Slide 003: Emergency Response and Waste Disposal

Slide Visual

Slide Overview

This slide covers emergency response procedures for resin-related incidents and the proper methods for disposing of resin waste, contaminated IPA, and cleaning materials. Students must know these procedures before handling any resin — emergency response is time-critical and there is no opportunity to look up procedures during an incident.

Instruction Notes

Emergency Response Procedures

Skin Contact: 1. Remove contaminated gloves and clothing immediately 2. Wipe excess resin from skin with a dry paper towel FIRST (do not spread it) 3. Wash with soap and water for 2 minutes — do NOT use IPA on skin (it increases absorption) 4. If rash develops: report to supervisor, seek medical evaluation, document the resin product used 5. Monitor the area for 48 hours for delayed allergic reaction

Eye Contact: 1. Proceed immediately to the eyewash station (every resin lab MUST have one within 10 seconds walking distance) 2. Flush with clean water for minimum 15 minutes — hold eyelids open 3. Remove contact lenses if present (after starting flush) 4. Do NOT rub the eye 5. Seek medical attention — bring the SDS for the specific resin product 6. Time is critical: flushing must begin within 10 seconds of exposure

Inhalation: 1. Move to fresh air immediately 2. If breathing is difficult, call 911 3. If symptoms persist (headache, dizziness, nausea) after 15 minutes in fresh air, seek medical attention 4. Do not re-enter the area until ventilation is restored and verified

Resin Spill (<500mL): 1. Alert nearby personnel 2. Put on fresh nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and lab coat 3. Contain with absorbent pads (available in spill kit) 4. Absorb from outside edges inward 5. Clean surface with IPA, then soap and water 6. UV-cure all contaminated materials before disposal 7. Document the spill (location, volume, resin type, cause)

Waste Stream Management

Waste Type	Classification	Disposal Method
Uncured liquid resin	Hazardous — never drain	UV cure into solid, dispose as plastic
Used IPA (resin-contaminated)	Hazardous — never drain	UV cure dissolved resin, filter, IPA to solvent waste
Contaminated paper towels	Potentially hazardous	UV cure for 10 min, then regular waste
Used FEP film	Potentially hazardous	UV cure residue, then regular waste
Fully cured resin parts	Non-hazardous	Regular plastic waste (not recyclable)
Nitrile gloves (used)	Potentially hazardous	UV cure any visible resin, then regular waste
Empty resin bottles	Potentially hazardous	Rinse with IPA, UV cure residue, recycle if clean

IPA Recycling Process

Contaminated IPA can be recycled 2-3 times before replacement: 1. Pour used IPA into a clear/translucent container (glass preferred) 2. Place in direct sunlight or under a UV lamp for 4-8 hours 3. Dissolved resin polymerizes into visible solid particles/flakes 4. Filter through a 100-micron paint strainer or coffee filter 5. The filtered IPA can be reused for initial (dirty) wash cycles 6. Use fresh IPA for final (clean) wash cycles 7. When IPA becomes too contaminated to clean effectively (cloudy after filtering), dispose through solvent waste collection

Fire Emergency with IPA

IPA fires are Class B (flammable liquid) fires: - Use CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher (NOT water — water can spread the fire) - If the fire is in a container, a fire blanket or metal lid can smother it - IPA burns with a nearly invisible flame in bright light — use caution - Evacuate if the fire involves more than a small container

Key Talking Points

1. Emergency response for eye contact must begin within 10 seconds — practice finding and operating the eyewash station BEFORE an incident occurs
2. Never use IPA to clean resin from skin — it dissolves the resin and drives it deeper into your pores, increasing absorption
3. All resin waste must be UV-cured before disposal — liquid resin in the trash is an environmental and safety violation

Learning Objectives (Concept Check)

• [ ] Students can execute the correct emergency response for skin contact, eye contact, and inhalation
• [ ] Students can properly classify and dispose of each type of resin-related waste
• [ ] Students can describe the IPA recycling process and explain why IPA fires require Class B extinguishers

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Last Updated: 2026-03-19