In our previous issue, we looked at what to do if you're an inadvertent victim of an eye splash. But if what should you do if you're the inadvertent victim of splash onto your clothing or skin?
When your clothes soak up a hazardous splash, forget about modesty. Act quickly to remove anything that holds strong acids, bases, or other hazardous liquids against your skin. Always remove your footwear.
Use a safety shower, if it's available, for at least 15 minutes. If it's not, use water from a faucet even if it's not potable water — it's best if a coworker can administer this. You may end up using a washdown hose or even a pail. If you use a pail, rinse it out first.
Don't make the false assumption that if your skin isn't red you must be OK. And don't put your contaminated clothing back on, even if it's been rinsed out. By now, your supervisor should have arranged for alternate clothing and a trip to the emergency room.