What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks. A mercury thermometer broke in an apartment: what to do and how to collect the mercury

Since childhood, our parents and grandparents told us that playing with a mercury thermometer is very dangerous. Time has passed, progress does not stand still, but most families still prefer to use a traditional mercury thermometer to measure temperature. Both adults and children can drop a thermometer through carelessness, so it is important to know what to do first if a mercury thermometer breaks.

Why is a broken thermometer dangerous?

It's no secret that mercury is a very dangerous chemical found in the tip of a thermometer. The greatest danger is caused by mercury vapor, which affects the respiratory organs. In order to know how to act correctly if a thermometer breaks, each of us must understand how dangerous the presence of mercury vapor in the air can be.

The mercury balls are very mobile and move easily. They can get stuck in cracks, flooring, and animal hair. If you do not immediately take safety measures, it will be very difficult to find mercury residues in the future. The mercury begins to release vapors. Toxic vapor products enter the human body through the respiratory tract. The lungs absorb about 80% of the toxic substance.

If evaporation is prolonged or there is a large amount of mercury material in the air, then it can enter the human body through the skin and mucous membranes. First of all, the kidneys, gums and central nervous system are affected.

Of course, if a mercury thermometer were so dangerous, it would not be on the market. Of course, intoxication in the acute phase will not occur when mercury leaks out, but serious consequences can still occur and undermine the health of all family members.

Depending on how long it takes for mercury to evaporate from a broken thermometer, and a person inhales mercury vapor, the following symptoms and pathologies may appear:

insomnia;
trembling of the limbs of the hands;
anxiety;
paralysis;
depression;
decreased reaction and memory;
damage to the thyroid gland, kidneys and liver;
dysfunction of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

It is especially dangerous for pregnant women to inhale mercury vapor, since not only the functioning of the kidneys and liver of the expectant mother, but also the fetus itself can be affected. To prevent serious consequences from occurring, each of us should know what actions to take if a mercury thermometer breaks at home.

Mercury vapor is a hazard class I poison. Even in small quantities, mercury vapor causes irreversible harm to humans and animals. Residents of Moscow and the Moscow region, if your mercury thermometer breaks or spills, provide ventilation, leave the room contaminated with mercury vapor and urgently call the mercury collection service.

Entrust mercury search and demercurization to certified professionals. Specialists go to the scene of an emergency with all the necessary equipment. The mercury complex is included in the State Register of Measuring Instruments. We guarantee complete elimination of mercury contamination. Control measurement of mercury vapor - free of charge. Work is carried out in residential and non-residential premises, offices, country houses, as well as in open areas. Soil samples. Preventive air analysis for mercury vapor content.

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A mercury thermometer has broken: when should you contact emergency departments?

Every person who uses a mercury thermometer in everyday life should know what immediate measures should be taken if it breaks. In most cases, you can handle this situation on your own. But there are situations when contacting the Ministry of Emergency Situations is vital.

You can always contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations and receive a number of instructions on how to collect and dispose of a dangerous substance. If a mercury substance gets on a hot surface, for example, a heating device, then you should definitely call the Ministry of Emergency Situations, since at temperatures above 40°C mercury begins to evaporate instantly.

It is not advisable to try to get rid of the consequences yourself in cases where you have not found mercury. It is strongly recommended not to collect mercury residues for pregnant women, persons under the age of 18 and over 65 years, as well as people suffering from chronic diseases of the urinary and nervous system. In such cases, you must immediately leave the room where the thermometer broke and call the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

How to eliminate the consequences yourself if a mercury thermometer breaks?

When a thermometer breaks in a living room, first of all, you should remain calm. All actions related to the elimination of particularly dangerous consequences must be performed without haste and correctly.

Procedure in cases where a mercury thermometer breaks:

All people must leave the room. Also, animals should not be left in the room.
The door closes tightly and all windows open.
A rag pre-moistened in a soda solution should be laid out on the threshold (potassium permanganate can be used).
The person who will clean up the remains of a broken thermometer must wear protective gloves and a bandage (respirator). A cotton-gauze bandage should be made as follows: fold the gauze into 2-3 layers and treat it with water or soda solution.
Experts recommend wearing clothes made of synthetic fabric. It is best to throw away these clothes after cleaning the room.

What to do if the tip of the thermometer remains intact and the mercury has not leaked out?

There are cases when, when broken, the tip of the thermometer remains visually intact and no remains of mercury balls are visible next to it. In this case, carefully inspect the thermometer, but do not lift it without gloves and a cotton-gauze bandage. Once you are sure that the contents are in the tip, you need to carefully take the thermometer so that the mercury substance does not leak out, and move it into a container with water, which must be tightly closed.

It is strictly forbidden to throw away mercury waste under the guise of ordinary garbage. Hide the jar in a non-residential premises and notify the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees about the incident or contact a specialized company for the disposal of mercury substances.

How should you collect mercury from a thermometer from various surfaces?

If a mercury thermometer breaks and drops of the contents remain on the floor covering, table, shelf or any other element of the furniture set, then you will have to work hard to completely eliminate the mercury.

Procedure:

Prepare a glass vessel that is half filled with water.
Using two sheets of regular office paper, collect all the remains of the thermometer in one place. This can be done with a razor brush or a small piece of cotton wool.
Larger mercury balls are placed on a sheet using a shaving brush or cotton wool and carefully placed in a prepared container with water.
Small particles can be collected using tape or adhesive tape. Then these strips, along with the adhering residues, must be placed in a container.
If mercury gets into hard-to-reach places, for example, corners or crevices, you can use a medical syringe or knitting needle to remove it.
If mercury gets under the baseboard, the latter must be immediately dismantled.
All items and tools that were used during the mercury collection procedure are placed in a tight plastic bag and transferred for disposal.
The container with residual mercury must be tightly closed and taken out of the room. Until disposal, it is best to store it in a dark place away from people, at a low temperature.
If mercury substance gets on upholstered furniture, clothes, carpets or toys, then trying to get rid of it with a vacuum cleaner is useless. Such things must be destroyed immediately. If you are too attached to these things, then they can be placed in the open sun away from people and aired for at least a couple of months so that the mercury completely evaporates.

A broken mercury thermometer must be disposed of. This is done by specialized enterprises, the location of which can be told to you by the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

In practice, there are situations when a mercury thermometer breaks, but no traces of mercury were found. In this case, you must take all measures to disinfect the room with a solution of soda, iodine or potassium permanganate. You can use regular white.

Banned: what actions cannot be performed if a mercury thermometer is broken?

Under no circumstances use a broom or vacuum cleaner to remove mercury balls, as all the toxic substances will swirl in the air. It is also prohibited:

throw away the remaining mercury in the garbage chute;
pour into the sewer;
dispose of yourself;
keep.

Preventive measures to prevent mercury intoxication

People who are in the room where the mercury thermometer has broken should, upon completion of cleaning, take a shower and rinse their mouths with manganese or soda solution. To prevent mercury vapor poisoning, which primarily affects the urinary system, it is recommended to drink more fluids.

As you can see, breaking a mercury thermometer is very dangerous and has negative health consequences. This item must be used carefully. If the thermometer does break, it is important to follow all the rules related to cleaning the room and disposing of mercury substances.

Mercury is toxic. Breaking a thermometer at home means putting the whole family in danger. What to do if this accident happens? What could be the consequences of a broken mercury thermometer? How to remove fragments?

See all the answers in the article.

As Komarovsky said, mercury itself does not harm us. If, for example, a child accidentally swallows a ball of mercury, it will not cause any harm to the internal organs, since the element does not enter into metabolism. In a day or two it will come out the usual way.

What then is harmful? - And the fumes are harmful.

Starting from +18 Celsius, mercury changes from liquid to gaseous, quickly spreading throughout the room. That is why keeping such a thermometer in an apartment is extremely undesirable.

The thermometer is broken, what should you do first?

The thermometer in the house was broken. Don't panic, do everything in order:

We remove all people and animals from the room.
We close the door in the room tightly so that the poison does not spread throughout the house.
We remember that mercury begins to evaporate only at +18. Therefore, first of all, we try to reduce the temperature in the room. We turn off the heaters (if the accident happened in winter), open the windows, and turn on the air conditioning.
We put on the equipment. Ideally, this should include protective overalls, shoe covers, gloves and a respirator. Not everyone keeps such a set at home, so we offer an alternative:

instead of shoe covers, you can take ordinary plastic bags;
Everyone often has rubber gloves, but if not, you can use bags again;
We replace the respirator with a homemade mask: we take gauze, arranged in four or more pieces and moisten it in water. After this, we tie it so as to hide the mouth and nose;
Wear clothes that you don’t mind. Then you have to throw it away.

Now let's move on to the most important thing - remove the thermometer with mercury. Be careful here. Don’t make the mistakes that the people of our country love so much.

IMPORTANT! What should you not do with mercury?

Try to collect the balls with your hands. The poison is absorbed even by intact skin;
Sweep away the mercury thermometer with a broom. As a result, it splits into small pieces and turns into dust, which much faster turns into a gaseous state.
Remove traces of crime with a vacuum cleaner. By sucking mercury into the pipe, it will seem to you that the problem has been solved. But mercury is very cunning. Instead of remaining inside the vacuum cleaner, it comes out in the form of vapor along with the air, spreading throughout the room thousands of times faster. In this case, the vacuum cleaner can be thrown away immediately, it is a carrier of poison.
Flush this metal down the toilet, bury it in the ground, throw it out with other waste in a landfill, take it out onto the balcony, etc. By these actions you will harm the environment.

Collecting mercury correctly

How to collect mercury from a broken thermometer both quickly and safely?

And so, we take: tape or band-aid; syringe with a thin needle; glass jar with a tight lid.

Do not forget that at this time we must be wearing shoe covers, gloves and a respirator.

We collect large balls with a syringe: we simply suck it in like any other liquid. To deal with smaller particles, take tape and apply the adhesive side to the balls, so they will all come together quickly.

We immediately put everything we collect into a jar and close it with a lid.

To do this we make a solution:

liter of boiled water;
40 grams of laundry soap;
50 grams of soda.

Mix and pour this liquid into a jar with toxin. If a mercury thermometer breaks on the carpet, wipe it with this solution. Even if there is some mercury left between the villi, soapy water and soda will render it inactive. Then you definitely need to do it again.

It happens that the balls get into cracks or other places where it is impossible to penetrate. In this case, draw the disinfectant into a syringe and spray these areas.

A word of caution: no matter how carefully you clean a broken mercury thermometer, there is still no guarantee that all particles will be removed.

Therefore, in any case, call the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees to determine the content of metal vapors in the room using a mercury analyzer. If something happens, specialists will quickly remove the remaining poison using professional means.

Why is mercury harmful?

All toxins are divided into classes. Mercury is one of the first.

Evaporating, it enters our lungs. And there, along with the blood, it penetrates into all organs of the body and begins to actively poison the body. About 80% of the poison begins to actively poison us.

Like other heavy metals, mercury is not excreted from the body.

The vapors of this metal are dangerous not only for humans, but also for plants, animals, fish and birds. This is why you should not throw a mercury thermometer outside.

Be careful: mercury has no taste or smell, so you won’t be able to smell its vapor. The poisoning process goes unnoticed.

The health consequences are significant. Toxic substances that accumulate inside the body gradually begin to affect the liver, nervous system, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

The consequences of a broken thermometer can be felt within a few hours. Intoxication occurs through the respiratory tract. Oxygen and salts that are in our blood help mercury to be absorbed faster. As a result, it is oxidized and deposited in the form of mercury salts.

Signs of poisoning:

weakness throughout the body;
headache;
complete lack of appetite;
difficulty swallowing (dull pain);
metallic taste in the mouth;
salivation;
swelling of the gums and temporary bleeding;
dizziness, nausea and vomiting;
stomach ache;
diarrhea;
decreased heart rate;
fainting.

Pneumonia, cough with shortness of breath, and chest pain are also often observed. Body temperature rises (from 38 to 40 degrees). In case of severe poisoning, death may occur within a few days.

Because of the danger, the world has long stopped using mercury thermometers at home. To protect yourself and your family, replace your old thermometer with a new, electronic one.

What to do in case of mercury poisoning?

If a mercury thermometer is broken, the first thing we do is go outside. Even better, go to some forest or park, where the air is truly clean and fresh.

When we have caught our breath a little, we move on to first aid.. To do this, we thoroughly rinse all the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, eyes, as well as open areas of the skin.

We use either plain water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate (can be used only when there are no problems with breathing or heart function. If there are difficulties, we first perform resuscitation to normalize the patient’s condition).

This is followed by gastric lavage.. This is done using potassium permanganate dissolved in cold water. The procedure is repeated several times a day. In this way, doctors stop the burning effect of mercury. Sorbents also help: drink four times a day.

The next step is the intravenous administration of the antidote “Unitiol”.

In parallel with this, diuretics are prescribed to speed up the process of washing out the poison from the blood.

Never try to cure poisoning yourself. When the first symptoms appear, immediately seek help from specialists.

What you can do on your own is to eat a green apple. This product contains iodine and pectins, which help remove harmful compounds from the body.

Remember that if a child breaks a mercury thermometer, first of all you need to take him to another room. And don’t try to solve the problem yourself, call special services, that’s their job.

Every home has a thermometer for measuring temperature - infrared, electronic or the usual mercury. If the first two do not pose a potential danger, then mercury can create a problem - what to do if a thermometer breaks at home and the contents spill.

Design, advantages and disadvantages of a mercury thermometer

The design of a traditional thermometer is based on the properties of mercury to expand as the temperature rises. The metal is soldered into a capillary tube, the air from which is pumped out.

The tube is mounted on a graduated scale with a range of one degree. The minimum is 32°C, the maximum is 42°.

Mercury only moves up. Such a device, unlike a room or street thermometer, records body temperature, stopping the mercury column at a certain point. Entry level installation requires vigorous shaking.

Despite the advent of modern electronic and infrared thermometers, their mercury predecessor remains popular. Its advantages:

accuracy of readings;
lack of response to changes in ambient temperature;
possibility of disinfection in a special solution;
affordability.

The disadvantage is the long period of time required to establish the temperature (5–10 minutes). The main disadvantage is the fragility of the glass tube and the possibility of mercury leaking if, for example, a mother accidentally breaks the thermometer while preparing to measure the child’s temperature.

How to use it correctly

The thermometer should be stored at home in a protective case. Other simple rules:

When shaking, do not squeeze the device with your fingers;
do not measure the temperature with a mercury thermometer for more than 10 minutes, so as not to forget about the manipulation or fall asleep;
After each use, wipe the device with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide;
Keep the thermometer out of the reach of children.

This will reduce the risk of damage to the device.

What is the danger of mercury

If a mercury thermometer breaks, you should understand the degree of danger that has arisen. Mercury itself is not toxic. Even if accidentally swallowed, it will not cause harm to the body, since it will be excreted in feces without being absorbed into the intestines. Mercury vapor is dangerous because it easily penetrates into the lungs when inhaled. With the bloodstream they enter the heart, kidneys, stomach, brain and are able to cause pathologies:

gastrointestinal (gastrointestinal) disorder with cutting pain, diarrhea;
stomatitis;
debilitating headaches;
rapid pulse;
neuroses;
attacks of nausea and vomiting;
swelling and bleeding gums;
dermatitis;
kidney dysfunction.

The body weakens, anemia develops, convulsions appear, and the temperature rises. A painful, prolonged cough begins with a sore throat. This condition is dangerous as it causes pulmonary edema. Severe mercury poisoning can be fatal.

Pre-cleaning

Having discovered that a mercury household thermometer has been accidentally broken, the first thing to do is remove children and pets from the apartment. Adults not involved in collecting spilled mercury also leave the room. Remember: this metal is extremely dangerous for pregnant women.

The room in which the broken thermometer was found is ventilated, but without drafts: the windows are opened with the doors closed.

To prevent mercury vapor from having a negative impact, personal protective equipment should be worn before demercurization (neutralization of mercury) begins. Clothes chosen are synthetic, with long sleeves and trousers. Boots or sneakers covered with shoe covers are put on your feet.

Step-by-step instructions (Fig. 1): 1. Cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth; 2.Open the window and ventilate the room with the doors closed; 3. Put rubber gloves on your hands.

The bronchi and lungs are protected from mercury poisoning with a respirator or a cotton-gauze bandage moistened with a soda solution or just water. Before removing a broken thermometer, protect your hands with rubber gloves and your eyes with goggles. Prepare a flashlight or portable lamp.

Self-collection of mercury

It is important to know what to do if a mercury thermometer is broken at home, since the safety of people in the room depends on it.

Mercury leaked from a thermometer is most dangerous when its vapors are inhaled, so a container with cold water is prepared for collection.

Usually, if a thermometer breaks, the mercury scatters in the form of balls. You cannot lift them with your hands (and it is impossible to do this). The sequence of actions is as follows.

If metal balls have rolled under the plinth with a deep gap underneath, and it is not possible to remove them from there, the plinth is removed and thoroughly processed.

You cannot deal with a broken thermometer continuously. They work for 10–15 minutes, then go into another room or onto the balcony.

In a situation where a child breaks a thermometer and mercury gets on clothes, toys, and other objects, a decision is quickly made. If things are not valuable, they are wrapped in cellophane and taken to the garbage chute. If an item is necessary, carefully remove all mercury balls from it using adhesive tape or a syringe and take it out into the fresh air for ventilation.

The final stage of cleaning

Everything that will be collected after a broken thermometer, including glass fragments, is carefully poured into a container of water. Cotton swabs, tape or adhesive tape and other items used to collect mercury are also placed there.

What to do next if the thermometer at home is broken. All surfaces with possible mercury residues are sprinkled with powdered magnesium sulfate purchased at the pharmacy. When interacting with mercury, an insoluble salt is formed that does not emit toxic fumes.

After 5-6 hours, the particles of the substance are carefully collected with a damp rag, poured into the same container with water. Close hermetically and place in a cool place out of reach of children. The container is not thrown away, but, according to the rules, is handed over to the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Used large items - brushes, gloves, shoe covers - are placed in plastic bags, sealed tightly and taken out to the trash container.

To treat surfaces damaged by spilled mercury if a thermometer was broken, you can make a saturated solution of potassium permanganate at home. Vinegar essence is poured into it - a teaspoon per liter of liquid, and salt is added - a tablespoon. In such situations, potassium permanganate, diluted to a brown color in a liter of water with the addition of soda (a tablespoon) and grated soap (1.5 tablespoons), is a good disinfectant in such situations.

First, all surfaces are wiped with wet newspaper, then moistened several times with the prepared solution, preventing complete drying. This treatment lasts about eight hours.

After disinfection, traces of solutions are washed off with clean water and a thorough wet cleaning is done with the usual cleaning compounds. Repeat it daily for a week.

To prepare a disinfectant solution, substances with chlorine are used - White, chloramine. Use ferric chloride with caution, making a 20% solution. Chloride of lime is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:5.

At the household level in residential buildings, this method is rarely used. Used in educational, preschool, and medical institutions.

Attention!

The room in which the thermometer containing mercury was broken and then disinfected is used only after daily ventilation.

Actions after cleaning

Having finished cleaning, take off protective clothing and, placing it in a plastic bag, throw it into the garbage chute. Or they are treated with bleach solutions, then hung in fresh air until the odors disappear.

Rinse your mouth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and brush your teeth. For prevention, take activated carbon (4-5 tablets). Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.

Call 01 to inform the Ministry of Emergency Situations about the incident and ask them to pick up the container with toxic contaminants.

Step-by-step instructions (Fig. 2): 4. Place the mercury in a jar of water and close the lid. 5. Treat the areas where there was mercury with potassium permanganate with the addition of vinegar and salt. Chlorine-containing solutions are also used. 6. Call 01 and inform the Ministry of Emergency Situations about the incident.

What not to do

When working with a broken thermometer, it is prohibited:

create drafts in the room until traces of mercury are eliminated;
throw away the remains of a broken thermometer into the garbage disposal or pour the collected mercury into the toilet;
use a broom or a rough broom when collecting, since under their influence the balls will disintegrate and it will be more difficult to find them;
use a vacuum cleaner, since the mercury will receive additional heat and begin to evaporate more intensely, and the vacuum cleaner itself will become contaminated with particles that will settle on its elements and emit vapors each time it is turned on;
use a magnet, since mercury reacts poorly to attraction;
wash items damaged by mercury;
touch mercury beads with unprotected hands.

If upholstered furniture or long-pile carpet is contaminated with mercury droplets, you will need to call workers who specialize in demercurization.

Who can help

If, after completing the work, there is no confidence that the premises will be completely cleaned, employees of the sanitary and epidemiological service are invited, who will use special instruments to determine the concentration of harmful vapors in the air and carry out a comprehensive treatment.

If, when mercury contamination is detected, it is not possible to cope with the problem on your own, call the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the coordinates of specialized centers for demercurization of houses.

Analyzing whether it is dangerous to accidentally break a mercury thermometer, we can confidently say that such a situation requires immediate action to prevent poisoning from toxic fumes.

Almost every home has mercury thermometers, because they last longer than electronic ones. But the fact is that if you accidentally break this thermometer, you can incur various kinds of problems.

It is very easy to break a mercury thermometer, because it is extremely fragile. Sometimes parents give a thermometer to their children to take their temperature, but the children, unknowingly, do not handle it very carefully and break it. Also, sometimes a thermometer can break if you squeeze it too hard.

Mercury vapor is very dangerous to human health, because it takes quite a long time for it to be eliminated from the body. They will accumulate in the human body for an extremely long time. Such a stable poisoning process will greatly affect health. Therefore, even in minimal doses, in the case of breaking a thermometer, this has a very large impact on a person, his health may be at risk.

Mercury vapor can weaken the immune system, and problems with the digestive and nervous systems may also occur. The stomach, skin, liver, and many other organs may be affected. If you do not collect the mercury balls in time, they can evaporate, and in this case it will be a little more difficult to remove mercury vapors from the apartment, and in such a situation they cause more harm to human health.

If a mercury thermometer breaks in an apartment, you need to follow some recommendations:

Solving the problem

If a child accidentally breaks a thermometer and the mercury was never found, there is no need to scold him, because in an identical situation the next time he will be afraid that he will be scolded and will not tell adults about this act, but will hide the thermometer himself. In this case, all family members may suffer. It is worth isolating this room and also keeping animals out, which can spread mercury throughout the house.

The child should leave the room; it is better to send him to fresh air. The room needs to be treated with bleach, this will help prevent the volatility of mercury vapor in the air. You should not try to collect mercury with a broom or vacuum cleaner, this will only make matters worse. It is better to report this to special services, because if mercury is not found, it is extremely difficult to cope with its influence.

Sometimes the thermometer breaks on the carpet. If you are dealing with a lint-free carpet, in this case you can sweep the fragments onto the cardboard with a brush, and also try to sweep away as much mercury as possible. What remains must be removed with a syringe.

In the video, what to do if you break a thermometer with mercury at home:

When the carpet is piled, and mercury falls into the long pile, the efforts made to remove mercury and thermometer fragments will be maximum:

It is necessary to roll it from the edges to where the mercury and fragments are located.
Then the carpet, wrapped in a large piece of film, should be taken outside to the place where carpets are usually beaten. You need to put the carpet on the ground, first laying a film there, bandage your face with gauze soaked in a soda solution, and also put on a respirator. Then you need to knock out the carpet and leave it to air.
The film on which drops of mercury are found should be rolled up and placed in a bag to be handed in later along with the thermometer.

If the thermometer breaks on a bed, in an apartment or in a room at home you need to wipe the room with a solution of potassium permanganate, carefully collect the bed linen, and then hand it over to the service for processing. Under no circumstances should you vacuum, because in this case the vacuum cleaner will need to be thrown away. You need to ventilate the room and also not enter it for a while.

If a thermometer is broken by a pregnant woman, you should not deal with this problem yourself, because this can harm the unborn child. It will be better if the woman leaves the room so that someone else can remove the mercury and thermometer or call special services. You need to thoroughly remove the mercury, wash the floor with a solution of soda or manganese, then get rid of the mercury using a syringe and a glass jar. Be sure to ventilate the room and avoid visiting it for several weeks.

When a mercury thermometer breaks, the most important thing is not to panic, it is important to get together and start correcting this situation. You should call a special service, or deal with the problem yourself (at home), but be extremely careful so as not to increase the scale of the problem. In order to ensure that there are no mercury balls left in the apartment, you should check everything very carefully, every depression and recess in the floor, otherwise you can miss a certain amount of mercury, which will lead to certain consequences.

Video shows what to do when a child breaks a thermometer: