More than 150 staff were evacuated from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary yesterday after a chemical spill.

A container of formaldehyde, which is used to preserve specimens, overturned in a pathology laboratory on the third floor of the link building between the hospital and the medical school.

A spokesman said that no patients were involved and there were no injuries, but 150 staff were evacuated for less than an hour while Grampian Fire and Rescue decontaminated the area. Formaldehyde can be toxic, allergenic and is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organisation, has designated formaldehyde as a known cause of some types of throat and nasal cancer as a result of occupational exposure.

Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes. If inhaled, it may cause headaches, a burning sensation in the throat and difficulty breathing, and can also trigger or aggravate asthma.