Asked by luhha
Oh no! A thermometer suddenly fell on the floor and broke! Check all actions, if any, that you must take.
Pick up the broken thermometer, throw the broken glass away, and clean the area.
Tell the teacher about the accident right away.
Call 911.
Try to save the red alcohol from the thermometer for recycling purposes.
Pay for a replacement thermometer.
Pick up the broken thermometer, throw the broken glass away, and clean the area.
Tell the teacher about the accident right away.
Call 911.
Try to save the red alcohol from the thermometer for recycling purposes.
Pay for a replacement thermometer.
Answers
There are no human answers yet.
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
Correct action(s) you must take:
- Tell the teacher about the accident right away. — YES. Notify an adult immediately so the situation can be handled safely.
Actions you should NOT do (unless instructed by teacher/authority or trained to do so):
- Pick up the broken thermometer, throw the broken glass away, and clean the area. — NO as a general rule. If the thermometer contains mercury (silver beads), do NOT pick it up, sweep, or vacuum. Even with alcohol thermometers you should wear gloves and follow teacher instructions for safe cleanup and disposal (broken glass should go into a puncture‑proof sharps container, not loose in the trash).
- Call 911. — NO in most cases. 911 is for immediate medical emergencies or life‑threatening situations. For a mercury spill contact your teacher/school safety officer and, if required, local hazardous‑waste responders.
- Try to save the red alcohol from the thermometer for recycling purposes. — NO. Don’t try to collect or reuse the liquid; it’s not safe to recover at the scene. Let trained staff handle disposal.
- Pay for a replacement thermometer. — NO. That’s not something you must do. Follow school policy; the teacher or administration will handle replacement.
Brief steps to follow immediately
- Tell the teacher and keep others away from the area.
- If indoors, open windows to ventilate (if safe to do so) and turn off any heat sources only if the teacher says to.
- Do not touch the spill with bare hands, do not use a vacuum or broom on mercury, and do not pour liquids down drains.
- Follow the teacher’s or school safety officer’s instructions for cleanup or contacting hazardous‑materials responders.
If you want specific cleanup steps, say whether the thermometer had silver mercury or red dyed alcohol and I’ll give the appropriate procedure.
- Tell the teacher about the accident right away. — YES. Notify an adult immediately so the situation can be handled safely.
Actions you should NOT do (unless instructed by teacher/authority or trained to do so):
- Pick up the broken thermometer, throw the broken glass away, and clean the area. — NO as a general rule. If the thermometer contains mercury (silver beads), do NOT pick it up, sweep, or vacuum. Even with alcohol thermometers you should wear gloves and follow teacher instructions for safe cleanup and disposal (broken glass should go into a puncture‑proof sharps container, not loose in the trash).
- Call 911. — NO in most cases. 911 is for immediate medical emergencies or life‑threatening situations. For a mercury spill contact your teacher/school safety officer and, if required, local hazardous‑waste responders.
- Try to save the red alcohol from the thermometer for recycling purposes. — NO. Don’t try to collect or reuse the liquid; it’s not safe to recover at the scene. Let trained staff handle disposal.
- Pay for a replacement thermometer. — NO. That’s not something you must do. Follow school policy; the teacher or administration will handle replacement.
Brief steps to follow immediately
- Tell the teacher and keep others away from the area.
- If indoors, open windows to ventilate (if safe to do so) and turn off any heat sources only if the teacher says to.
- Do not touch the spill with bare hands, do not use a vacuum or broom on mercury, and do not pour liquids down drains.
- Follow the teacher’s or school safety officer’s instructions for cleanup or contacting hazardous‑materials responders.
If you want specific cleanup steps, say whether the thermometer had silver mercury or red dyed alcohol and I’ll give the appropriate procedure.
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