Chemical Burns

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

How many of us have ever suffered a chemical burn? What kind of chemical was it? What type of safety precautions did you take to help prevent this in the future? Let's help each other work safely.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Sodium Hydroxide I knew better and was just to lazy to go outside and get gloves. My wife had burned the heck out of the aluminum baking pan and I just had to prove that I could make it look new again. Well I proved myself right, but then had to explain my almost skinless hand.

My driveway suffered a small burn from straight muriatic acid, and hey, that looks new too now.

[John Orr 206]

I use a backpack sprayer for applying SH for stripping decks. It was a hot day (several years ago), so I didn't pay much attention to the warm sensation on my back. Later in the day, it seemed to feel even worse, but it wasn't until that evening that I realized what had happened. As I removed my shirt, I also removed a chunk of skin. Ow! Fortunately, my wife is a nurse, but even still, it took several weeks for the burn to heal.

Needless to say, I learned my lesson and now carry apple cider vinegar (to neutralize as well as for heat burns). Also, I now use eye protection when mixing chems, as well as having an eye wash kit, so that I'll be ready if I ever get 12% in my eye (again)! Ow!

I suppose that nothing teaches like personal experience. Unfortunately.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I have a burn (minor, fortunately) from the point where my gauntlet glove ended on my arm. I found that when working on vertical surfaces, the cleaning chem solution was running 'up' the glove where it would get on me. I finally decided that it had to stop and turned up the glove ends and made a cuff to keep it from traveling onto my skin.

quick tip.

Rod~

[Craig 111]

I was pouring Oxalic acid (dry powder) into my mixing bucket. I poured in the right amounts and of course didn't have goggles on. A little bit of the powder was still left on the top part of the bucket... when I let the bucket back down on the ground (not very nicely) the dry oxalic kicked back up into my eyes! My knees buckled to the ground in about one second. Luckily I was right next to the drain port on my holding tank (which has a 6' -3/4ID" hose attached for whatever) so I could wash out my eyes right away! It didn't make for a very enjoyable house wash though.

[Mike 64]

Needless to say, I learned my lesson and now carry apple cider vinegar (to neutralize as well as for heat burns). Also, I now use eye protection when mixing chems, as well as having an eye wash kit, so that I'll be ready if I ever get 12% in my eye (again)! Ow!

How many diff chems does the vinegar help to neutralize? is there another "must have" for dealing with chemicals... sorry if this was already asked in the safety area.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Since vinegar is an acid, it will neutralize a caustic. So will a coke or pepsi. If you have an acid burn you need a base to neutralize with. Hand soaps tend to be alkaline.

But rinse, rinse, rinse....and seek emergency medical help if it is serious.

Beth

[paul-uk 500]

once you have voted and see the percentages...it is a eye opener...only one way to go from there.....

[One Tough Pressure 580]

You have a point Paul, and another thing to consider is always knowing what the MSDS says to do for First Aid, prior to ever needing it. It does you no good to have the paperwork if you do not read it, as the time you do need it, you may have no eyes to do it.

Even worse is those that make home brews and have no paperwork or emergency number to call.

Safety First and make it last.

[Jon 533]

When dealing with powder chemicals as I have always wear a mask and not the cheap paper ones.

Either a full respriator style or those with charcoal filters made for the types of chemicals your using.

One thing all the instructions say is to be clean shaven, no beards but if you snug it up tight enough with a short trimmed beard as I have then it works just fine.

I was mixing Zep Flash Split/Light once and got a few drops on my leg, right up the jeans and it burned a bit, more like a nasty itch but I rinsed a few times with soap and all was ok.

Best advice anyone can have is read the MSDS papers.

And know which chemicals are NOT compatible with others.

[Aplus 525]

I've had a few sodium hydroxide burns even though I wear ppe. It happens, liquids, especially mists, find their way where their not supposed to be.

That's why I won't work with HF acid. No way, no how.

[RyanH 14]

Sulfuric and hydrochloric acid vapor burns to sinuses (minor) when cleaning grout and porcelain surfaces. Ammonium chloride vapor burns to throat from sterilizing bathrooms. Minor sulfuric acid burns from splashes when cleaning grout. I've had butyl degreasers burn my face from overmisting, but haven't had problems from that and bleach from running down my arm while cleaning. The few times I have had it run down my arm, it usually continues to the armpit and down my torso, but I've always wiped immediately with a wet towel and so far it hasn't been a problem. I try to take better precautions now, though. Vapor irritation was always due to insufficient ventilation and staying in for just a moment too long (I usually try to moderate it so that I don't actually breath it in and leave plenty of doors open).

[Mike 64]

I'm not sure if the PWNA offers a course or anyone else does, but this would be a GREAT seminar or boot camp for anyone and everyone. There's alot people that dont know about acids & bases and personal protection. No amount of money is worth getting hurt and not making it home to see your family.

[Chappy 138]

Ive hade some minor sodium hydrox burns, and gotten chlorine in eyes before.

But before I went full time I sold specialty maintenance chems. The company would provide MSDs if we asked but mostly we were on our own. once I started reading these boards I read up on hydrofloric acid. Our demo was to spray HF on rust stained painted surface. I think the HF was 12%. no thought to rubber gloves or anything. Once I found out how serious that stuff is, I sent articles to my sales manager who made a big point of not saying anything to the other reps about it. I left shortly there after when I realized that this company just didnt care about its reps.

[Cleveland Mobile 14]

Even though I mix all my own acids and alkalines.....the worse burn I ever got was this past summer through total stupidity. I usually clean the airless out with water and once the lines are clear spray off my shoes to remove some of the stain from the job. The deck I did that day was with an oil base semi trans. stain and required cleaning with thinner. I wasnt thinking and sprayed my shoes. The thinner absorbed into my socks and caused second degree burns on the top of my feet. Moral of this....think first.lol

Andy

[ROBERT MCLAUTHLIN 14]

i have had a couple of sodium hydroxide burns but the worst one i ever encountered was when i was eating a hot pepper and the juice from the pepper sqirted me in the eye the pain the horror the nightmare

[Cleveland Mobile 14]

second degree burns are when they blister....thats what i had ...the blister covered the entire top of my feet.

Andy

[Bob Gates 14]

One drop of muratic acid on my forearm....didn't feel a thing...but the next day a raw-meat spot about the size of a nickel....took days and days to completely heal...

Everybody be careful out there!!!

[Washaway 64]

Chlorine burn only.....it itches for weeks and there's no no relief.

Unrelated to work I've managed to blow myself up, when I was younger, with the help of 87 octane unleaded and some stupidity.

The explosion picked me up, threw me back about 5 feet and flipped me. I suffered second degree burns to my face, ears and neck and third degree to to my wrist (that's where the elastic in the wrist of my sweater melted).

Luckily I suffered no injuries to my eyes, throat or lungs....I was extremely lucky and it's one of the most incredible experiences of my life. (not that I'd care to part take again)

Anyone ever wonder what they would look like with a blistering swollen face, no eye lashes and no eye brows? It's not pretty.

[PLD 14]

Chlorine burn only.....it itches for weeks and there's no no relief.

Get the doctor to prescribe some "Silver Sulfadine (sp?)". It's a cream prescribed to burn patients and makes chlorine burns stop itching and heal much faster. I've been using it for the past 6 days on a large pair on chlorine burns on my inner thighs from a bucket slosh. After 6 days, the first degree portion is just reddish dry skin. The 1+ degree burn is now just pinker than normal skin and no longer sensitive/painful. The 2nd degree raw open flesh has scabbed over and it now similar to week old road rash. That meaning that it is sensitive to rough handling and stretching, but otherwise is not painful or itchy.

Speaking of chemical skin damage, does anyone else get persistent rashes around your ankles and tops of feet that stops at the top of the sock line? It doesn't look like athletes foot, more like a sensitivity. I can't decide if it's just from constantly being wet or from low concentrations of chems soaking into the shoes and socks.

[PLD 14]

i have had a couple of sodium hydroxide burns but the worst one i ever encountered was when i was eating a hot pepper and the juice from the pepper sqirted me in the eye the pain the horror the nightmare

I whipped a hose out of a bucket too fast and managed to get my eyes full of 12% once. Thankfully I was at home, and could find my way to the sink blind and fairly quickly. But, when it hit my eye it was like being poked in both eyes hard. I went down to my knees and it took a few seconds to figure out that I had not actually been hit with a baseball bat.

[squirtgun 122]

My feet are trying to rot off also.I think it's a combination if athletes foot and chem exposure.

I have tried rubber boots(how much foot sweat can a pair hold anyway?) and about everything inbetween with no success.I started keeping a pair of flip flops in the truck.When we finish at a job I take off my boots and slip on the flip flops.I leave the boots on the trailer to give them a chance to dry out some and keep 6 pairs of clean socks on hand.

[PLD 14]

My feet are trying to rot off also.I think it's a combination if athletes foot and chem exposure.

I have tried rubber boots(how much foot sweat can a pair hold anyway?) and about everything inbetween with no success.I started keeping a pair of flip flops in the truck.When we finish at a job I take off my boots and slip on the flip flops.I leave the boots on the trailer to give them a chance to dry out some and keep 6 pairs of clean socks on hand.

I don't think it's athletes foot for me. I had mine cleared up 100% and it was back after one day on crew. Looks and acts just like AF, but responds poorly to AF cremes, ok to lotions, and pops up in just 48 hours.

[John Orr 206]

Any time I spill 12.5 or SH on myself, I dip a paper towel in oxalic and wipe the affected area. It works. If you wait for the burn to begin, it will sting like H**L, but it will still work.

[CCPC 26]

I get chemicals on myself everyday and can't find a reasonable way to avoid it. If I was to try to avoid any contact with chlorine while doing roofs, houses, driveways, the jobs would take twice as long and I would have to charge three times as much. Which means, I would never win any bids and be out of business in a year. I've had a small burn on my back form chlorine, but that was the only topical skin reaction I've ever had after contact with any of the chemicals I've used. Now I just sit back and wait for my teeth and hair to fall out. :whoops: