Since childhood we have been taught that a broken thermometer is a catastrophe in the scale of an apartment. Later this idea appears less and less in our head, and when the thermometer crashed at home, nobody knows what to do. So, let's analyze the plan of action in this situation.
The mercury thermometer broke: the consequences
Mercury vapor is very dangerous. At first, it is difficult to recognize poisoning, because its symptoms are very familiar to all workaholics. Persistent headaches, fatigue, nausea or irritability. All these symptoms, we immediately do not notice in the modern rhythm of life. But the consequences after the thermometer broke down can be very deplorable: couples negatively affect the central nervous system of the person and the kidneys. So it is necessary to act quickly and deliberately.
After you give the remnants of the thermometer to the competent authorities, you need to process the room. Prepare a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate or a soap-soda solution. For its preparation, mix 30 g of soda and 40 g of soap, all dilute in a liter of water. All the places that were close to the spot of the mercury spot must be carefully treated with the prepared solution. After a couple of days, the solution is washed off the surfaces.
How to remove a broken thermometer?
Be sure to open the window in the room where you broke the thermometer. Do not allow a draft! Close the doors tightly so that the air does not get into the apartment. Keep in mind that mercury is easily spread on the soles, sticks to the surfaces.
Before collecting mercury, it is necessary to wear:
- latex gloves. Avoid contact with skin;
- packages of polyethylene to the feet. When you collect everything, droplets of mercury can stick to your feet, which is why you just remove the bags and put them together in one common;
- cotton-gauze bandage on the face. In order not to inhale with mercury vapor, pre-soak the mask with a solution of soda or pure water.
Collect mercury very carefully. Put all the fragments from the thermometer into a glass jar with cold water. Water will prevent the evaporation of mercury in the can.
What if the thermometer broke and there are many small droplets of mercury on the floor? They can be collected using the following devices:
- syringe;
- rubber pear;
- patch;
- a wet newspaper or a piece of cotton wool;
- adhesive tape or clay;
- Brushes for drawing or shaving.
Be sure to look through all the cracks and corners. Use a syringe with a thick needle or a pear for these purposes.
If you suspect getting mercury under the baseboard or parquet, they must be removed and checked. In the event that you have to collect mercury for a long time, take a break every 15 minutes and breathe fresh air.
The place where the thermometer broke is necessarily illuminated with a flashlight. At a short distance you can put a table lamp. The light should fall on the mercury spot on the side. So all the silvery drops will be visible and you will not miss them.
Never dispose of collected metal in a refuse chute or sewage system. It does not matter where mercury gets afterwards,
Where to call if the thermometer broke?
Before you start collecting mercury around the room, be sure to report the incident to the competent services. Where can I call if the thermometer broke? There are special institutions that deal with the elimination of the consequences of this incident. The first service, where you need to go, if the thermometer is broken is the Ministry of Emergency Situations. According to a phone known from childhood, it is necessary to call and get advice on actions on the spot.