Some kinds
of chemical accidents or attacks may cause you to come in contact with
dangerous chemicals. Coming in contact with a dangerous chemical may
make it necessary for you to remove and dispose of your clothing right
away and then wash yourself. Removing your clothing and washing your
body will reduce or remove the chemical so that it is no longer a hazard.
This process is called decontamination.
People
are decontaminated for two primary reasons:
- to
prevent the chemical from being further absorbed by their body or
from spreading on their body, and
- to prevent
the chemical from spreading to other people, including medical personnel,
who must handle or who might come in contact with the person who
is contaminated with the chemical.
Most chemical
agents can penetrate clothing and are absorbed rapidly through the
skin. Therefore, the most important and most effective decontamination
for any chemical exposure is decontamination done within the first
minute or two after exposure.
How
to know if you need to wash yourself and dispose of your clothing
In most
cases, emergency coordinators will let you know if a dangerous chemical
has been released and will tell you what to do.
In general,
exposure to a chemical in its liquid or solid form will require you
to remove your clothing and then thoroughly wash your exposed skin.
Exposure to a chemical in its vapor (gas) form generally requires you
only to remove your clothing and the source of the toxic vapor.
If you
think you have been exposed to a chemical release, but you have not
heard from emergency coordinators, you can follow the washing and clothing
disposal advice in the next section.
What
to do
Act quickly
and follow the instructions of local emergency coordinators. Every
situation can be different, so local emergency coordinators might have
special instructions for you to follow. The three most important things
to do if you think you may have been exposed to a dangerous chemical
are to (1) quickly remove your clothing, (2) wash yourself, and (3)
dispose of your clothing. Here’s how:
- Removing
your clothing:
- Quickly
take off clothing that has a chemical on it. Any clothing that
has to be pulled over your head should be cut off instead of
being pulled over your head.
- If
you are helping other people remove their clothing, try to
avoid touching any contaminated areas, and remove the clothing
as quickly as possible.
- Washing
yourself:
- As
quickly as possible, wash any chemicals from your skin with
large amounts of soap and water. Washing with soap and water
will help protect you from any chemicals on your body.
- If
your eyes are burning or your vision is blurred, rinse your
eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you wear contacts,
remove them and put them with the contaminated clothing. Do
not put the contacts back in your eyes (even if they are not
disposable contacts). If you wear eyeglasses, wash them with
soap and water. You can put your eyeglasses back on after you
wash them.
- Disposing
of your clothes:
- After
you have washed yourself, place your clothing
inside a plastic bag. Avoid touching contaminated
areas of the clothing. If you can't avoid
touching contaminated areas, or you aren't
sure where the contaminated areas are, wear
rubber gloves or put the clothing in the
bag using tongs, tool handles, sticks, or
similar objects. Anything that touches the
contaminated clothing should also be placed
in the bag. If you wear contacts, put them
in the plastic bag, too.
- Seal
the bag, and then seal that bag inside another
plastic bag. Disposing of your clothing in
this way will help protect you and other
people from any chemicals that might be on
your clothes.
- When
the local or state health department or emergency
personnel arrive, tell them what you did
with your clothes. The health department
or emergency personnel will arrange for further
disposal. Do not handle the plastic bags
yourself.
After you
have removed your clothing, washed yourself, and disposed of your clothing,
you should dress in clothing that is not contaminated. Clothing that
has been stored in drawers or closets is unlikely to be contaminated,
so it would be a good choice for you to wear.
You should
avoid coming in contact with other people who may have been exposed
but who have not yet changed their clothes or washed. Move away from
the area where the chemical was released when emergency coordinators
tell you to do so.
How
you can get more information about personal cleaning and disposal
of contaminated clothing
You can
contact one of the following:
- State
and local health departments
- Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Public
Response Hotline (CDC)
- English
(888) 246-2675
- Español
(888) 246-2857
- TTY
(866) 874-2646
- Emergency
Preparedness and Response Web site
- E-mail
inquiries: cdcresponse@ashastd.org
- Mail
inquiries:
Public Inquiry c/o BPRP
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Planning
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mailstop C-18
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30333
This
fact sheet is based on CDC's best current information. It may be
updated as new information becomes available.
Last
reviewed on 05/22/03.
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protects people's
health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries;
enhances health decisions by providing credible information on critical
health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong partnerships
with local, national, and international organizations.
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