Laboratory emergency response: A case study of the response to a 32P contamination incident

Most laboratory spills and accidents are small in scope and have minimal consequences. Occasionally, such incidents have larger ramifications and require an institutional response. This article describes a large contamination incident and addresses factors such as identifying the scope of the incident, developing an action plan, mobilizing resources, dealing with the media, and communication issues. While the details apply to a radiation contamination incident, the principles discussed in this article also apply to chemical and biological contamination incidents.