If acid, alkali or another chemical splashes on you, take off the contaminated clothing at once, rinse with plenty of running water, hold the eyelids open when rinsing the eyes, and don't leave until you have rinsed long enough

In a real emergency, call 911 first, then read this.

Cost

Free. On your first day at a job, find where the eyewash and the emergency shower are, and don't wait until something happens to look for them.

What you get

Three steps at the scene. Step one, take off contaminated clothing, shoes and socks at once: the poison keeps being absorbed through the skin, and the parts trapped under clothing are the most badly hurt. Step two, rinse with plenty of running water. The lower limit given by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's institute for occupational health and poison control is "at least 15 minutes" each for skin and eyes. The Hunan Provincial Department of Emergency Management gives 20 to 30 minutes of rinsing the wound, "longer for strong chemicals." Take the longer of the two. Step three, for the eyes, "hold the eyelids open so the water fully reaches the eyeball and the inside of the lids," "never rub the eyes," and go to an eye department right after rinsing. Use room-temperature or lukewarm water, never hot water. Don't put ointment, mercurochrome or anything else on a fresh wound, and don't wrap it in a dirty cloth, because that interferes with the doctor judging the depth. In law, "chemical skin burns" and "chemical eye burns" are both on the statutory list of occupational diseases, and if they happen at work they are handled as occupational disease and work injury. When an acute occupational hazard accident happens, the employer "shall promptly organize treatment, health checks and medical observation, and bear the cost" (China)

Notes

Graded B because on how long to rinse, one official source says 15 minutes and the other 20 to 30 minutes, with no single national standard figure. Go to the hospital with the name of the chemical, its packaging, or the safety data sheet (SDS), because the doctor needs it to decide the plan. Don't grab another acid or alkali to "neutralize" it: mixing the two gives off heat, and you cannot control how much is poured. The "neutralizing solution" in the Hunan material means a special rinse prepared in advance by the workplace, not something improvised at the scene. Brush off dry powders such as lime or cement before rinsing with water (some local emergency pages say on this basis that concentrated sulfuric acid should also be wiped off first; the sources differ on this point, so this guide does not say it). For household cleaners and swallowing, see §13.20. For protection and checkups before starting a job, see §19.9, §19.10 (before starting a job, check the hazard notice; the employer must provide protective equipment).

Evidence grade

B : Supported by research but without a precise number, or based on small or single studies.

Sources

1. National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2025). Summer Break Safety Tips: Beware of Strong Acid and Strong Alkali Cleaners [in Chinese]. https://niohp.chinacdc.cn/kpdw/202507/t20250722_308659.htm
2. Hunan Provincial Department of Emergency Management (2015). Emergency Handling and Treatment of Common Chemical Poisoning Accidents [in Chinese]. http://yjt.hunan.gov.cn/yjt/tszt/aqzs/201509/t20150919_3113778.html
3. National Health Commission and three other departments (2024). Occupational Disease Classification and Catalog [in Chinese] (in force August 1, 2025). https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202412/content_6992843.htm
4. National People's Congress Standing Committee (2018). Law on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases [in Chinese] (Article 37). https://www.beijing.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengcefagui/qtwj/201711/t20171104_779851.html (republished by the Beijing Municipal People's Government)

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 13, tip 21. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer