Chemical spills and hazardous material incidents¶

A chemical spill can happen at home, on the road, or at a nearby factory or rail line. This page tells you how to get away, when to stay indoors, and how to wash chemicals off.

Do this now¶

1. Get away from the spill or smell at once. Do not stop to look.
2. Move upwind and uphill if you can, away from fumes or a cloud. Do not walk through fumes or liquid.
3. Call your local emergency number (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom) from a safe distance.
4. Follow instructions from officials. They may tell you to leave or to shelter in place.
5. If chemicals touched you, take off contaminated clothing and wash your skin with plenty of water and soap.
6. In the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for advice on exposure.

Spills at home¶

Household products like bleach, ammonia, pool chemicals, pesticides, and fuels can hurt you. Mixing cleaning products can produce toxic gas. Never mix bleach with ammonia or acid cleaners.

• Leave the room right away if you smell fumes or your eyes and throat sting. Open windows on the way out if you can.
• Keep children and pets away.
• Do not touch a spill with bare hands. Read the label. If it is small and the label says it is safe, wear gloves and clean it up, with the windows open.
• If you are unsure, or it is large, leave and call for help.
• Keep the container or label to show responders.

... warning "Do not mix chemicals" Mixing bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or other cleaners can release toxic gas. If you smell a sharp chemical odor after mixing products, leave the area and get fresh air.

Outdoor and road incidents¶

You may see a tanker leak, smoke from a plant, or a cloud near a rail line. Many vehicles carrying hazardous materials show a placard (a diamond shaped sign). Do not touch the vehicle or the spill.

• Stay far away, and keep a long distance from fumes, liquids, and smoke.
• Move upwind, so the wind carries fumes away from you, and stay uphill if you can, because many gases sink and gather in low places.
• Do not drive through a cloud or a spill.
• Keep out of the way of emergency vehicles.

Leave or stay indoors¶

Officials will tell you whether to leave (evacuate) or to stay inside (shelter in place). Listen to your phone alerts, radio, and local emergency channels. Follow the exact instructions you are given, since the right choice depends on the chemical.

If you are inside and the release is outside, you may be told to shelter in place:

1. Go inside and bring family and pets with you.
2. Close and lock all windows and doors.
3. Turn off fans, heating, and air conditioning that pull air from outside.
4. Go to a room with few windows, ideally above ground level, and seal gaps with tape and plastic if instructed.
5. Keep your phone, radio, and supplies with you.
6. Stay until officials say it is safe.

If you are inside and the release is inside your building, leave by a route that does not pass through the spill or fumes. If you cannot, move as far away as you can and shelter in place.

Wash chemicals off¶

Removing the chemical from your body quickly helps most. Do this as soon as you are away from the area, ideally within minutes.

1. Take off your clothes. This removes most of the chemical. Cut clothing off if it must go over your head, so it does not touch your face.
2. Blot, do not rub, any visible chemical on skin.
3. Wash with plenty of water and soap for several minutes, including your hair.
4. For eyes, rinse with clean water for at least 15 minutes. Remove contact lenses.
5. Seal contaminated clothing in a plastic bag, then a second bag, and keep it away from others. Wear gloves to handle it.
6. Dress in clean clothes.

Seek medical care if you have burns, trouble breathing, coughing, dizziness, or eye pain. See poisoning and burns.

Poison control¶

In the United States, Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 gives free, expert advice. Other countries have their own poison centers. See emergency numbers. Have the product name, the amount, and the time of exposure ready. If someone is unconscious, has trouble breathing, or has a seizure, call your local emergency number instead.

Prepare ahead¶

• Keep household chemicals in their original containers, with labels
• Store them locked, out of reach of children
• Never mix cleaning products
• Learn how your area sends alerts for hazardous material incidents
• Know how to shut off your ventilation system
• Keep plastic sheeting, tape, and a radio in your emergency kit

Related guides¶

• Poisoning
• Burns: first aid
• Carbon monoxide
• Emergency kit
• Emergency numbers