A specialized decontamination operation was conducted at a dialysis centre in Penang today following a mercury spill caused by a broken blood pressure monitor. The Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) was alerted to the incident at 8.50 am, prompting an immediate response to manage the hazardous substance. A team from the Lebuh Pantai Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the scene to initiate the containment process and ensure public safety.
According to John Sagun Francis, Assistant Director of the Penang JBPM Operations Division, the incident involved a sphygmomanometer unit that had ruptured, leaking approximately 200 ml of liquid mercury. Due to the toxic nature of the substance, the Hazardous Materials Management Team (HAZMAT) from the Bayan Baru Fire and Rescue Station was called in to assist with the professional cleanup. The specialized unit provided the necessary expertise and equipment to handle the chemical threat effectively.
Upon arrival, HAZMAT personnel donned full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to begin the intricate process of neutralising the spill. The team utilised sulphur powder to stabilise the mercury, a standard procedure used to prevent the substance from vaporising and becoming an inhalation hazard. The contaminated material was then carefully collected and sealed within dedicated chemical waste bags along with other equipment deemed unsafe for further use.
To ensure the area was thoroughly decontaminated, the responders applied bleaching agents to the affected surfaces and conducted pH level tests to confirm the environment was restored to a safe state. Initial reports from the operations commander indicated that the medical device was actually in the process of being decommissioned for disposal when the breakage occurred. Continuous monitoring was maintained at the site throughout the morning to verify that no residual hazards remained for the staff or the public.
At the time of the spill, only two staff members were present at the facility, and they discovered the leak upon opening a storage bag containing the unit. Fortunately, the storage area was located within a utility room physically separated from the treatment zones where dialysis patients receive care. No injuries or health complications were reported as a result of the exposure, and the Fire and Rescue Department officially concluded the operation at 11.49 am.
