Question

Your neighbor accidentally spilled concentrated dry powder weed killer on his bare hands & arms. He begins screaming in pain. When you go to his house, he is complaining of severe burning & itching of his skin. The skin is red & irritated. What is the 1st thing that you should do in this situation?

a) scrub the hands & arms vigorously with soap & water
b) tell your neighbors to apply a topical antihistamine to his hands & arm
c) brush the material off with a gloved hand/towel
d) rinse the area with copious amounts of tap water

Answer 1

d) Rinse the area with copious amounts of tap water.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the case of exposure to a concentrated dry powder weed killer, the initial response should be to rinse the affected area with copious amounts of tap water. This helps to remove the chemical from the skin, minimizing further absorption and reducing the severity of the reaction. The use of water is crucial to dilute and wash away the irritant.

Option a is not recommended, as scrubbing vigorously may worsen the irritation by further abrading the skin. Option b, applying a topical antihistamine, may not be effective against the chemical irritation. Option c, brushing the material off with a gloved hand/towel, might expose the person assisting to the chemical, so rinsing is a safer and more immediate action.

Therefore, option d is the correct and safest first response in this situation.