Spill Cleanup

For small spills in a biological safety cabinet:

Leave the cabinet running.
Wipe down all interior cabinet surfaces with appropriate disinfectant. See Biohazards Decontamination: Chemical.
Wipe down all supplies and equipment in cabinet.

For moderate spills in a biological safety cabinet:

Leave the cabinet running.
Cover spill area with paper towels.
Pour disinfectant over towels from edges of spill to center, be careful not to splatter.
Allow 20-30 minutes of contact time.
Determine if spill has gone beyond the work surface such as on the grilles or in side seams. If yes, disassemble as much of cabinet as possible for decontamination.
If the cabinet has a catch basin below the work surface that may be involved in the spill, flood the basin with disinfectant. Do not use alcohol as a large quantity of alcohol presents a flammable hazard. Clean basin after 20 minutes. Follow the manufacture's recommendations for decontamination procedures.
Autoclave or wipe down all items in cabinet with disinfectant.
Wipe down all interior surfaces.
Let cabinet run for at least 10 minutes after cleanup.
Place gloves and all clean up materials in red biohazard bag for pick up or clear autoclavable bag and autoclave for 60 minutes at 121 degrees C (256 F).
Wash hands.

For major spills in a biological safety cabinet:

Contact the Biological Safety Officer in DEHS (626-6002) to determine if professional decontamination is indicated.