Evacuate anyone who could come into contact with the spill, or fumes from the spill.
- Call in a HAZMAT team or fire fighters to address more dangerous chemicals.

That's all well and good, but when is a Code Brown called, and what should lab staff do directly after a spill?

First, lab staff need to determine if they should be calling a Code Brown, or cleaning it themselves. Questions to ask include:

Do you know what chemical was spilled?
What volumes are involved?
What are the hazards of the chemical that was spilled (Found in the MSDS kept on site by law)
Is there a Chemical Reaction or hazard present, and can the area be cordoned off?
Do you know where the spill kit is, and how to use it?
Make sure to inform your supervisor and close by staff about the spill before attempting to clean it up.

ALWAYS CHECK AND WEAR APPROPRIATE PPE BEFORE APPROACHING THE SPILL.

Some spills you will need breathing equipment, or special gloves. Do not make assumptions; always check the MSDS.

A Code Brown is called if there is a spill over a certain volume of chemicals or matter deemed low risk, or any amount of spill of high risk chemicals or gases. Each facility will have it's own categories.

Low Risk Spills: (Dealt with by lab staff, not HAZMAT/Code Brown)

This tends to include a chemical spill less than 500 mL of a known chemical that shows no visible chemical reaction (bubbling, hissing, gases emitting when in contact with surface spilled onto).

Example: Spilling 10 mL of 0.1M HCl onto a bench surface.

Intermediate Risk Spills: (Dealt with by security and lab staff, Code Brown called)

This includes chemical spills that are large volume and can't be handled by lab staff alone, that are not reacting with the surface spilled onto, and also are not emitting fumes. You would call a Code Brown in this case, and security would come and help you keep people off the area, and clean it up.

Major Risk Spills: (HAZMAT, Security, Lab Staff work together, Code Brown called, Evacuation)

Either the substance spilled is unknown, the volume of the spill is unmanageable, the chemical fumes/contact is dangerous, or there is known/visible reactions that are happening between the chemical and the spill surface.

This is where parafromaldehyde lies, if dealt with outside of a fumehood. It is both highly flammable and emits fumes that are harmful to humans if inhaled. It makes sense that the evacuated the hospital, and ensured no harmful fumes/risk of fire was transfered to staff and patients.