Allen,

Would you be willing to share your responses? We are starting to set up a similar plan for our addition on the Chemistry building. My work email is Margaret.smallbrock**At_Symbol_Here**sdsmt.edu

Thanks,

Margaret Smallbrock

SD School of Mines

Chemical and Instrumentation Specialist

Department of Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences

501 East St. Joseph Street

Rapid City, SD 57701

605-394-1236 =96 phone

605-394-1232 =96 fax

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Allen Niemi
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 8:54 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Methylene Chloride Spill Response

I'd like to get some feedback from those of you with chemical spill response backgrounds. Given a busy 7-story mixed classroom and laboratory building with a single central hallway running the full length of the building (long rectangular building), and someone spills four liters of methylene chloride on the hallway floor during regular business hours, right in front of the elevators - some of the liquid and much of the vapor is running down the elevator shaft. Is there anyone out there who would not immediately evacuate the building? Would you use the fire alarm pull station to initiate an evacuation? If not, would you take other immediate actions to shut down the elevators?

There are several other response actions that would, obviously, be taken but I'm mostly interested in the building evacuation and elevator aspect.

I'm working on a spill response procedure and would like to hear from others before I make a final recommendation.

--
Allen Niemi, PhD
Director
Occupational Safety and Health Services
Room 322 Lakeshore Center
Michigan Technological University
Phone: 906-487-2118
Fax:     906-487-3048