Chemical Burns
By Williams Kherkher
C hemical burns can occur in the home,
at work, at school, or as the result of an
accident or assault. Few people die after
chemical burns occur in the home but many
injuries do occur. The risk of sustaining a
chemical burn is much greater in the
workplace. This is particularly true if an
individual works in a business or
manufacturing plan that uses large quantities
of chemicals.
Chemical burns are commonly caused by
extremely corrosive acids and bases. These
are commonly called strong by the general
populace. Such things include ammonia,
hydrochloric acid, and sulphuric acid.
Chemical burns most often occur on the
face, arms, legs, and in the eyes but the
injury area varies with how a person is
exposed. Inhaling a lot of fumes can burn
the lungs and throat. This is a common
occurrence with chlorine compounds.
Burns that result from exposure to chemicals
in the home generally require outpatient
treatment but exceptions have been known
to happen. These burns can also be
deceiving. There can be deep tissue damage
that is not readily apparent when the burn is
first viewed.
Common household products that have been
known to burn people include bleach,
concrete mix, drain or toilet bowl cleaners,
metal cleaners, and pool chlorinators.
When individuals are exposed to chemicals
in the work place, the quantity and
concentration of the chemical is generally
much stronger. In addition to the risk of a
chemical burn, many chemicals have been
known to explode causing more burns.
 Smoke Inhalation Injuries
By Williams Kherkher

S moke inhalation is the leading cause
of death in victims of indoor, structural
fires. The concept of a smoke inhalation
injury refers to an injury that is due to
inhalation or exposure to hot gaseous
products of combustion, like smoke.
This type of injury frequently results in
serious respiratory complications.
It has been estimated by a number of
studies that between 50 and 80 percent
of all fire deaths are the result of smoke
inhalation injuries and not burns. Burns
are what people commonly think of
when they think of deaths from a fire but
it’s really not true. The smoke itself
injures or kills through a combination of
thermal damage, poisoning, and
pulmonary irritation. These three items
are caused by carbon monoxide,
cyanide, and other products from
combustion in a fire.
The symptoms of smoke inhalation vary
significantly, but can include:
• Coughing
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Sleepiness
• Confusion
• Burns to the nose, mouth and
face
• Singed nostril hairs
• Difficulty breathing
• Burned saliva
Nearly one third of all patients admitted
to burn units have some degree of
pulmonary injury due to the inhalation of
smoke.
Any person that exhibits any signs of
smoke inhalation should be evaluated by
a medical professional like a firefighter-
paramedic or physician immediately. It
may be necessary to use advanced
medical care to save the life of the
patient. This includes mechanical
ventilation, even if the person is
conscious and alert. If advanced
intervention is not available, the patient
should be brought out into fresh air and
given medical oxygen if it is available.
The three main complications from
smoke inhalation are:
• Impaired or reduced levels of
oxygen at the tissue level
• Thermal injury to the upper parts
of the airway
• Chemical injury
 Dust Combustible Explosions
By Williams Kherkher

S ometimes the most unassuming and seemingly harmless objects turn out to be the
most dangerous objects. Certain kinds of dust in particular circumstances can have
explosive capabilities. Because of this specific property, combustible dust explosions are
regarded to be a threat to the industrial world. These blasts cause wide-spread damage,
not only to property but also to individuals. The number of dust explosions is growing
each year, which means that there needs to be a higher level of awareness regarding the
potential danger. Every year, hundreds of people suffer from extensive burn injuries due
to dust combustible explosions.

We must understand, though, that “dust doesn’t just spontaneously combust,” as cleverly
put by a professor at the Kansas State University’s grain science and industry department.
His statement implies that there is a gradual process involved which leads to the
eventuality.

The process is fairly simple. Dust must first accumulate onto a surface. After the
accumulation occurs, it is disturbed and gets into the air. It is at this point that the dust
becomes the most dangerous, because it is exposed to the oxygen in the air. Also, dust
particles have a large surface which makes them even more reactive. In fact, the National
Fire Protection Association has defined any material under 420 microns potentially
explosive.

But what causes the explosion? The dust, once in the air, must be met with an ignition
force. Once ignited, the dust particles cause a chain-reaction explosion, which can yield
catastrophic and destructive force. In the worst cases, a secondary explosion may occur
once the first fireball has evaporated. This could mean that the burn injuries sustain by
potential victims could be fatal.

Industrial Companies that use highly explosive dust particles need to take much better
care of these dangerous materials. If not, someone could become seriously injured or
even lose their life.
 Chlorine Burns
By Williams Kherkher

C hlorine is one of the 10 most commonly produced chemicals in the United States. It
is an ubiquitous and used to treat water and bleach a variety of items. In addition, it was
the first poison gas used during World War One.

When used to treat water, chlorine is responsible for disinfecting water in general. It is
also used as a part of the sanitation process for sewage and industrial waste. While it is
generally controlled, widespread exposure to chlorine can occur following any accidental
spill or release of the chemical which is a gas at room temperature.

Because it is a gas at room temperature, exposure is generally via inhalation. Although

inhalation is the primary cause, people can also be burned by chlorine through skin
contact, eye contact, or ingestion of food or water that has been contaminated with
chlorine.

When a person is exposed to chlorine, the chlorine reacts with the water in a person’s
cells. When it reacts, it joins with the hydrogen in the water and creates Hydrochloric
acid. This makes chlorine corrosive. Low level exposure to the chemical causes skin, eye,
or airway irritation. A sore throat and cough may also occur. Higher levels of

exposure can be dangerous. The chlorine can cause the chest to tighten, wheezing,
dyspnea (shortness of breath), and bronchospasm (sudden constriction of the muscles in
the walls of the bronchi).

When a person experiences a chlorine burn, the chemical burn should be treated as a
thermal burn.
 Ammonia Exposure and Burns
By Williams Kherkher
Ammonia, while not extremely
dangerous in normal household
quantities, can be an extremely
dangerous gas or liquid when the
concentration of the chemical is high
enough. In gas form, it can do extensive
damage to a person’s internal organs. In
liquid form, it can hurt a person’s skin or
eyes. People are typically injured due to
ammonia exposure through inhalation,
skin or eye contact, and ingestion.
Inhalation
Inhalation injuries generally occur when
a highly concentrated form of ammonia
is released into the air. It is particularly
harmful if there is humidity or another
form of moisture in the air because this
causes the ammonia to join with the
water vapor and become more dense
than the air. This makes ammonia more
dangerous as it results in the vapor
sticking close to the ground where it can
actually hurt people. In most instances,
ammonia is less dense than the air and so
dissipates rapidly into the atmosphere.
When people inhale ammonia, there is
an immediate burning of the nose, throat,
and respiratory tract. This results in
bronchiolar and alveolar edema. In
addition, airway destruction resulting in
respiratory distress or failure is common.
Skin or Eye Contact
If a person comes into contact with very
strong ammonia, he or she can be
severely injured or burned. Contact with
concentrated ammonia solutions such as
industrial strength cleaners may cause
corrosive injuries like skin burns,
permanent eye damage, or blindness.
Ingestion
When eaten, highly concentrated
ammonia results in corrosive damage to
the mouth, throat, and stomach.
Typically, it does not result in systemic
poisoning.
Overall, there is not an antidote for
ammonia poisoning but the effects can
be treated and most people do recover.