How To Properly Handle A Hazardous Drug Spill
Many healthcare facilities, especially hospitals, compounding pharmacies, and treatment centers, will eventually experience a spill of hazardous drugs, such as chemotherapy drugs, at their facility. Healthcare facilities are required to have Hazardous Drug Spill Kits in case of spills involving hazardous drugs. Hazardous drugs are considered any agent or drug, excluding hormonal agents, that are intended to kill or damage cells. For example, chemotherapy drugs. When these hazardous drugs spill, they can be very harmful to people as there is no safe limit for drug exposure.
Hazardous Drug spill kits are required to contain several items to keep the person cleaning the spill safe, as well as equipment to contain and clean up the spill. Personal protective equipment (PPE) items in a spill kit include gloves, a gown, eye protection, a respirator, and shoe covers to protect the person cleaning the spill. Other equipment needed for the spill kit are spill towels, a chemo waste bag, a chemo spill sign, absorbent pads or spill solidifier, a scoop and scraper, and a spill report form.
How to Properly Handle a Chemotherapy Spill
Spills involving hazardous drugs pose serious risks to healthcare workers, patients, and the environment. At Safetec of America, we understand the gravity of these incidents. That’s why our streamlined USP <800> compliant approach equips professionals with the safest and most effective tools available — including our Hazardous Drug Spill Kit and Surface Safe™ wipes.
🧤 Step 1: Recognize and Secure
Immediately alert the area, restrict access, and don appropriate PPE—gloves, gown, face shield, and shoe covers.
Utilize the yellow biohazard warning signage included in the Safetec Hazardous Drug Spill Kit to keep bystanders safe.
💧 Step 2: Contain and Absorb
Sprinkle Green‑Z® solidifier (included in the kit) to absorb liquids and thicken hazardous spills for safe removal.
Use the scoop and scraper to collect the hardened mass and place it in a chemotherapy waste bag.
🧼 Step 3: Deactivate and Decontaminate
Once the bulk spill is removed, thoroughly clean and decontaminate the surface using Surface Safe™ wipes. These specialized wipes:
Start with a sodium hypochlorite blend to break down the residue from chemotherapy.
Follow with sodium thiosulfate to neutralize the remaining bleach.
Surface Safe™ meets USP <800> standards and is lab-tested to ensure efficacy on hazardous drug residues.
🔁 Step 4: Disinfect Final Layer
For final sanitizing, consider adding SaniZide Pro 1® wipes — an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant with one-minute kill-time efficiency.
✅ Step 5: Dispose and Report
Seal all waste in labeled chemotherapy bags.
Follow your institution’s protocols for disposing of biohazards.
Document the incident in accordance with OSHA and USP <800> regulations.
Why This Combination Works
Product: Chemotherapy Spill Kit | Role: Immediate response | Key Benefit: Includes PPE, solidifier, and tools to contain and collect spills safely
Product: Surface Safe™ Wipes | Role: Deactivation | Key Benefit: Break down and neutralize residual hazardous drug agents
Product: SaniZide Pro 1® Wipes | Role: Disinfection | Key Benefit: One-step hospital-grade efficacy to complete the cleanup
💡 Pro Tips for Healthcare Teams
Conduct routine training drills (e.g., monthly or quarterly) using these products.
Ensure posted protocols include surface deactivation, as required by USP <800>, not just spill containment.
Maintain adequate supplies: one spill kit per area where hazardous drugs are handled, and surface decontaminant wipes are accessible near workstations.
Learn more about our Hazardous Drugs kit in this blog: Read Now
About Safetec of America
For over 30 years, Safetec has been a leading manufacturer of first aid, infection control, and over-the-counter products. Located in Buffalo, N.Y., all our products are manufactured and distributed by us in our state-of-the-art FDA regulated facilities.
We first entered the infection control industry with Red Z®, our flagship product, to aid in protecting against infection during the AIDS epidemic. Since then, we have expanded our manufacturing capabilities and offer five product lines of various products. www.safetec.com