SAS Urban Survival Handbook (39 page)

Children, left alone for long enough, show a truly amazing amount of ingenuity in order to reach unreachable places. The classic is to pull out drawers and use them as steps to climb up.

Most accidents with poisons have been found to occur when products weren’t locked away and were less than four feet from ground level.

Alcohol should NEVER be stored with children’s drinks. Remember: Young people are at risk from alcohol, as well as toddlers. Limit the amount of alcohol in the home and lock it away. Children and young people WILL want to sample drinks which adults appear to enjoy. Quite apart from poisoning, there are the risks of accidents and unconsciousness, once the casualty is intoxicated.

REMEMBER

If you store products in locked cupboards, rooms or outbuildings, KEEP THE KEY HIDDEN. Otherwise the lock presents no barrier at all.

Child-proof containers? It is accepted that up to 15 per cent of children will break through a child-proof top in five minutes. DON’T rely on these containers to keep children out. If a bottle is glass or plastic, it could easily be broken or crushed underfoot—and the contents released.

Keep chemicals in groups—wherever you store them—to reduce the risk of using the wrong product for the job. In the dark, in a hurry, when sleepy, you may take the wrong medicine, give the wrong drink to a child or spray caustic substances onto your skin.

Keep anything toxic away from food and areas where food is prepared. Keep anything flammable away from sources of heat (including sunlight) and away from power points, light fittings and inflammable materials.

Herbicides and pesticides can be very poisonous. Children, in particular, have been known to drink paraquat. Comparatively small amounts can be fatal.

Decanting

NEVER NEVER NEVER
‘decant’ chemicals or medicines into different containers. A high number of accidents occur through adults and children mistaking the contents of containers. Relabelling is NOT sufficient. Labels may fade or fall off—and not everyone can see clearly or is able to read.

A recognisable container such as a fizzy-drink bottle is still a fizzy-drink bottle to a small child—no matter what you write on the label. And it’s just as likely that a thirsty adult could take a swig from a bottle without bothering to read the label. In some countries (including the UK) it is now illegal to decant poisons into other containers. So it should be!

Medicines

Medicines which you are currently using—from cough syrups to birth control pills—are likely to be left lying around. NEVER do this where children are about. The elderly may leave bottles open or pills within easy reach. Take care when visiting them with children.

Every home should have a lockable medicine cabinet. Some homes have a lot of ‘medicines’—so the cupboard may have to be quite large! It should be strongly wall-mounted at a height which allows adult access, but deters small children.

REMEMBER

When storing caustic, flammable and highly toxic substances—even in the garage/shed—inspect the packages and shelves for signs of rot, corrosion and decay. Some chemicals don’t age well. Containers may rust, inflate, crumble—or even explode. DON’T buy huge quantities of chemicals. By keeping different sorts of chemicals separate from one another, you can reduce the risk of bad reactions occurring when two or more of them mix—which could occur from natural seepage or spillage from old stored containers. Make sure the stored chemicals are not subjected to heat or frost. Heat may alter the chemical nature of a product. Frost may crack a container.

Disposal

Disposal of unwanted chemicals can be very tricky indeed. Medicines should be returned to a pharmacist/hospital, where they can be disposed of properly. You may need to seek the advice of local authorities or environmental protection groups if you wish to dispose of really nasty substances. Do NOT pour chemicals down sinks, drains or toilets. Contact manufacturers /suppliers for advice.

REMEMBER

Medicines and chemicals in the waste bin are just as interesting to small children as the substances on high shelves.

WARNING

NEVER attempt to burn aerosols on a bonfire. Quite apart from the physical risks of the container exploding, when it does, residual chemicals may be released.

ACUTE POISONING

Some poisons attack the central nervous system—causing problems with or even stopping the heart, breathing and other vital functions. Others replace oxygen in the blood or prevent the ability of the blood to absorb oxygen.

Symptoms of acute poisoning

Some or all of these symptoms may be present. You may have to act quickly—so keep calm and try to be observant:

• ◑ Look for evidence—a packet/container/bottle/poisonous plant which could tell you what has happened.
  
• ◑ Or has the casualty been overcome by fumes or smoke?
  
• ◑ There may be delirium or convulsions.
  
• ◑ If the poison was carbon monoxide or smoke, the casualty may have a blueness or darkening of the face, lips and fingernails.
  
• ◑ If the poison was swallowed, there may be vomiting, stomach and abdominal pains, diarrhoea.
  
• ◑ Burns round the mouth indicate that a caustic substance has been swallowed.
  
• ◑ If this is the case, severe pain may result—all the way down to the stomach.
  
• ◑ You may be able to smell the poison on the breath—petrol, solvents, bleaches, disinfectants, shoe polish?
  

REMEMBER

If this is an attempt at suicide, the casualty may have had the opportunity to hide the ‘evidence’. Don’t waste time looking for empty containers until help has arrived.

You must act quickly

If there are symptoms of poisoning
and discomfort or distress, call an ambulance and then begin first aid.

If the patient stops breathing,
give mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose artificial respiration. Mouth-to-nose may help you avoid traces of poison on the casualty’s mouth.

If they have been covered in poison
—such as a dense spray of insecticide—cover the face with a cloth and give artificial respiration through a hole in it (see
Pesticides
).

If they are breathing,
conscious or not, place them on their front with the head turned to one side and the chin jutting out. On that side, draw the arm and leg away from the body. Even an unconscious person may vomit and block the airway (see HEALTH:
Recovery position
).

If there are burns and pain
in the stomach and the casualty is fully conscious, up to a pint (half a pint for children) of milk or water may be slowly sipped—but only if absolutely necessary. It may dilute the stomach contents and slow down the poisoning process.

Loosen restrictive clothing.
Remove clothing contaminated by caustic substances, solvents and pesticides. If there is time, wash affected skin (avoiding exposing yourself to chemical dangers) BUT don’t allow the casualty to get cold.

Inducing vomiting

WARNING

NEVER induce vomiting with salty water—for adults or children. Deaths have occurred by the dramatic raising of sodium levels in the body.

NEVER induce vomiting if a caustic/corrosive substance has been swallowed. What burns ‘on the way down’ will burn again on the way back ‘up’.

NEVER induce vomiting if petrol or solvents have been swallowed. There is a danger of aspiration pneumonia if the substance enters the lungs.

Inducing vomiting is generally considered a waste of time—and may do more harm than good. In the US, the use of ipecacuanha is recommended as an emetic—or vomit inducer. In concentrated form it may poison a small child. It is not readily available in many countries, including the UK where it is considered better to spend the time summoning help and applying first aid.

Inducing vomiting may be necessary, if you are unable to get help. It is probably only suitable in cases where children have
very
recently swallowed tablets or poisonous berries. Putting your fingers very gently to the back of the casualty’s throat until the natural reflex takes over, is the only way.
Causing a casualty to vomit is very risky.

SAVE A LIFE!

ACUTE POISONING

WHEN THERE IS OBVIOUS DISTRESS, DISCOMFORT, VOMITING OR LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

• ▶
  Do NOT induce vomiting
  
• ▶
  Try to judge what has happened. How much poison is involved?
  
• ▶
  Phone for an ambulance
  

CAUSTIC?

If the poison has burnt the lips or mouth—moisten them with milk or water. Milk or water may be sipped.

KEEP AIRWAY OPEN!

Even if the casualty is conscious, place them in the recovery position.

BE PREPARED FOR CONVULSIONS, FITS OR VOMITING

IF BREATHING STOPS

Give artificial respiration, mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose. Avoid poison round the casualty’s mouth.

Try to collect a sample of the poison and any vomit, for medical inspection

CHRONIC POISONING

Poison that has built up in the system over a period of time may be harder to detect. Much depends on the general health of the individual and the poison involved. You should know better than anyone else if you are regularly exposed to dangers at work, like lead, solvents or pesticides. In the short term, you may notice that you feel ‘off colour’ when using substances, but after a few days away from them you feel better again. This may indicate sensitivity or an allergy—but it is also telling you that you may be at risk.