If broken mercury thermometer: what to do and how to clean up the mercury in the house or apartment

Mercury thermometer - a device that is in almost every home, with the help of which you can see exactly what the temperature in humans. It is more accurate than an electronic thermometer and is much cheaper. But its only drawback is that it is dangerous in case of violation of integrity. It is therefore important to know what to do, if broken mercury thermometer in the room.

The main danger

Mercury thermometer in the apartment should be kept in a special carrying case, out of the reach of children.

The contents of the thermometer is a liquid metal, its evaporation is very toxic in the house is very dangerous. Mercury is considered to be the first class of hazardous substances, so mercury thermometers are prohibited in many countries.

Wherein dangerous not only mercuryBut its inorganic compounds that are in the thermometer.

Just one gram of mercury is enough to poison the body.

If the thermometer has broken in the apartment, the mercury balls because of their mobility can get into the most distant corners of the house, fabrics or slots, where they will be difficult to remove. Balls evaporate toxic fumes that have on the body adversely affected.

The vaporization temperature of a harmful substance when the thermometer is broken, is 18 degrees, there can themselves evaporate the body mainly through the lungs, if the leak was too large, poisoning can occur through the skin and mucous.

symptoms of poisoning

If you crashed into apartment mercury thermometerAnd the consequences of not quickly removed, there is a risk of poisoning vapors. Acute poisoning can be identified by symptoms such:

• headache;
• bleeding gums;
• weakness;
• nausea;
• pain when swallowing;
• metallic taste;
• strong salivation;
• drowsiness;
• dizziness;
• vomiting;
• chills;
• diarrhea.

If poisoning case is heavy, it can be observed shortness of breath, fever, cough and heart problems.

With increasing concentration of the substance in the body of the sending symptoms worsen. About chronic mercury poisoning can indicate the following features:

• insomnia;
• migraine;
• neurological disorders;
• tremor of the whole body or individual parts;
• kidney problems;
• loss of appetite;
• fatigue;
• irritation.

First aid

poisoning treatment takes place in a hospital, but if broken thermometer in the room, and a man appeared symptoms of intoxication, it is possible to provide such types of assistance:

• wash out the stomach;
• give much to drink;
• give activated charcoal;
• provide rest;
• ventilate the room;
• provoke vomiting.

With the loss of human consciousness is laid on its side, the apartment also airs and making sure not to sink language.

Minimizing risks

To minimize the risk of poisoning, should follow these preventive measures:

• If the apartment is small children, you need to keep the thermometer as far as possible from them and not give them in hand, it is better to use an electronic thermometer;
• the churning of indicators should make sure that next to no hard objects, because of which the thermometer may be broken;
• if he crashed, you need to strictly comply with all recommendations for the removal of mercury from the surface;
• broken thermometer must be disposed of properly;
• stored in a special case.

If broken thermometer

When the house is broken mercury thermometer, it is best to refer to the MOE, but if this is not possible, you have to perform on the "hot pursuit" such actions:

• to remain calm and act according to the instructions;
• withdraw from the house or apartment of humans and animals, Which not only can be poisoned, but also to transfer the remains of the contents of the thermometer across the room;
• limited spaceWhere the thermometer was broken;
• in cold weather, open the windows, Low temperature in the room will reduce the degree of mercury vaporization;
• prevent draftsThat the balls do not spread throughout the house;
• to avoid poisoning worn cotton-gauze treated in water or soda solution. Mercury only collect balls rubber gloves;
• not to step on the balls and fragments of the thermometer;
• after cleaning drink a lot and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. You can take activated charcoal;
• clothing and other items, which are involved in the mercury cleaning, you need to collect after its completion in a separate bag and dispose.

gathering mercury

Remove mercury from a broken thermometer need from the periphery to the center of the lesion. Care must be taken to highlight the place of mercury spread, the light should fall on the side that you can see even the smallest particles.

You need to remove mercury by such devices:

• a soft brush;
• flashlight;
• container with cold water or with a solution of potassium permanganate;
• rags;
• foil;
• disposable syringe with a thick needle;
• wet paper;
• rubber gloves;
• gauze bandage.

The algorithm in the collection of mercury in the room is:

• put on a bandage and gloves;
• Small balls to roll paper to each other, so that they merge into one ball;
• dip or brush wool potassium permanganate in the mercury ball and move in water or potassium permanganate. Because mercury is heavier than water, it will settle on the bottom and some time will not evaporate;
• the smallest portion of the mercury to collect gently with tape or a sticky plaster and put in a container;
• using a flashlight to identify balls in crevices and other inconspicuous locations;
• extract of slits mercury syringe;
• with tightly closed doors to ventilate the room;
• a place where the thermometer has broken, wipe the potassium permanganate or bleach solution. Another embodiment - based solution, hot water, soap and soda.

If the mercury does not get collected quickly, you have to cover it with a wet cloth to slow the evaporation process. And if the cleaning takes a long time, then, to avoid poisoning, you should take a break every 10 minutes and to go out into the street.

After contact with the mercury in the slot on the floor it should be sprinkled with sand, and then sweep the brush with the balls.

If the thermometer is broken on the wooden floor, where a lot of cracks, the coating must be replaced. Also, replacement of the coating is required and when the mercury falls under the plinth.

For disinfection of wood or metal surfaces to be treated brown solution of potassium permanganate or white. In this case, a compound become harmless for humans. These formulations can be sprayed spray or pour directly into the slot. Rinse with them just do not need, it is necessary to leave for a few days, and then rinse with clean water. Ventilate the room, but avoid drafts. While the capacity of mercury is not utilized, it should be stored in a non-residential area, away from heat sources.

carpet Cleaning

When the mercury balls fall on the fuzzy surface of the carpet, it is best to dispose of it, at the same time it should be done the right way.

If you can not do this, then the sequence of actions is as follows:

• collect balls to the maximum;
• carpet wrapped in polythene and make out of the apartment, you need to fold it to the center from the edges to the mercury has not spread in the room;
• directly above the film gently knock the carpet, making it as far away from residential buildings, and then collect the mercury;
• ventilate carpet outside about 3 hours;
• house heat-treated solution of potassium permanganate, soda or white.

Remove mercury balls from the carpet is very hard with his hands, it is better for it to invite specialists. It is desirable to do as quickly as possible after it crashed thermometer.

The child broke the thermometer

If the thermometer is accidentally breaks a child, it can be a great danger for him. If this happens, you can not scream at him, or else the next time he just did not tell about his gaffes, and the mercury will poison all the inhabitants of the apartment.

If you are unable to establish the exact time when the child broke a thermometer, it is best to resort to professional help, they will be able to determine the degree of evaporation, and sanitized apartment.

If this is not possible, it is necessary so to do:

• carefully examine the baby's skin and hair, which can be ingested mercury balls - they need to accurately extract;
• If a child swallows mercury need to induce vomiting, but if it is swallowed broken glass, then this can not be done, the glass can injure the esophagus;
• remove the clothes in which he was in contact with mercury;
• to bring a child into the street in front of it to give to drink activated charcoal;
• room inspect and remove mercury;
• preferably several days did not go to the room and infected all the time to keep it in a ventilated condition;
• using chlorine-containing agents to wash the floors in the whole house;
• you need to drink plenty of fluids.

Do not worry if the baby accidentally swallowed mercury, since it is practically not absorbed in the liquid state. But show it to your doctor will still need to identify whether it is swallowed, and pieces of glass.

Don'ts

When broken thermometer, you should not do the following:

• sweeping broom mercury balls, rods because only mercury is ground and it starts to evaporate more rapidly;
• use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning, as strong flow of hot air toxic fumes will spread throughout the apartment, and very quickly;
• collect mercury with a cloth, otherwise it can be a grind on the floor;
• dispose of mercury and items for its assembly on the street;
• throw it in the garbage disposal, since the concentration of toxic vapors in an enclosed space will only increase;
• wash beads in the sewer, because the settling on the tubes of mercury can poison people around the home;
• burning or burying mercury;
• open house doors and windows until the entire collection of mercury, because the air will rapidly move balls;
• wash the clothes in which you are in contact with the mercury in a washing machine;
• include air conditioning.

disposal regulations

The thermometer, after he crashed, you should give arrived at the scene of SES representatives or MOEBut they are such claims do not always respond.

It can also be attributed to a recycling of wasteBut such items is not everywhere. In this case, to start mercury should be packed in a sealed container and take it as far as possible from residential areas (Preferably in a landfill), and it is recommended that there bury. In the same way you need to get rid of the clothes in which you are in contact with the mercury, it pre-cut into pieces.

Naturally, this object is better not to break than to get rid of the consequences of this event. But if the thermometer is still broken, you need to properly collect the toxic substances and the right way to dispose of them so they could not do any harm.

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