A new OSHA Quick Card provides guidance to minimize employee exposure to mercury when cleaning up a broken fluoresecent light.
I think we have all heard the urban legends about broken mercury thermometers being cause of school evacuations that turn out to be true stories of overreaction.
And that the EPA ‘s draconian procedures require hazmat suits (Not true- at least the part about needing a Hazmat suit). There is nothing about Hazmat suits in their EPA CLEAN UP BROKEN CFL INSTRUCTION (Although one Maine couple got some bad advice that cost them over $2000 for the cleanup of a single broken CFL bulb.)
And the MSDS sheet sure can put the fear into you if you don’t understand dosing quantities, air volumes and circulation, and exposure.
So we were pleased to find that OSHA has actually published a quick card to protect workers and companies from bad advice and give authoritative guidance on reducing the risks from broken mercury containing fluorescent bulbs and tubes.
Safe Cleanup of Broken Fluorescent Bulbs
- Notify workers and tell them to stay away from the area.
- Open any windows and doors to air out the room.
- Do not use a broom or vacuum cleaner unless the vacuum cleaner is specifically designed to collect mercury.
- Wear appropriate disposable chemical-resistant gloves.
- Use a commercial mercury spill kit if available, or scoop up pieces of glass and powder with stiff paper or cardboard to avoid contact with the broken glass.
- Use sticky tape to pick up any remaining pieces of glass.
- Wipe down hard floors with a damp paper towel.
- Place all pieces of glass and cleanup materials in a sealable plastic bag or a glass jar with a lid.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after cleanup.
Myself, I’d put the debris collected in a metal paint can type of container. Why put the hazardous debris in a plastic bag which will not contain the mercury vapors? Why put it in another easily breakable glass jar? Metal can is safer.
Maybe it has something to do with recycling?
Disambiguation alert: Don’t confuse this quick card with the fact sheet which is specifically for people working in the fluorescent disposal industry.
