Personal Protective Equipment such as protective overalls, gloves and glasses should be considered mandatory for healthcare providers who assist a person with a chemical burn injury.
Prolonged irrigation with water flow is the mainstay of immediate treatment of most chemical burns. Irrigation should occur as soon as possible and continue while pain persists.
- Remove contaminated clothing from patient
- Powdered agents should be brushed from the skin whilst protecting care giver
- Areas of contact should be irrigated with copious amounts of cool running water
- Avoid washing chemical over unaffected skin
- Always ensure the unaffected eye is uppermost when irrigating to avoid contamination