Thermometer crashed - what to do?

Most people use mercury thermometers to measure body temperature. If the thermometer crashed - what should I do? It is necessary to have information on the algorithm of actions in such situations, because mercury is far from a harmless substance - this chemical element is dangerous to health.

Its pairs can cause severe poisoning. Most countries of the world have already abandoned this type of thermometers. We still cannot get used to alternative temperature measuring devices, and we continue to use such unsafe thermometers. If mercury is so dangerous to health, why is it used in thermometers? It is all about the unique properties of mercury that make mercury thermometers the most accurate.

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Useful properties of mercury:

• It reacts very quickly to temperature changes and provides the necessary data about it.
• Mercury has a low freezing point and a high melting point. Therefore, such a thermometer accurately measures the temperature even in extreme conditions.
• When mercury is placed in a glass shell, it does not lose its properties with respect to the reaction to an increase in temperature.
• Mercury has a high density. Due to this, the mercury column fixes the measured temperature and even after some time does not change the measurement indicator.
• Uniform expansion. No matter how many times in a row you measure the temperature, this thermometer will be just as accurate.

Important! With all its merits, usually a mercury scale is placed in a glass flask of a household thermometer. It is easily broken if, inadvertently, the device hits the table or other hard objects, or if it is dropped on the floor. That is why you need to know what to do if a mercury thermometer crashes.

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Why is mercury dangerous?

Mercury is a class of extremely harmful substances in the classification of such substances - this is the first hazard class. Mercury itself is not as dangerous as its vapor, and it begins to evaporate already at 18 C.

Due to its physical properties, upon impact, this liquid metal is divided into many small spherical droplets, which are randomly distributed in the room. They can easily penetrate into cracks and cracks in the floors, roll into a corner of the room, under furniture, from where it will be difficult to get them. Evaporating, these droplets will poison the air in the room we breathe. When the total volume of mercury is evaporated from a thermometer, its vapor can exceed the maximum permissible concentration by more than 2 million times.

Interesting fact: Mercury vapor toxicity has been known for a very long time. There is an old English proverb: "mad as a hatter." And this is by no means a metaphor. Indeed, in the manufacture of hat material - felt, in the old days they used mercury compounds. When working with felt, the hatter constantly inhaled mercury vapor, which caused disturbances in his body.

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What is the risk of mercury vapor poisoning?

The first signs of mercury vapor poisoning are:

• General weakness, fatigue, drowsiness;
• Headache attacks;
• Irritability;
• Nausea and loss of appetite;
• Dizziness;
• Increased sweating;
• Trembling limbs.

Important! 80% of mercury vapor enters the human body through the lungs.With the intensive evaporation of a large amount of metal, vapors also penetrate the mucous membranes and pores of the skin.

In acute poisoning, the following symptoms are added:

• Metallic taste in the mouth;
• Runny nose
• Pain when swallowing;
• Bleeding gums;
• Fever;
• Indigestion: frequent loose stools.

After a couple of days follow: impaired renal function, instability of blood pressure, impaired central nervous system. Poisoning can also be fatal.

Important! Acute poisoning manifests itself after a couple of hours, and chronic poisoning can manifest itself only after 2-3 years.

Given all these facts and the popularity of such devices in everyday life, everyone needs to know what to do if a mercury thermometer crashes. But for starters, we’ll consider something that cannot be categorically done in such a situation.

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The thermometer crashed. What can not be done!

1. In no case can you collect mercury balls with a broom and dustpan, as well as a vacuum cleaner. Thus, you will only help mercury evaporate faster. Mercury also, getting into the vacuum cleaner, remains on its internal parts. In subsequent work, the vacuum cleaner will spray mercury vapor in the house. How to collect mercury correctly, we will discuss a little later.
2. Do not throw collected mercury into the trash bin, garbage chute, to the street, or flush it in the toilet.
3. Do not open windows and doors in a room before all mercury has been collected. The flow of air will only accelerate the evaporation process, and can also move balls of mercury from place to place.
4. Clothing that has come into contact with toxic material must not be washed in a washing machine. It must be folded into a bag, tied tightly and discarded.

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What to do if a thermometer crashes?

Even if you have to practice studying the question of what to do if a mercury thermometer crashes, do not panic. Get together.

Act clearly and quickly:

1. Take children, elderly people and animals out of the room. Close the door tightly.
2. If the outside temperature is lower than in the room, you can open the window so that the mercury does not evaporate so quickly. But be careful, because drafts are contraindicated in such situations. Therefore, make sure that no one opens the door.
3. Put shoe covers or plastic bags on your feet. In no case should mercury get on your shoes and then spread around the house.

Important! If mercury still got on the sole, then it must be thoroughly treated with a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate.

4. Put rubber gloves on your hands. Remember that mercury can be absorbed through the skin.
5. Protect your respiratory system with a respirator.

Important! If you don’t have a respirator at home, make a mask yourself! Roll gauze in several layers, soak it with water and fix with two medical masks. It should be such a “sandwich” with gauze in the middle. This way you protect your respiratory system from toxic fumes.

6. Prepare a glass jar of cold water that can be tightly closed with a lid. You can replace the water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is where you will put the collected mercury balls.

How to collect mercury from a broken thermometer:

• Scotch. With the help of adhesive tape you can easily collect its droplets without touching a toxic metal. Place the tape with the mercury balls immediately in a jar of water.
• You can use a syringe or syringe. They will perfectly collect liquid metal. Also place the collected drops in a jar of water.
• A wet newspaper or wet cotton swab can also help in this matter.
• Brushes for painting or shaving. With their help, you can gently drive a drop onto a wet newspaper.
• Sprinkle small drops that have flowed into the cracks with sand. Then, using a small brush, the ball can be reached.
• After collecting mercury, wash the floor and surfaces where mercury could have been, with a soap solution with soda (40 g of soap and 50 g of soda per 1 liter of water). A solution of bleach or potassium permanganate will also be effective.Any chlorine bleach can also be used for the solution: 100 ml of bleach and 800 ml of water.
• After cleaning, ventilate the room for at least 2-3 hours.
• Be sure to call the Ministry of Emergencies and find out their nearest unit. The collected mercury will need to be taken there.

Important! If the mercury thermometer crashed on the carpet, then it is best to get rid of it. Carefully roll it up, wrap it with tape and find out what to do next with it by phone of the Ministry of Emergencies. Remember: no carpet is worth your health.

• Collect all the things with which you did the cleaning: syringes, syringes, a mask, rubber gloves, a floor rag, etc. Place them in a plastic bag and close tightly. Take these things to the Ministry of Emergencies.

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Actions after mercury removal:

1. Rinse your mouth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Brush your teeth.
3. Drink a couple of tablets of activated carbon.
4. Try to drink as much fluid as possible (preferably diuretic - coffee, tea, juices), as mercury vapor is excreted through the kidneys.

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Actions to avoid unpleasant situations:

1. Change the mercury thermometer to electronic. They also accurately measure temperature, you just need to get used to them.
2. If you can’t give up old habits, then store the mercury thermometer in a place inaccessible to children in a special case.
3. Measure the temperature carefully and carefully. Shoot the thermometer away from hard surfaces.
4. At the first sign of a thermometer malfunction - turn it in to the Ministry of Emergencies.

Remember: it is always easier to avoid disaster than to eliminate its consequences.

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We hope that even if you had to deal with the problem of a broken thermometer, you could quickly eliminate all the consequences of an accident using our tips.