If you break a piece of glassware,

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Broken glass should be cleaned with a dustpan and broom, not by hand.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Safety and contamination control: broken glass poses laceration hazards and can contaminate waste streams. Proper tools and containers reduce injury risk.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE): gloves and eye protection minimize exposure while cleaning.
- Waste segregation: broken glass must go into a rigid, puncture‑resistant, labeled broken-glass container (not general trash or recycling).

2. Step-by-step reasoning process
- Immediately secure the area and warn others to avoid the shards.
- Put on appropriate PPE (cut-resistant gloves and eye protection).
- Use a broom and dustpan to collect the large fragments carefully; avoid picking up shards with bare hands.
- For small slivers left behind, use damp paper towels or adhesive tape to pick them up, then place those towels/tape into the broken-glass container as well.
- Empty collected glass into the designated broken glass container, ensuring it is puncture-resistant and labeled. Never place loose shards into regular trash or recycling, nor dispose via sink/drain.
- Report the incident per lab/ workplace procedures.

3. Calculations/intermediate steps
- Not applicable; this is a procedural safety question with no numeric calculations.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- A dustpan and broom allow safe mechanical removal of shards without direct hand contact. The special broken-glass container prevents punctures and protects waste handlers. This method minimizes cut risk and prevents contamination.

5. Why other options are incorrect (brief)
- Using bare hands (even gloved) risks lacerations and is generally prohibited.
- Vacuuming can damage the vacuum and spread shards/contamination.
- Throwing shards into regular trash or sink endangers custodial staff and plumbing.
- Leaving fragments on the bench risks subsequent injuries.

6. Conclusion
The safest, standard practice is to use a dustpan and broom to pick up broken pieces and empty them into a special broken glass container — which matches the provided correct answer: use a dustpan and broom to pick up the broken pieces and empty in a special broken glass container.

If you break a piece of glassware, Single choice

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