Chemical exposure

If a chemical touches your body, time is everything. Wash it off at once.

Do this immediately

1. Remove contaminated clothing at once. Cutting it off is safer than pulling it over your head.
2. Flush with clean running water for at least 15–20 minutes. For eyes, hold them open and flush from the inner corner outwards.
3. Call 119 and tell them the substance.
4. Secure information about the substance — photograph the container and the MSDS (safety data sheet).
5. Take that information to hospital. It changes the treatment.

If swallowed

• Call 119 immediately and follow their instructions.
• Do not induce vomiting on your own. Strong acids and alkalis damage the oesophagus further on the way back up.
• Take the container to hospital.

If inhaled

• Move to fresh air immediately.
• If breathing is difficult, call 119.
• Going in to rescue someone exposes you too. Don't take risks; wait for 119.

If it happened at work

Always process it as an industrial accident.

• Tell the doctor you were exposed to a chemical at work.
• Claim through 1588-0075 (Workers' Compensation). See industrial-accident-report.
• Employers must keep and teach MSDS. If there is none, you can report it to 1350.

Where to go

• 119 emergency (multilingual interpretation available)
• 1339 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
• 1588-0075 Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service
• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (safety reports)
• 1577-1366 · 1345 interpretation

Questions people ask

Is it fine if I have no symptoms? No. Some symptoms appear later. Always be examined and have the exposure recorded.

I don't know the substance name. Photograph the container and label. You can require the MSDS from your employer.

The company says not to file it as an industrial accident. You can file the claim yourself. See accident-employer-refusal.

It went in my eye. Flush with water for at least 15 minutes and call 119. Remove contact lenses while flushing. Do not rub the eye.

Take care

"I'll wash it off and rest" is the most dangerous response. Chemicals damage lungs, liver and nerves with a delay. Always get examined and create a record — it becomes the basis for treatment and accident recognition later.

Related

industrial-accident-report · occupational-disease · protective-equipment · burns · call-119

Source

Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency www.kosha.or.kr / As of 2026-08