Please read through these emergency procedures immediately and keep this brochure handy
for future reference. DON'T WAIT UNTIL THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.
Priority
Adhere to the following priorities when encountering an emergency:
- Personal Safety, yours and others
- Protect University Property
- Preserve Academic Programs
Important Phone Numbers
Reporting ALL Campus Emergency, Security Control Centre 8999 or 6565
Enquiry of security matters 6565
Enquiry of general safety matters 6512
When calling for help, always give:
- Location of the accident
- The nature and severity of the accident, e.g. how many persons are injured, how
serious is the injury, extent of property damage, any gas leakage etc.
- Your name and location
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PREVENTION is the key to avoid accidents. Prevention is also the essence of safety
training. However, accidents can still happen. Major accidents may lead to emergencies
which threaten human lives and university property. The idea of EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS is
to help everyone to prepare for such situations so as to minimize personal injury and
property damage.
Supervisors are responsible for establishing safe procedures and providing protective
equipment, on-the-job safety training and information needed in hazardous works. They must
instruct their staff and students about the hazards, the safety precautions, and the
actions to take in case of an accident, which may include general procedures as published
below and specific ones tailored for special work places or operations. Drills should also
be organized by supervisors to familiarize concerned students and employees with execution
of such emergency procedures.
Employees and students are required to learn and understand the hazards they work with
and to follow all necessary precautions. In case of unexpected malfunctioning, damage, or
injury, the employee or student should act to protect him- or herself and others in the
area. He/she should also report any unsafe or hazardous condition in the area to the
supervisor and/or HSEO.
- Do not tamper with any fire detection or fire fighting devices
- Do not block fire escape route
- Keep all Fire Doors closed
- Know the escape routes in your environment.
- Know the locations of breakglass fire alarm buttons and fire fighting equipment, and
make sure they are easily accessible.
- Know the designated assembly points.
- Learn to use fire fighting equipment.
- For laboratory or special work areas, develop emergency shut down procedures for
processes which may create hazards when unattended.
For more information on Fire Safety, see Chapter 6 of the HKUST Safety and
Environmental Protection Manual.
Be Prepared for Injury
- Learn first aid
- Make sure first aid kits, including specific antidotes if applicable, are well stocked
at all time
- Learn how to use the antidotes if hydrofluoric acid or cyanide is used
- Laboratory users should know the location of emergency shower and eyewash, and make sure
they are easily accessible
- Know the chemicals you use by referring to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
which provide information on the physical, chemical, and toxicological properties of a
chemical and procedures for handling, spill, fire, and disposal. MSDSs are available from
the FMO (Laboratory Services) and the Library. If MSDSs are not available or if
the manufacturer's MSDS lacks information needed for safe use of the material, request
assistance from HSEO.
- Plan your operation or experiment carefully, taking into consideration the
hazardous properties of materials involved. Also think about what to do if something goes
wrong in the process. Stock appropriate spill control materials, personal protection
equipment, first aid materials, and antidotes.
- Get proper training. The procedures below make reference to "significant
amounts of hazardous materials", and performing certain actions "if it is safe
to do so" or not doing something "if it is unsafe to do so." These are
judgement calls. A large quantity of low toxicity material may be safe to handle, while a
small amount of highly toxic substance may be significantly hazardous. In order to make
the correct "call", you must have prior knowledge concerning the potential
hazards of the materials, operations and proper control measures; have participated in
hands-on safety training and emergency drills; and be confident enough in that knowledge
and training to make the judgement call.
- Know the locations of the Emergency Ventilation button affecting your
laboratory, fire alarm button, fire fighting equipment, spill control materials, personal
protective equipment, and first aid kit.
- BE CONSERVATIVE if you have doubts or reservations about whether or not
"it is safe/unsafe to do so". Always take the conservative approach (e.g. sound
the alarm, exit the lab and leave clean-up or other response action to the emergency
response team).
FIRE
These fire emergency procedures are for the Academic Building. For student dormitory
residents, refer to Hall Handbook for fire emergency procedures.
- Remain calm and check if there is any sign of fire in the vicinity.
- If you see fire or smoke, or hear the announcement asking you to evacuate, follow the
evacuation procedures below.
- If there is no sign of a fire, stay alert and pay attention to announcement until the
fire alarm is silenced.
- Evacuate if the alarm has sounded for more than two minutes.
- If you hear the buzzer sound which indicates fire alarm is activated in an adjacent fire
zone, stay alert and pay attention to announcement.
- If you hear both the buzzer and the fire alarm, you are near the boundary of fire zones,
treat as if you hear the fire alarm.
- Activate the fire alarm by pressing the breakglass fire alarm button.
- Report to Security Control Centre by dialling 8999.
- Alert other people. If SAFE to do so, try to put out the fire by fire fighting
equipment.
- DO NOT take any personal risk. If the fire gets beyond your control, evacuate
immediately by following the procedures below.
- Close the door of the room on fire.
- Water from the hose reels is good for wood and paper fire, structural fire, but NOT for
oil, electrical or metal fire.
- The most common fire extinguishers on campus is the carbon dioxide type (black
container) which are good for general purposes, including oil and electrical fire.
- Some laboratories have dry powder fire extinguishers (blue container), which are good
for chemical fire, including metal fire.
- Sand can be used to contain flammable liquid as well as put out a fire, including metal
fire.
- Fire blanket can be used when someone's clothing catches fire.
When there is a fire and you need to evacuate:
- Remain calm. Walk, do not run, especially when travelling on staircases.
- Immediately leave the building and go to the assembly point using the nearest exit.
- Try to help those who may have difficulties travelling such as disabled and pregnant
persons.
- DO NOT USE THE LIFTS.
- Report to your Fire & Safety Officer at the assembly point as far as practicable.
- Do not return to the building until permission is given by the Fire Services Department
Officer in charge of the scene.
DO NOT RUN.
Drop to the floor and roll your body to extinguish the fire.
If fire blanket is available, wrap around the body to help smother the fire.
When someone is injured or ill...
- Call Security Control Centre (SCC) by dialling 8999.
- Call for Community Emergency Service directly by dialling (9)999 if the situation is
urgent or serious and inform SCC subsequently.
- DO NOT conduct rescue operation unless you know for sure how to perform a proper rescue
or you know the situation is safe. Careless rescue operation may endanger the rescuers
when, for example, the victim is inside a room filled with toxic gas, or is still in
contact with live electricity.
- DO NOT move an injured person, especially when there are signs of spinal injury or bone
fracture, unless it is absolutely necessary to do so for safety reason.
- Keep the injured or ill person comfortable, warm, and lying down.
- Give First aid treatment if necessry.
- Acid and alkali burns--flush with running water; use emergency shower if necessary. Do
not attempt to neutralize.
- Heat or cold burns--flush with cold water.
- Chemical in eyes--flush eyes with emergency eyewash.
- Major bleeding--apply direct pressure to the wound using a clean cloth.
- Toxic gas inhalation--expose to fresh air.
- Hydrofluoric acid exposure--use antidote immediately
- Cyanide exposure--use antidote immediately
Remember not to use the lift when there is a fire.
If you are trapped in a lift...
- Remain calm.
- Press the alarm button in the lift.
- Communicate through the intercom unit which connects directly to Security Control
Centre.
- Never try to force open the lift door or get out through the manhole at the ceiling of
the lift car. Such attempts may result in fatal accidents.
- Be patient and wait for help.
Hazardous Material Spill
The following emergency procedures are intended to provide general guidelines for
spills which involve significant amounts of hazardous materials. These are general
procedures. Supervisors may need to provide employees and students with further
lab-specific instructions.
- GET AWAY
- ALERT OTHERS
- GET HELP
- SEAL OFF THE AREA
- Alert co-workers.
- If safe to do so,
- Confine the spill with appropriate materials.
- Turn off remotely all heat/ignition sources if flammable vapour is involved.
- Ask for assistance if necessary.
- Ask for assistance if necessary.
- Press the Emergency Ventilation button (do not activate this button in case of fire).
- Inform the Security Control Centre by dialling 8999 from a safe location.
- Evacuate everyone in the affected area. Leave contaminated clothing and close the door.
- Activate local warning system to prevent others from entering the room.
- If possible, maintain a safe distance from the scene, keep the entrance or access routes
in sight and help to prevent entry to the affected room.
- If conditions allow, remain to assist the emergency response team.
Students or technicians upon discovering a chemical spill:
- Alert all persons in the vicinity.
- Inform the person in-charge in the laboratory.
Person-in-charge upon notification of a chemical spill:
i) Confine the spill with appropriate materials.
ii) Instruct the students to turn off remotely all heat/ignition sources if flammable
vapour is involved.
- Press the Emergency Ventilation button (do not activate this button in case of fire).
- Evacuate everyone in the laboratory, leave contaminated clothing and close the door(s).
- Inform the Security Control Centre by dialling 8999 from a safe location.
- Activate local warning system to prevent others from entering the area.
- If possible, maintain a safe distance from the scene, keep the entrance or access routes
in sight and help to prevent entry to the affected laboratory.
- If conditions allow, remain to assist the emergency response team.
- Alert co-workers.
- If safe to do so,
i) Confine the spill with appropriate materials.
ii) Contain the spill inside the DG store.
Ask for assistance if necessary.
- Evacuate everyone in the affected area. Leave contaminated clothing or articles and
close the door.
- Inform the Security Control Centre by dialling 8999 or other means. At least one staff
should remain at the scene.
- Activate local warning system to prevent others from entering the room.
- Staff at the scene should keep a safe distance from the store, try to keep the entrance
or access route in sight and help to prevent entry to the store.
- Assist the emergency response team upon its arrival.
- Alert people in the vicinity.
- Confine the spill if safe to do so.
- Inform the Security Control Centre by dialling 8999 or by other means. At least one
staff should remain at the scene.
- Staff at the scene should keep a safe distance from the spill, keep the area in sight,
and prevent entry to the area.
- Assist the emergency response team upon its arrival.
- Alert co-workers.
- If safe to do so, confine the spill with appropriate materials.
- DO NOT activate Emergency Ventilation UNLESS radioactive gas or vapour (e.g. Iodine-125)
is involved.
- Inform the Security Control Centre by dialling 8999.
- Evacuate everyone in the room.
- Leave contaminated clothing or articles and close the door.
- Activate local warning system to prevent others from entering the room.
- If possible, maintain at a safe distance from the laboratory, keep the entrance or
access routes in sight and help to prevent entry to the laboratory.
- If conditions allow, remain to assist the emergency response team.
Decontamination Procedures
- Persons contaminated by radioactive material should go through decontamination as soon
as they arrive at a safe location.
- Treat any injury first. First-aiders should protect themselves against contamination.
- Remove any other suspected contaminated clothing or articles, seal in a plastic bag.
- Wash contaminated skin area with water and detergent. Avoid aerosol generation (e.g.
scrubbing with brush).
- Immediately seek medical attention for any internal contamination.
- Alert co-workers.
- If safe to do so, contain the spill with appropriate material.
- If the spill occurred in a biosafety cabinet, leave the unit on.
- Evacuate everyone in the affected area.
- Leave contaminated clothing or articles and close the door.
- Inform the Security Control Centre by dialling 8999 from a safe location.
- Activate local warning system to prevent others from entering the room.
- If possible, maintain a safe distance from the laboratory, keep the entrance or access
routes in sight and help to prevent entry to the laboratory.
- If conditions allow, remain to assist the emergency response team.
Decontamination Procedures
Any person contaminated by the biohazardous material spill should go through
decontamination as soon as they arrive at a safe location.
- Treat any injury first. First-aiders should protect themselves against contamination.
- Remove any other suspected contaminated clothing or articles, seal in a plastic bag.
- Wash contaminated skin area with water, appropriate disinfectant and soap.
- If eyes have been contaminated, flush with water.
- Immediately seek medical attention for any internal contamination.
