James R. Macdonald Laboratory

Emergencies

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These are the instructions for handling laboratory emergencies.
Printed versions are posted in strategic areas of the lab, usually near the phones.

Emergency Guidelines

(Revised: November 2020)

In Case of Emergency

1. Call 911.
2. Give the operator your name.
3. Tell the operator that you are (or the emergency is located) at the Macdonald Laboratory in Room 56 of Cardwell Hall at Kansas State University.
4. Give the operator the laboratory telephone number (532-6777) (or the number of the telephone from which you are calling).
5. Tell the operator the type of emergency you have.
6. Follow any instructions that the operator gives you.

Personnel to Contact in an Emergency

Fire

If there is evidence of a fire (fire alarm sounding, smoke, etc.):

1. If you can do so safely, determine the location of the fire and sound an alarm by activating one of the fire alarm pull stations or call 911 as described above.
2. Evacuate all personnel from the laboratory.
3. If the fire is small and you have had fire extinguisher training and you can do so safely, attempt to extinguish it.
4. If the fire cannot be extinguished, stay near the laboratory entrance to guide Fire Department personnel to the fire.
5. Call one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.

Medical Emergency

1. Call 911 as described above.
2. Arrange for someone to stay near the laboratory entrance to guide Emergency Medical Service personnel to the patient.
3. If you can do so safely and you have first aid training, render first aid to the patient.
4. Call one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.

Toxic Gas Leak

If there is evidence of a significant toxic gas leak (such as gas monitor alarms):

1. Evacuate all personnel from the laboratory.
2. Call Charles Fehrenbach, or, if unavailable, one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.
3. Call 911 as described above from a safe place.
4. If you can do so safely, stay near the laboratory entrance to guide emergency response personnel to the leak.

Flooded Trenches

1. Shut off the water source if possible.
2. Call one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.

Oxygen Deficient Atmosphere

If there is evidence of an oxygen deficient atmosphere (oxygen monitor alarms sounding):

1. Evacuate all personnel from the area of the alarm.
2. Call one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.

Area Radiation Monitor Alarm

1. Evacuate all personnel from the area of the alarm.
2. Contact a member of the group running the accelerator in the area of the alarm and advise them that the alarm activated.
3. Confirm that all personnel evacuated the area of the alarm and secure the area by closing and interlocking the gates at the entrance(s) of the area in question.

Radioactive Material Spill

In the event of a release of radioactive material:

1. Evacuate all personnel from the laboratory and have them wait in a safe location until the radiation safety officer has released them.
2. Call one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.
3. Call the University Radiation Safety Officer: Ronald L. Bridges, Home 537-2885, Office 2-5856

Civil Disturbance

1. Call 911 as describe above.
2. Call one of the laboratory personnel on the above list.

Other Events

In the event of power failures, vacuum accidents, etc.:

1. Call the laboratory staff member responsible for the system in question.
2. IMPORTANT: In the event of a power failure, the university power plant should call the laboratory. If you take the call, you must insure that one of people responsible for power on the below list is notified immediately.
3. If you cannot make contact with the person primarily responsible for the system in question, attempt to contact other staff members on the list above. Many of the staff members have experience with systems outside their primary responsibility. If no other staff members are available, contact Kevin Carnes (Associate Director for Operations) at 776-0259 (home) or 2-2662 (office).

Last updated on Thursday, 12-Nov-2020

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