Occupational and Environmental Health: Recognizing and Preventing Disease and Injury - Multiple Choice Questions - Learn & Prevent

What measure was taken for students in the vicinity of the mercury spill?

1. They were given a short lecture on the dangers of mercury

2. They were asked to clean up the mercury spill

3. They were sent to locker rooms to change clothes and were given chemically resistant suits

4. They were immediately evacuated without taking any precautions

The correct answer is: They were asked to clean up the mercury spill

The most appropriate measure for students in the vicinity of the mercury spill would be to have them immediately evacuated and removed from the area, which is not an available option. Option A is incorrect because a short lecture on the dangers of mercury may not have been effective in preventing exposure or harm to the students. Option C may have been a suitable option, but it would have taken a longer amount of time to prepare and distribute the chemically resistant suits, putting the students at risk. Option D is incorrect because evacuating without taking precautions could have led to further contamination and harm to the students. Therefore, the best option would have been to have the students in the vicinity clean up the mercury spill, under proper supervision and with proper safety measures in place.