Prepare for New Rules for Methylene Chloride use in Georgia Tech Laboratories

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a new rule for methylene chloride (also known as dichloromethane) for worker safety and public and environmental protection. The required actions and timelines to comply with the new rule are described below. The new EPA rule is in addition to existing Washington State Department of Labor & Industries rules for workplace safety.

Hazardous Spill Response Report

Late one evening, the EH&S On-Call Number received an urgent call about a loud bang and a chemical spill involving an unidentified substance. Upon arriving at the scene, our Hazardous Materials Specialist found broken glass bottles and debris scattered across the floor, within the chemical fume hood, and throughout the laboratory. The sash of the chemical fume hood was visibly cracked along its length, and a computer screen had also been shattered.