Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
1
4.12 Unusual Occurrences: Operations
4.12.2 Hazardous Materials Spills (Revised : 7/18/18)
All unknown substances are to be treated as a potential hazardous material. UCPD's
responsibility in the event of a potential hazardous material spill is to make the appropriate
notifications and to contain the scene.
A. Officers or departmental personnel shall not become involved with the clean -up of any
substance.
B. Whenever possible, a minim um of two officers shall respond to an emergency spill.
1. The primary goal of officers responding to such a report is the protection of life
and property and the containment of any threat. This responsibility includes the
officer's protection. Officers should not enter any area where there is an
immediate threat to them.
2. Officers arriving at the scene of the spill or suspected spill should eval uate
the scene for the following and relay the information to the ECC:
a. Immediate threats to life
b. Source of contamination and the materials involved (if possible)
c. Injuries or immediate threat of injury
d. Methods of confining the hazard through cl osure of windows, doors or
other means.
3. Officers shall identify an immediate evacu ation route with an identified safe area
for evacuees.
C. Dispatchers shall:
1. Provide as much information as possible to responding officers
2. Immediately notify EHS and the Watch Commander
3. Begin an event log for suspec ted, hazardous spill situations.
a. The log will include the name of personnel involved and assigned, date
and time of each radio transmission, phone call or any other
communica tion, verbal or written, related to the incident.
b. The log will include notification times for all responding units,
departments or agencies involved
c. The event log shall be assigned the same number as the original case
report and shall be attached to the report.
d. Copies of the event log shall be routed to the:
(1) Chief of Police
(2) FSD Captain
(3) Communications s upervisor
(4) On-duty Watch Commander .
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
2
4. Threats involving airborne toxins require notification of the following
agencies:
a. SFFD Ha zardous Materials Team
b. UCSF Emergency Room personnel
c. Paramedic ambulance (standby)
d. UCSF EHS personnel
e. Chief of Police
f. Duty Command Officer.
D. The Watch Commander or senior officer on the scene shall coordinate with other units ,
such as EHS, SFFD and any other concerned responders.
1. The Watch Commander or senior officer on the scene shall brief the Chief of
Police upon the conclusion of the emergency or in the event that there are injuries,
extensive damage or life -continuing t hreats.
E. All personnel exposed shall receive medical evaluation and release before returning to
duty status.
F. Upon conclusion of the event, the Watch Commander or senior officer on the scene shall
prepare a written report outlining the event, attach a copy of the event log and the original
case to the report and forwar d a copy to the Chief of Police and FSD Captain.