What are the signs and symptoms of a pesticide poisoning?
There are two kinds of illnesses or injuries caused by pesticides. Some symptoms only appear after the person has been poisoned and include headaches and nausea. Some other symptoms, like fainting and vomiting will occur upon contact with more hazardous pesticides.
External irritation can cause redness, blisters, rash, or even burns on the skin, swelling and a stinging sensation. It can cause burns in eyes, nose, mouth, and throat too.
Pesticide poisoning can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, headache, dizziness, confusion, weakness, excessive sweating, thirst, chest pain, chills, breathing difficulties, cramps in muscle or even aches all over the body.
Consult our Pest Control Experts
You need to know what the symptoms mean and determine the kind of pesticide poisoning. Various symptoms of poisoning are identical to other diseases you can get, just like flu or the hangover. Doctors can diagnose the poisoning. In case you or your colleague suspect signs and symptoms of poisoning, it is advisable to contact emergency services such as calling 000.
If you want to know about the dangers of pesticide poisoning, you may send us a message, chat us or call (02) 8007 4666.
What are important things to know when it comes to pest control pesticides?
While using pesticides, you need to be aware of harmful effects that they can cause. Here are some tips on how to act when dealing with pesticide poisoning.
Get medical help from professionals!
If you or your colleague have some strange or unexplained symptoms which started while working or being near to pesticide spray you need to get medical advice or help as soon as possible. You should not let yourself or anybody else to get dangerously ill before you seek medical help. Before going to the doctor you should take the pesticide container with the label so they can inspect it.
How can you help a victim of pesticide poisoning?
The first thing to do is to make sure that the victim is not near the pesticides and that he can breathe. If the victim is not breathing, you need to use artificial respiration on the victim. You should not become exposed to the pesticides while trying to help.
Look for the pesticide label because it should give you specific first aid instructions. Always remember to seal the container to avoid further pesticide poisoning.
Pesticides effects
What should you do when your skin comes in contact with pesticides?
If your skin comes in contact with pesticides, the best thing to do is to soak it with plenty of water. A good way is to place the victim in the water, like a pond or a river. It is good to take off the protective equipment and contaminated clothes from the victim. The best way is to fully and thoroughly clean the entire body of the victim. After that, it is important to dry the whole body and wrap it in blankets or any other clean clothing.
The important thing is to not allow the victim to become cold or overheated. It’s necessary to cover burned skin with a clean and dry cloth or bandage. Do not put medical oils, powders or greases on burned or injured skin.
What should a pesticide accidentally get in your eye?
The eyes need to be washed with water or eyewash. Hold the eyelids open and wash the eyes gently with clean running water which is positioned so that it flows across the eyes and not directly into the eyes. You need to wash your eyes for a minimum of 15 minutes or more. Do not use chemicals or drugs in the rinse water because this can increase the injury.
How can you prevent poisoning when you accidentally inhale a pesticide?
It is important to take the victim to fresh air as soon as possible and loose tight clothes which may interfere with breathing. You need to warn everybody of the danger if they are in the contaminated area. Artificial respiration is required if breathing has stopped or the victim’s skin becomes blue. Avoid direct contact with the victim’s mouth if they are covered with vomit or pesticides. In that case, it’s good to use a shaped airway tube or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
What should you do when you accidentally ingest pesticide?
The correct way is to rinse the victim’s mouth with plenty of water. After that, you should give the victim a large amount of water or milk to drink. You should stimulate the victim to vomit only if the instructions on the pesticide label say that.
What is heat stress?
It is an illness that occurs when the body is exposed to much more heat than it can handle. Heat stress is induced by exposure to pesticides, but it can have an effect on people who work with them in hot conditions. It can be caused by wearing personal protective equipment while pesticide handling because it limits the worker’s ability to cool down his body temperature.
What are the signs and symptoms of heat stress?
- Exhaustion
- Muscle weakness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Dry mouth and thirst
- Hot and dry skin
- Heavy sweating
- Complete lack of sweating
Heat stress can cause people to feel sick and reduce their ability to work. They can get tired sooner, feel weaker, and be less able to make better judgments. Severe heat stress can cause serious illness unless the victims are cooled down faster. Otherwise, they might even die. More than 10% of severe heat stress victims die, regardless of their age. Many of the victims who survive suffer permanent damage. Signs and symptoms may include:
First Aid For Heat Stress
There is a small difference between heat stress and poisoning caused by pesticides because the signs and symptoms are very similar. It is important to look for medical help if you have any of these symptoms.
The first thing to do to help victims of heat stress is to get them in a shaded area. You need to cool down the victim by splashing the skin with cool water, especially the face, neck, hands, and forearms. The next step is to remove the victim’s personal protective gear and other clothing which makes him warmer. If the victim shows signs of consciousness, give him as much as possible water to drink. If the treatment for severe heat stress or heat stroke is delayed, it can result in brain damage or even death.
First Aid for Pesticides Contact
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