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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.


