Mercury alone is safe enough to handle a bit where you would be mostly worried about breathing too much of its vapor. Organic compounds of mercury on the other hand can kill you within days of a drop touching your skin.

Yeah, in any workplace I’ve been in any physical contact would have been out of line

Franks is a classic but anyone I know makes better buffalo sauce using Crystal hot sauce and butter. It’s a bit less acidic. That deli counter buffalo roast chicken is weirdly good also.