| Radiation Safety Office (RSO) | Emergency Numbers |
| Chem. & Nuclear Engineering Bldg. 090 Room 2124 | Anytime: 911 |
| University of Maryland | Daytime: (301) 314-8336 |
| College Park Campus |
| Type of Emergency | Hazard | Immediate Precautions | Follow Up |
| Minor Spills | Radiation: No immediate radiation hazard to personnel |
| Permit no one to work in area until approval of RSO |
| Major Spills | Radiation: May be great hazard to personnel |
| Decontamination of personnel and equipment (including spill itself) as prescribed by the RSO |
| Accident Involving: Dust Mist | Radiation: Internal hazard due to possible ingestion and inhalation Contamination: Easily spread when airborne |
| Do not re-enter until RSO gives approval |
| Injuries Involving: Radiation Hazards Contaminations | Contamination: Wounds usually greatest hazard |
| Permit no one involved in accident to return to work without approval of RSO and Physician |
| Fires Involving Radioactivity | Radiation: Internal hazard from airborne activity Contamination: May be spread by fire fighting techniques |
| Govern emergency activities by the restrictions of the RSO |
| X- RAY Injuries | Radiation: Superficial and/or deep tissue burns |
| Permit no one involved in accident to return to work without approval of RSO and Physician |
| Biosafety Level | Practice Technique | Safety Equipment | Facilities |
| 1 | Standard Microbiological practices | None: Primary containment provided by adherence to standard laboratory practices during open bench work. | Basic |
| 2 | Level 1 practices plus: laboratory coats; decontamination of all infectious wastes; limited access; protective gloves and biohazard warning signs as indicated. | Partial containment equipment (e.g., Class I or II Biosafety Cabinets) used to conduct mechanical and manipulative procedures that have high aerosol potential that may increase the risk of exposure to personnel. | Basic |
| 3 | Level 2 practices plus: special laboratory clothing; controlled access. | Partial containment equipment used for all manipulations of infectious materials. | Containment |
| 4 | Level 3 practices plus: entrance through a change room where street clothing is removed and laboratory clothing is put on; shower on exit; all wastes are decontaminated on exit from the facility. | Maximum containment equipment (e.g., Class III Biosafety Cabinet or partial containment equipment in combination with full-body, air-supplied, positive-pressure personnel suit) used for all procedures and activities.
| Maximum Containment |
A full description of each biosafety level recommendation is available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health publication "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories" or through DES and the UM Biological Safety Officer.
Table of Incompatible Chemicals
The following substances may react violently with one another and must be kept apart.
| Chemical | Is Incompatible with |
| Acetic acid | Chromic acid, nitric acid alcohols, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates |
| Acetone | Concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid mixtures |
| Acetylene | Chlorine, bromine, fluorine, copper, silver, mercury |
| Acids | Bases |
| Activated Carbon | Calcium hypochlorite, oxidizing agents |
| Alkali Metals | Water, carbon tetrachloride and other halogenated alkanes, carbon dioxide, halogens |
| Aluminum Alkyls | Water |
| Ammonia, | Mercury (e.g., in pressure gauges), laboratory gas chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride |
| Ammonium | Acids, powered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrates, sulfur, fine-particulate organic Nitrate or combustible materials. |
| Aniline | Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide |
| Azides | Acids |
| Bases | Acids |
| Bromine | See chlorine |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Sodium |
| Chlorates | Ammonium salts, acids, powered metals, sulfur, fine-particulate organic or combustible substances |
| Chlorine | Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane, hydrogen, petroleum benzine, benzene, powered metals |
| Chromic Acid | Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol, petroleum benzine, alcohols, flammable liquids |
| Copper | Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide |
| Cumene Hydroperoxide | Acids, both organic and inorganic |
| Cyanides | Acids |
| Flammable Liquids | Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens |
| Fluorine | Store separately |
| Hydrocarbons (butane, propane, benzene, etc.) | Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide |
| Hydrogen Fluoride | Ammonia, laboratory gas or solution |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | Copper, Chromium, iron, metals and metals salts, alcohols, acetone, organic substances, aniline, nitromethane, combustibles (solid or liquid) |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing gases |
| Iodine | Acetylene, ammonia (laboratory gas or solution) |
| Mercury | Acetylene, ammonia |
| Nitric Acid, Conc. | Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, prussic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids and gases |
| Oxalic Acid | Silver, mercury |
| Perchloric Acid | Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohols, paper, wood |
| Phosphorus | Sulfur, oxygen-containing compounds with such as chlorates |
| Potassium | See alkali metals |
| Potassium Chlorate | See chlorates |
| Potassium Perchlorate | See chlorates |
| Potassium Permanganate | Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid |
| Silver | Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds. |
| Sodium | See alkali metals |
| Sodium Peroxide | Methanol, ethanol, glacial acetic acid, anhydride,benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfurol |
| Sulfides | Acids |
| Sulfuric Acid | Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate |
Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of incompatible chemicals. See the specific lab standard operating procedures or your Lab Supervisor/Principal Investigator to determine additional material incompatibilities of which to be aware.
Campus buildings shall be immediately and totally evacuated whenever the building evacuation alarm is sounding.
All students, faculty, and staff are required to leave the building and remain outside until the emergency is over. No one shall restrict or impede the evacuation.
All information regarding University fires will be released through the DES in cooperation with the Public Information Office. No other University agency or employee may release official statements regarding the cause, origin, or nature of campus fires.
Assistance will be provided by the DES to any Department requiring help and advice in its implementation of this UM policy.
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