• Question: Wanting to know if light bulbs can kill you?

    Asked by tobyneilson to Andrew, Daniel, Hayley, Natalia, Peta on 21 Nov 2011.
    • Photo: Hayley Smith

      Hayley Smith answered on 18 Nov 2011:

      I think it would be unlikely.

      For a conventional lightbulb I think the biggest risk is the heat output – they get pretty hot so touching them is pretty dangerous. Lightbulbs contain an inert gas, argon, and this isn’t very dangerous, so long as there’s oxygen around as well, of which there’s plenty in the air.

      Newer energy saving lightbulbs are a lot more efficient since they use different methods, as electricity passes through the gas it causes ultraviolet radiation to be emitted and this makes the phosphour coating glow – this way they don’t produce as much wasted heat energy. Some of these lightbulbs contain small traces of Mercury, but again, there’s no significant risk.

    • Photo: Daniel Scully

      Daniel Scully answered on 18 Nov 2011:

      I agree, a light bulb is unlikely to do you any harm.

      It is recommended that you leave a room for 5 minutes if you break an energy saving bulb, while the mercury in the air disperses. Although I doubt not doing so is likely to cause serious problems.

    • Photo: Andrew Cairns

      Andrew Cairns answered on 18 Nov 2011:

      Anything you’ve read about energy saving lightbulbs being dangerous is mostly exaggerated, you are probably exposed to a lot worse on a daily basis than when you break the bulb.

      That being said, if you want to do some damage to someone with a lightbulb, you probably could, just as you could with any glass…

    • Photo: Peta Foster

      Peta Foster answered on 21 Nov 2011:

      I don’t think they would do you much good if you ate them….however if you want to eat a light meal… i recommend a salad 😉

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