I Love my Union

[EngTeach]

Just need to rant!!!!

Well, On Wednesdy we had a Mercury spill in my school. A lab closet was being cleaned and a barometer that was broken was in a box and leaking as the school aid was transporting it. This contaminated a whole floor, the elevator and part of the basement.

One might ask, "Gee whiz, where did they put the 2000 studsents while this was cleaned up by the proper agencies?". My answer would be, "Nowhere. We were not allowed to evacuate."

This happened at noon and the school was still open until 7 pm for a basketball game. If The teacher's union did not get wind of this nothing would have been done. Our school was closed for 2 days and we then reported to another school were we sat in the audutorium all day and taught pretend lessons to the 13 children who attended.

There should be many heads rolling for this, but I doubt any will. This was tracked all through the school and I am waiting for the tests on my shoes to be completed to see if it was tracked into my home. I am soooo angry that this went on and if the union did not step in and have the health dept. in to clean and check for levels we would have been forced to teach in an infected site.

[bobtheturkey]

was the mercury harmed?

[aka pixi]

omg thats crazy. I was reading about spilling mercury the other day (dont ask me why) it told you how to clean up the spill and stuff but cant remember what it said. But I do remember that it said to open all windows and leave the area immediately.

[EngTeach]

Thanks Bob. Very Helpful :)

Pixie- Too bad the administration at my school did not read that too. I have set up an appointment for a Mercury test next week. Better to be safe. (Besides, if there is a class
action suit, I want to be prepared. Ha Ha)

[puss_boots]

Plenty compensation claims coming here I fear. The USA started the compensation fever and now all innocent accident which will always happen in everyday life have a price on their heads. When I was a kid accidents in the chemistry labs and such like were commen place and we never thought anything of them, but now its........how much money can I get for this.........for heavens sake.

[EngTeach]

I agree Puss,
We are not so angered that it happened, but the manner in which it was handled was apalling. The custodial night crew were forced to work and clean around the areas until the Department of Environmental Protection MADE the boss release them for the night. It was quite bad in certain areas of the school. The admin was told to evacuate by the Lab Coordinators. This why they go for extensive training. Not to mention that the barometer should have been out of the school years ago and that it, and various other chemicals were being disposed of improperly for a week while the store room was being cleaned out. Which means that our sanitation workers were handling all this stuff unprotected. UGH!! I am so angry at the negligence and lack of caring for the welfare of students and staff alike.

[EngTeach]

At least you were allowed to evacuate!! Now we need permission from 42 people and 12 papers signed in triplicate before we can even send a student to the bathroom. LOL

[amalgam]

My father was a dentist, and he kept the mercury for mixing fillings in a small stone jar. In the early 1930's, my brother and I were allowed to play with this mercury. We had a tin tray, and we could pour some blobs of mercury on to it and push them about. It was great fun, and we are both still alive in our eighties.

[Lucy Thomas]

I was at school in the 1970s and regularly used to have mercury fights in science lessons. No harm done. I think you are making a fuss about nothing.

[sweetpea...!]

I too was at school in the 70s and the teacher let us roll the balls of mercury about on our hands. We also used square tiles of asbestos under our Bunsen burners that were soft and flaky round the edges! Wonder we've all lived to tell the tale!

[EngTeach]

Thank you all for your responses. I do not think there was serious risk to me personally, but some were in close contact. I appreciate the idea that years ago mercury was commonplace and played with, but in the situation a gov't agency closed us down. Surely they would not do it for no reason. I think I am so annoyed b/c this is not the first time we've been put in this type of situation. We have numerous students with TB and have not been notified, we have fires put out by staff with smoke so thick students are taken to the hospital with asthma attacks and still no evacuation or calls to the fire dept. for fear of getting a strike against us. It goes on and on. I love teaching and care deeply for my students. That's why I stay.

Again, thanks for all your responses.