Many types of local government employees may work with chemicals capable of causing chemical burns, making these injury types an important consideration for any risk management program.
While burn injuries are most commonly associated with heat or flames, they can come from chemicals as well, when a caustic material contacts the skin, damaging it and possibly the tissue beneath the skin.
Most of the chemicals that can cause burns are strong acids or strong bases, with acids having the strongest potential to burn skin. Some typical sources of chemical burns are vehicle battery acid, bleach, drain cleaner, paint thinner, gasoline, ammonia, chlorination products and cement. The most common body parts to suffer chemical burns are a worker’s face, arms or legs.
Appropriate procedures and employee training can help prevent these burn injuries.
Preventing chemical burns
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to provide information about the identities and hazards of chemicals available to workers. This includes communicating the appropriate measures to protect employees, such as personal protective equipment, or PPE, that should be worn when using certain chemicals.
One critical step in preventing chemical burns is storing chemicals properly and safely. Chemicals need to be kept in their original and properly labelled container. OSHA maintains a Hazard Communication Standard, found online, which requires employers to make Safety Data Sheets available to all workers whose work involves exposure to a particular hazardous chemical. These documents have 16 sections, including several focused on injury prevention:
- Chemical identification and hazard identification
- Ingredient information
- Instructions for handling and storage
- Physical and chemical properties, as well as stability and reactivity
- Exposure controls, including PPE
First aid
Chemical burns are considered serious or deep injuries, needing immediate emergency care, in several cases:
- The burn is at least 3 inches across, or is very deep.
- The burn involves the face, eyes, groin, hands, feet, buttocks or a major joint.
Safety Data Sheets cover first aid measures for hazardous materials in their fourth section. In most cases, whether a chemical burn is serious or minor, the chemical agent involved should be flushed off of the skin with large amounts of cool, gently running water for at least 10 minutes. The person administering the first aid should be mindful to use appropriate PPE when flushing the chemical. Any piece of clothing or jewelry should be flushed with water before removing it from the injured person.
Most chemical burns can be treated without causing long-term problems. Some burns, however, can be more serious and require more substantial treatment. Having procedures in place, conducting proper employee training and wearing the right protective clothing will help prevent chemical burns.