How to Handle Mercury While Conducting Industrial Plant Maintenance?
Mercury is one of the most commonly used chemical across the
industrial plants and things may become difficult when it comes to handleing
its waste and residue. Generally, mercury is used in three primary forms,
namely organic mercury, inorganic mercury and metallic mercury (elemental).
Although, every chemical is dangerous if not handled properly but metallic
mercury is believed to carry the greatest health risk in the petroleum
industry. Not only processed form of mercury is dangerous, even mercury decontamination
can also result in huge losses when it comes to damaging your industrial
machinery and possessing health risks for the employees.
If you wish to learn how to manage this chemical properly,
then read the following sections to understand its handling as mentioned in an
appropriate industrial waste management plan:
Why it should be
disposed properly?
It is important to understand that mercury is toxic when
inhaled and repeated use/exposure can prove out to be extremely dangerous for
humans and aquatic organisms. Metallic mercury impacts mankind the most as it
is absorbed through inhalation, skin contact and ingestion. In petroleum, oil
and gas industry, mercury decontamination happens at a rapid pace and the
contaminated waste is present in a variety of forms. The common forms include
drilling muds, filters, glycol, sludge, catalysts, and others.
What you should not
do to prevent lives at your industrial plant?
• Never use a shop vac or vacuum to dry up chemical mercury
• Never use compressed air for sweeping/blowing dirt
containing mercury
• Never use any cleaning chemicals to clean mercury as it
releases toxic gases
• Never bring broom or brushes in use to sweep mercury
• Do not make any arrangements that allows mercury to go
down a drain
• Do not allow anyone, wearing contaminated clothes or
shoes, to leave the spill area until everything is cleaned.
Why you should hire
professionals for cleaning up mercury mess?
Companies dealing in offering industrial waste management services
have trained and experienced team members who can safely collect, treat and
recycle mercury waste. They collect and bring mercury waste to the licensed
waste treatment facilities to ensure that everything that has
mercury-contaminated element should be treated properly and carefully. They
have specialized plans for determining waste types, its characteristics and
quantity for disposal.
A team of trained chemists/hazardous waste professionals
will assess the report and decide the treatment or disposal options. This way,
companies offering waste management and residue management services can ensure
safe and sustainable disposal of toxic elements.
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