Anything that someone can swallow, breathe in, or get in their eyes or on their skin that can cause illness or death is classified as a poison. This blog post will talk about what to do in general when you encounter the victim of poisoning.
As always, make sure the scene is safe. Because we are dealing with chemicals and poisons, this takes a few more steps than you would in other first aid situations.
1) Make sure the scene is safe before you approach.
2) If for any reason, it looks unsafe, do not approach. Make sure others stay away, too.
3) Look for signs that warn you that poisons are nearby, like spilled containers.
4) If you see more than 1 poisoning victim, stay out of the area in general.
5) If you do approach the scene, you must wear the appropriate protective equipment.
Try to help the victim get the poison off as quickly and safely as you can. Use water to rinse. Be sure to take off any contaminated clothing and/or jewelry. If you have access to a safety shower, help the victim towards it if they can respond and move. Brush off any dry powder or solid substances from the skin with a gloved hand. Rinse for at least 20 minutes or until medical personnel arrive.
If you need to perform CPR on a poisoning victim, use a mask for giving breaths if available.
