Paramedics treat man after acid leak at BlueScope Steel, Port Kembla

Hydrochloric and nitric acids leaked in a lab, and it prompted an immediate evacuation and emergency response at Steelhaven, at around 10.30am on Wednesday, September 6.

Specialist HAZMAT firefighters and paramedics rushed to the facility, located off Five Islands Road, and a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said a man was treated at the scene.

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Paramedics were still at the site at 1pm treating the man, however no further details were available on injuries he received.

A BlueScope Steel spokesman said only a "handful of people" work in the area where the emergency occurred.

"A slight fume was detected from a small waste receptacle at a research laboratory on our Steelhaven site. This led to a precautionary evacuation of that building," he said.

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"There were no injuries and emergency services were notified, as per our protocol, to ventilate and clear the building for employees to return."

A SafeWork NSW spokesman said it is: "investigating an incident involving hazardous chemicals at an industrial facility at Port Kembla".

"No further comment is available at this time," he said.

The BlueScope spokesman said Steelhaven is a non-operational area outside of Port Kembla Steelworks.

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