Earthquakes are not limited to the western states and, thus, there is some level of risk that an earthquake of sufficient magnitude and duration could cause significant chemical spillage in laboratories in other regions of the United States as well as elsewhere in the world.  The post-earthquake challenge for campus health and safety professionals is how to safely and efficiently assess chemical spillage and prioritize mitigation / clean-up efforts in a manner that supports safe re-entry into laboratories.  Researchers are highly motivated to re-enter to the extent that delays in clearing a building will compel some of them to prematurely re-enter, thus putting their safety at risk.<br/> <br/>Stanford University has developed a process for rapid post-earthquake lab spill assessment that coordinates the assessment process with building ventilation restart procedures. The primary objective is to ensure the safety of facilities staff, EH&S response personal, and the researchers anxious to reenter theses spaces. This presentation will cover the development and testing of the assessment process, PPE selection, sequencing of assessments, use of instrumentation, and management of situational status information. Design of response drills, efforts to build core competencies within the response team, and response priorities will also be covered

Post-earthquake lab spill assessment

2019 Fall National Meeting

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