Mercury Spill in TB Lab Settings

Mercury is a harmful metal, and accidental spillage of mercury needs to be handled with care.

• Use of mercury thermometer should be avoided in the laboratory. 
• A spill kit for mercury must be available if metallic mercury is present in the lab. The directions provided in the kit should be followed
• Spilled metallic mercury forms little spheres that roll into corners and cracks on the floor. If not completely cleaned up, mercury vapor will continue to be released into the air
• DO NOT use mercury thermometers in ovens. If the thermometer breaks, the heat will lead to dangerous concentrations of mercury in the air.
• Exercise additional caution, when placing or storing mercury thermometers to reduce the risk of breakage
• The Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Mercury Spill management should be displayed in TB laboratories

Handling Mercury Spill

Items needed: 

• Apron
• Gloves
• Two cards/X-ray films
• Masks
• Powdered Sulphur (optional)

Cleaning the Spill

• Collect the mercury, using an index card or X-ray film, to form a pile or globule
• Mercury-absorbing powders, such as sulphur, can be used to amalgamate mercury
• Mercury waste and materials used in spill clean-up must be promptly placed in a sealed bottle
• Store metallic mercury in tightly closed, sturdy containers
• After all visible mercury has been collected, the area should be washed with a detergent solution, rinsed, and allowed to dry before use. This treatment should remove most remaining mercury residue
• Under no circumstances should mercury be swept with a broom or vacuumed with an ordinary vacuum cleaner. These procedures will disperse mercury more quickly into the air and spread the contamination

Resources

• WHO TB Lab Safety Manual 2012, p19, BMW Guidelines, 2016.

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