Dangers Associated with New Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CLFs )
Posted by proforma on October 12, 2011 | No Comments
This gruesome incident report is circulating depicting the dangers associated with the new energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CLFs). On February 10, 2011, this individual suffered severe injury to his foot following an attempt to remove an energy saving light bulb before it had cooled down. The heat caused him to drop the bulb on the floor, where it shattered. He stepped on the broken glass and exposed mercury power upon descending from the chair on which he was standing.
He spent two weeks in Intensive Care, during which time he was at risk of having his foot amputated. His foot has been connected to a vacuum pump to remove dead tissue, and it is expected that he will recover, albeit after a long recovery.
When replacing your incandescent bulbs with the new CLFs, the current advice is to
– Keep them out of reach of children. Some experts say these bulbs may not be the best choice for certain parts of your home, such as children’s bedrooms.
– Take every precaution when removing the bulbs. Make sure they’re cool; seal them in a glass jar, and dispose of them at a recycling location that handles hazardless household wastes. (Earlier advice to seal in a plastic bag has been discarded in favor of glass, since researchers found the mercury can leach through the plastic.)
– Ventilate the area, keeping pets and people safely away. Elemental mercury quickly vaporizes and the primary risk is inhalation, which is more dangerous than if it came in contact with your skin. Time estimates vary, but some experts say the mercury takes about an hour to disperse. (Why not err on the safe side.)
– Do not vacuum broken bulb pieces, which will only scatter the mercury particles. Use disposable rubber gloves, damp paper towels and cardboard to pick up the pieces.
– Don’t pour mercury down the sink, or wash any items that have been in contact with the mercury.
– If the break occurs on carpeting or similar absorbent surfaces, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises “. . .[T]hese contaminated items should be thrown away . . . Only cut and remove the affected portion of the contaminated carpet for disposal.” If you’re interested in reading more of EPA’s advice, click here.
Filed Under: Workplace Safety
