Household poisons
Many hazardous chemicals can be found at home such as cleaning and gardening products. It is vital to handle all hazardous substances with care and keep them out of reach of children and pets as common household items can be extremely dangerous.
Some, such as paint stripper, bleach and oven cleaner, are poisonous or corrosive if swallowed.
If a household poison is swallowed there could be:
- Evidence of the poison near the casualty
- Redness, blistering, burns and swelling to the face, mouth and lips
- Stomach pain and possible vomiting
- Distressed breathing leading to unresponsiveness
Additional factors to consider when treating this type of poisoning:
- Remove any contaminated clothing
- If there is anything corrosive on their skin wash away with water
- If the casualty has swallowed a corrosive substance rinse out their mouth and give frequent sips of milk or water (subject to sufficient levels of response)
- Wear PPE such as gloves if a casualty is contaminated with chemicals
