Mercury Spills and Cleanup Procedures Prepared by: Sarah Neumann Date: 03/08/04 Mercury Health Hazards Elemental mercury is extremely toxic to the body in high and low doses and can enter the body via ingestion, inhalation and dermal exposure Depending on the type of exposure, the target organ(s) may vary Ex: inhalation of mercury vapors can lead to brain and neural toxicity Metallic mercury slowly evaporates when exposed to the air. The air in a room can reach contamination levels just from the mercury in a broken thermometer This is why all mercury spills, regardless of quantity, should be treated seriously Westchester County Law States that it is unlawful for the following to occur: buying or selling mercury thermometers, barometers or thermostats possessing a mercury gauge manometer, which measures gas pressure This law went into effect on March 31, 2002 Types of Spill Kits There are different types of mercury spill kits available to you on campus (pictured below) Types of Spill Kits (cont.) There are 2 most commonly used kits on campus: #1 = Sponge Kit #2 = Absorbent Materials Kit Mercury Spills What You Can Do If a spill occurs, the following action is to be taken: Immediately notify your PI and co-workers of the spill and isolate the area Mercury evaporates at room temperature, so ventilate the area to reduce the amount of vapors in the air Contact Security at x4226 and notify them of the spill; Security will notify EHS Mercury Spills What You Can Do (Continued) EHS will be notified by Security and respond to the site with an appropriate spill kit: EHS will instruct lab personnel on how to properly clean up the spill and assist if necessary Gloves, eye protection and a lab coat must be worn when cleaning up a mercury spill Follow the directions included with each spill kit to ensure a thorough clean up of the spill When the spill has been completely cleaned up, EHS will take the waste and dispose of it properly In Conclusion Use extreme care and wear proper PPE, including a lab coat, gloves and safety goggles when handling mercury or mercury containing devices Replace any mercury-containing devices with safe alternatives If a spill occurs: Notify PI and coworkers Isolate the area and ventilate Call Security at x4226 Clean up contaminated area Contact EHS to properly dispose of waste