Mercury Management

SQS specializes in mercury release response in commercial, residential, educational, industrial, and hospital settings. Air monitoring will be conducted prior, during, and following cleanup to ensure that mercury and vapors have been removed. Mercury contaminated materials will be disposed in accordance with federal and state regulatory requirements.

Mercury vapor presents the principal hazard to human health. The primary route of entry is respiration. It is important to minimize or eliminate your exposure to mercury vapors in the event of a release or when handling elemental mercury.

Mercury Spills

If you have a mercury release, there are some important actions that must be taken immediately. The guidance presented below will help minimize health and environmental impact from the spill.

  1. Evacuate personnel from the spill area.
  2. If shoes or clothing are contaminated with mercury, remove those items and leave them in the spill area. Do not track mercury out of the release area.
  3. Isolate the contaminated area and prevent re-entry by personnel.
  4. Shut down forced air heating and cooling systems or block cold air return vents.
  5. Do not use a household vacuum cleaner on the spill area. This will contaminate the vacuum and disperse mercury vapors.
  6. Contact SQS for assistance.

Mercury Health Information

Guidance from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) recommends that mercury vapor concentrations in residential and high occupancy areas such as hospitals be <3 ug/ m3 (micrograms per cubic meter of air).

OSHA regulates workplace exposure to mercury vapors as follows:

Mercury (organo compounds) alkyl   0.01 mg/m3 TWA
0.03 mg/m3 STEL
Mercury Metallic (Vapor)   0.05 mg/m3 TWA

If you think you have been exposed to mercury, consult your physician. Tests can be conducted to determine if a mercury exposure has affected your health.

Mercury Physical Properties

  • Mercury is a silvery liquid with an Atomic Weight of 200.59.
  • Mercury is 13.59 times heavier than water.
  • Mercury has an extremely high surface tension. The surface tension of mercury is 6.57 times that of water at 480 dynes/cm.