!Chemical Burns

Protect yourself first: Wear long sleeves and gloves or bags
over your hands. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief. Wash
yourself and your clothing thoroughly after helping anyone who
has been exposed to chemicals.

The best way to prevent damage from chemical burns is to get the
chemical off as fast as possible.

1. Take off clothing and jewelry near the burn.
2. If the chemical is sticky, quickly scrape it off with a flat
   stick, the side of a knife, or something else stiff.
3. Once you have scraped off all the chemical you can, rinse
   the area with lots and lots of water. Water can cause some
   chemicals to start burning, so be sure you have first
   removed as much of the chemical as possible. For an oily
   chemical, use soap and water. Use a hose or tap if you have
   one. If the face is affected, wash it first. Especially
   clean out any cuts or openings in the skin. The faster you
   start washing and the longer you wash, the better the skin
   can survive.

After you have cleaned all the chemical off the person, treat
the chemical burn as you would any other burn.

Wash or discard all clothes that have come into contact with the
chemicals, as they can also cause damage.

If the chemical got into an eye, pour the water from the inside
of the eye (near the nose) toward the outside of the eye (near
the ear).

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Hesperian Health Guides 1919 Addison St Ste 304 Berkeley CA 94704
1.510.845.1447 [email protected]
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