Cleaning Up Biohazardous Spills

Cleaning up a biohazardous spill in a biosafety cabinet

1. Let the BSC run. Do not turn it off.
2. Remove broken glass with forceps, tweezers, or other tools, and place glass in a sharps container.  Do not wipe up broken glass.
3. Cover the spill with paper towels.
4. Pour (don’t spray) disinfectant [identify specific disinfectant] to the contaminated surface by pouring it around the periphery of the covered spill and moving inward.  Allow the appropriate contact time [identify specific contact time] for the disinfectant and agent.
5. After the contact time, wipe up the spilled material.
6. Reapply disinfectant to the affected area and after the appropriate contact time, wipe up the area. Repeat if necessary.
7. Perform disinfection before removing items.
8. Segregate contaminated cleanup materials into the appropriate biohazardous waste containers.

Cleaning up a biohazardous spill outside of a biosafety cabinet

1. Close off the area and allow aerosols to settle.
2. Notify others, including a supervisor.
3. Assemble all spill cleanup materials and review the procedure.
4. Don appropriate PPE: laboratory coat, safety glasses or chemical splash goggles (depending on the risk of splashes), and Nitrile gloves.
5. Cover the spill with paper towels.
6. Pour (don’t spray) disinfectant [identify specific disinfectant] onto the contaminated surface covered with paper towels by pouring it around the periphery of the spill area, moving inward.  Allow the appropriate contact time [identify specific contact time] for the disinfectant and agent.
7. Wipe up the spill. Dispose of the waste in the biohazardous waste containers.
8. Reapply disinfectant to the contaminated surface and allow it to stand for proper contact time.
9. Wipe up disinfectant, and repeat if necessary.
10. Segregate contaminated cleanup materials into the appropriate biohazardous waste containers.

Cleaning up a biohazardous spill inside a centrifuge

1. Close off the area and allow aerosols to settle.
2. Notify others, including a supervisor.
3. Wait 10 minutes to allow the aerosols to settle [unless the rotor is equipped with engineering controls for aerosol/liquid release].
4. Don appropriate PPE: laboratory coat, safety glasses, and Nitrile gloves.
5. Remove the rotor and place it in Biosafety Cabinet.
6. Thoroughly disinfect [identify specific disinfectant] the inside and outside of the centrifuge rotor, cups and accessories and allow proper contact time [identify specific contact time]. After disinfection, move to the sink for a thorough rinse and dry thoroughly.
7. For the centrifuge interior, follow the steps above to clean up a spill outside a Biosafety Cabinet.
8. Segregate contaminated cleanup materials into the appropriate biohazardous waste containers.