How should you respond to a pesticide exposure emergency?

• A. Ignore symptoms and continue working.
• B. Only rinse with water and return to work.
• C. Remove contaminated clothing, wash exposed skin with plenty of water, seek medical attention, and contact local poison control.
• D. Drink water and wait for symptoms to pass.

Answer: (C)

When a pesticide exposure emergency occurs, the primary goal is to stop exposure and start decontamination, then get professional medical guidance. Begin by removing any clothing or jewelry that may be contaminated to cut off ongoing absorption. Then wash exposed skin with plenty of clean running water for at least 15 to 20 minutes; soap can help, but the key is thorough flushing to remove residue. After decontamination, seek medical attention promptly because some pesticides can cause harmful effects even if you don’t feel sick right away. If possible, contact local poison control for immediate instructions and to determine whether you should go to an emergency department; have the product label or ingredient information handy to aid their guidance. Also, wash contaminated clothing separately and handle it carefully to prevent spreading the residue. Other approaches that ignore symptoms, or that rely only on a brief rinse and waiting, don’t adequately remove the chemical or provide professional direction, putting you at greater risk.