Other Emergency Situations

Would you know what to do in the event of an intrusion, explosion, or earthquake? For your own safety and the safety of those around you, find out what to in the following emergency situations.

First aid and injuries | Structural damage or collapse | Explosion | Gas leak (suspicious odour) | Fire | Flood or severe water damage | Hazardous material spill | Earthquake | Violence and threats | Intrusion | Vandalism | Major technical issue | Animal at large | Confinement breach | Gammacell alarm | Demonstration

First aid and injuries

• Your research centre’s first aid team can treat minor injuries.
• For medical emergencies and more serious injuries, call an ambulance.
• All injuries and medical emergencies, even if they are minor, must be reported to avoid possible complications.

For all emergencies, including minor ones:

Go to a safe place and call Security for immediate assistance. Wait for help to arrive. You’ll need to provide the following information:

• Where the incident happened (building, room)
• Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
• How many people are injured

If you call 911 right away, it is important to call research centre Security afterward to ensure emergency responders are directed to the right place and to get help before the ambulance arrives.

If you are with the victim:

• Stay with the person and provide reassurance while you wait for help to arrive
• Do not move the person
• If possible, send someone to the entrance to direct the responders

Structural damage or collapse

If you see, or are injured in, a structural collapse:

• Do not use anything that could produce a spark in the area of the collapse (cell phone, electrical switch or device, manual fire alarm, etc.).
• Evacuate and go to the nearest meeting point.
• Call Security from a safe location to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Location of the collapse (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Whether there are injuries

Explosion

If you see, or are injured in, an explosion:

• Do not use anything that could produce a spark in the area of the explosion (cell phone, electrical switch or device, manual fire alarm, etc.).
• Evacuate and go to the nearest meeting point.
• Call Security from a safe location to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Location (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Whether there are injuries

Gas leak (suspicious odour)

If you detect, or are injured in, a gas leak:

• Do not use anything that could produce a spark in the area of the suspicious odour (cell phone, electrical switch or device, manual fire alarm, etc.).
• Extinguish any flames or other non-electric ignition sources.
• Notify everyone in the immediate area.
• Close the doors and do not let anyone enter.
• Evacuate and go to the nearest meeting point. If conditions allow and if it won’t take too long, evacuate from the side opposite the source of the odour.

Call Security from a safe location to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:

• The location of the suspicious odour (building, room)
• Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
• Whether there are injuries

Fire

Be proactive and know where the extinguishers, alarms, and emergency exits are so you can be ready if there is a fire.

If you notice a fire (smoke and/or flames):

If you notice a fire (smoke and/or flames):

• Pull the manual fire alarm to sound the alert.
• Call Security from a safe location to report the fire.

When you hear the alarm or if you are ordered to evacuate:

• Evacuate quickly but calmly.
• Do not run.
• Do not go back to your work station for any personal belongings.
• Leave the building via the nearest emergency exit.

If you can do so safely:

• Évacuez toute personne située à proximité du foyer d’incendie.

• Evacuate everyone in the vicinity of the fire.
• If applicable, turn off any ventilation devices (chemical fume hood, biological safety cabinet, etc.) and lab equipment (hotplate, oven, gas cylinder, etc.) and leave the room, closing the door behind you.
• Use a portable extinguisher to put the fire out. Only use one extinguisher. If the fire is still burning, leave the area immediately.

Make sure the exit route is clear before going out into a hallway or using the stairs.

• Is the door hot when you touch it with the back of your hand?
• Is there heat coming from the stairwell or hallway?
• Is there smoke or an odour of gas?
• Is your exit route flooded?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” make your way to a different emergency exit.

If you find yourself in an area with a lot of smoke, crouch down or crawl.

• Go immediately to the nearest meeting point.
• Wait there until the safety patrol officer gives the all clear to go back in the building.

If you cannot evacuate safely:

• Crouch down so you are not breathing in smoke or toxic gases
• Shelter in an enclosed space
• Close all the doors and windows. Open doors and windows can create drafts that carry smoke and toxic gases into the room
• Seal any spaces around the doors
• Go to the window (if there is one) to let someone know you are there

Flood or severe water damage

In the event of a flood or severe water damage:

• Do not touch anything electrical, whether or not it is turned on (computer, switch, etc.). There is a risk of electrocution.
• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • The location of the flood or water damage (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached

Tell others not to touch anything and to leave the area.

If possible, block off the flooded area by closing the door and sealing the space underneath the door to stop the spread of water.

Hazardous material spill

If you see or are the victim of a hazardous material spill:

• Do not use anything that could produce a spark in the area of the spill (cell phone, electrical switch or device, manual fire alarm, etc.).
• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Location of the spill (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Type of spill
  • Whether there are injuries
• Notify everyone in the area.

If there is a risk of spilled liquid running into a drain, block the drain if it is safe to do so.

If necessary, close the doors to prevent access to the room where the spill occurred.

Be ready to tell responders what was spilled and how it happened.

Earthquake

If you are indoors:

• Stay inside
• Shelter under a heavy piece of furniture, such as a table, desk, or other sturdy object
• For the best protection, hold on tightly to the object you are sheltering under
• Cover your head and torso to protect yourself against falling objects

Things to avoid:

• Do not shelter in a doorway. In newer buildings, they are not strong enough to protect you, and you could get hit by debris.
  • If there is no furniture you can shelter under, crouch down against an interior wall or in a corner
  • Stay away from windows and shelves with heavy objects
  • Keep your back towards any windows

If you are outdoors:

• Stay outside
• Go to an open space away from any buildings
• If you are in a busy public place, shelter where you won’t get trampled

Si vous êtes dans un endroit public achalandé, réfugiez-vous dans un endroit où vous ne serez pas piétiné.

Violence and threats

If you are assaulted or if you witness an assault:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Where the assault happened (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Description of the assailant

If you call 911 right away, it is important to call research centre Security afterward to ensure emergency responders are directed to the right place and to get help quickly.

Intrusion

If you witness an intrusion:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Where the intrusion is taking place
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Description of the intruder

Vandalism

If you witness vandalism:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Where the vandalism is taking place (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Description of the perpetrator

Major technical issue

From an emergency measures perspective, a technical issue is defined as a situation that can have significant negative effects on the health and safety of occupants and on property and equipment in the area (e.g., a major power outage or an elevator malfunction when the elevator is occupied, etc.).

If you see a technical issue:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Location of the issue
  • A brief description
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached

Animal at large

If you witness an abnormal situation involving an animal:

• Go to a safe place.
• Close the doors.
• Call Security at your research centre for immediate assistance and wait for help to arrive. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Where you saw the animal (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Whether there are injuries

Confinement breach

If you have knowledge of a confinement breach:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Location (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached

Notify everyone in the immediate area .

Gammacell alarm

If you hear a Gammacell alert:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Location of the alarm (building, room)
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached

Notify everyone in the immediate area.

Demonstration

Si vIf you see a demonstration:

• Go to a safe place.
• Call Security at your research centre to report the incident. You’ll need to provide the following information:
  • Where the demonstration is taking place
  • Your name and a telephone number where you can be reached
  • Description of the situation