01
DO THIS NOW
Immediate actions
- 1
Stop work and avoid skin, eye and inhalation exposure.
- 2
Raise the alarm and notify the Control Room.
- 3
Move upwind or crosswind and isolate the area.
- 4
Call Triple Zero (000) for a significant release, fire, vapour cloud or injured/exposed person.
- 5
Identify the affected equipment and product from a safe location.
- 6
Use the SDS, spill kit and PPE only if the response is assigned, trained, authorised and safe.
02
RECOGNISE
Signs and triggers
- Leaking liquid, droplets, residue, vapour or unusual chemical odour
- Damaged, leaking, overheated or swollen battery equipment
- Eye, skin or breathing irritation
- Spill entering soil, drains or waterways
!
DO NOT
Actions that increase the risk
- Do not touch, smell closely, inhale or walk through the release.
- Do not assume electrolyte composition or neutralisation method.
- Do not hose material into drains or the environment.
- Do not use an unverified absorbent, PPE or cleanup method.
- Do not re-enter until the atmosphere and area are declared safe.
03
SUPPORTING RESPONSE
Role-based actions
Person discovering the release
- Withdraw, warn others and communicate the exact location.
- If exposed, move to safety and follow the SDS/first-aid direction without delaying 000 for serious symptoms.
Control Room / incident controller
- Identify the equipment, SDS and affected drainage or exposure pathways.
- Establish exclusion, accountability and required internal/environmental escalation.
Trained spill / hazmat response
- Use substance-specific PPE, containment and decontamination controls.
- Collect waste and residue under the approved disposal procedure.
04
EMERGENCY-SERVICES HANDOVER
Information to provide
- Exact location, equipment ID and estimated extent
- Product or battery chemistry and current SDS
- Observed vapour, odour, heat, fire or reaction
- People exposed, symptoms and decontamination started
- Drains, soil, water or adjacent equipment threatened
- Isolation, ventilation and containment actions already taken
05
WHEN THE IMMEDIATE DANGER HAS PASSED
Recovery and reporting
- Keep the area isolated until decontamination and atmospheric checks are complete.
- Arrange medical review for exposure as directed by the SDS and health professionals.
- Retain contaminated materials as controlled waste.
- Complete environmental and regulatory notifications required by the approved plan.
- Review spill controls, SDS availability and emergency supplies.
Approved reference sources
This draft must be checked against the site emergency plan, OEM procedures, SDS, local law and emergency-service direction.
Safe Work Australia — Emergency plans and procedures↗Safe Work Australia — Safety data sheets↗Fire and Rescue NSW — Hazardous materials at work↗