If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Flush the skin with plenty of cool running water immediately and keep flushing for an extended time.
- 2Remove contaminated clothing, gloves, boots and jewelry while flushing. Avoid spreading the chemical to your face or eyes.
- 3If the chemical is a dry powder, brush off as much as you can before flushing, unless you've been told otherwise for that product.
- 4Call 911 for large or deep burns, burns on the face, eyes, hands or groin, or if you have trouble breathing, dizziness or nausea.
- 5Have someone find the product label or safety data sheet and bring it to responders or the clinic.
- 6Tell your supervisor and report the injury in writing. Keep a copy.
- 7Do not put ointments or home remedies on the burn unless a clinician tells you to.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Reporting it and the claim process
Chemical burns at work commonly come from cleaning products, degreasers, drain cleaners, pool and water-treatment chemicals, farm chemicals, concrete and cement, and industrial acids or caustics. In your written report, name the product if you know it, say how it got on your skin (splash, leaking container, soaked through gloves, mixing products), and note what protective gear you had.
Ask for a copy of the safety data sheet. It describes the product's hazards and first aid and will help your clinicians.
Your employer generally sends the report to its insurer or claims administrator to start a workers' compensation claim. Deadlines to report and file vary by state, so check with your state's workers' compensation agency as soon as possible.
Chemical burns can look mild at first and worsen over hours or days. Take dated photos as the skin changes and keep receipts for dressings and supplies.
Getting medical care
Serious burns need emergency care. Smaller chemical burns are still worth having evaluated at urgent care or occupational medicine, because some chemicals keep damaging tissue after the pain eases. A licensed clinician decides what is appropriate after an evaluation.
Bring the product name or safety data sheet and tell the clinician it happened at work, how long the chemical was on your skin and how long you flushed. Some states and employers have rules about which provider you see first, so ask — but go to emergency care first if you need it.
If you are prescribed medication or wound care supplies, ask the pharmacy and adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Many can be filled locally or delivered to your home.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery, common medications after work injuries, or find pharmacies near you. Your doctor and pharmacist decide what is right for you.
When people often talk to an attorney
- The burn is deep, scars, or affects your hands or face.
- The chemical container was mislabeled, defective or supplied by another company.
- You were not given proper gloves, goggles or training for the product.
- Your claim is denied or delayed, or you are blamed for mixing products.
- You develop skin sensitivity that keeps you from returning to the same work.
- You were discouraged from reporting the burn.
Learn more: what a workers' comp attorney does. Many offer a free first consultation; fees in workers' comp are often regulated by the state.
Recovery and going back to work
Follow your clinician's wound care instructions and keep follow-up appointments. Tell them about increasing pain, blistering, color changes or signs of infection.
Healing skin may be sensitive to the same chemical or to others. Ask your doctor whether you need restrictions or different protective gear, and ask your employer whether a safer product or a different task is possible.
Keep your employer and adjuster updated after each visit, and keep your photos and the safety data sheet with your claim papers.
Questions to ask
- Employer: Exactly which product was it, and can I have the safety data sheet?
- Employer: What gloves or gear are required for this product?
- Doctor: Is this chemical likely to keep affecting my skin after flushing?
- Doctor: What signs mean I need to come back right away?
- Doctor: Should I avoid this chemical in the future?
- Adjuster: What is my claim number, and how are wound supplies handled?
- Attorney: The container was leaking from the supplier. Does that change anything?
Frequently asked questions
What should I do for a chemical burn on my skin at work?
Flush the skin with large amounts of running water right away and keep going for an extended time, removing soaked clothing. Call 911 for serious burns or if you feel sick. Get the product's safety data sheet and report the injury in writing.
How long should I rinse a chemical burn?
Flush for a long time, not just a quick rinse, and follow the product's safety data sheet or responders' instructions. Many people stop too soon. A clinician can tell you whether more is needed.
Why does a chemical burn get worse later?
Some chemicals keep reacting with skin after first contact, so damage can show up over hours or days. That is why prompt flushing and evaluation matter. Photograph the area as it changes.
Is a chemical burn at work covered by workers' comp?
Chemical burns on the job are often handled through workers' compensation, depending on your state and situation. Report it in writing even if it seems minor. Check deadlines with your state's agency.
What is a safety data sheet?
It is a document that describes a chemical product's hazards, protective gear and first aid steps. Employers commonly keep them for products used at work. Ask for a copy and bring it to your clinician.
Can I go back to work after a chemical burn?
That depends on the burn and your clinician's guidance. Ask about restrictions and protective gear. Ask your employer whether a different product or task is possible.
Related situations
Industries where this often happens
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).