If clothing is contaminated with highly concentrated toxic chemicals, what should you do?

• A. Do not clean them; dispose of them immediately and change into clean clothes
• B. Wash the clothing thoroughly with soap and water before removing
• C. Rinse in water for 30 seconds and continue working
• D. Place the clothing in a sealed bag and wash later

Answer: (A)

When clothing is contaminated with a highly concentrated toxic chemical, the top priority is to prevent exposure and stop the spread of the contaminant. Heavily contaminated garments should not be cleaned on-site. Remove the contaminated clothing immediately to eliminate the source of exposure, then change into clean clothes. Placing the contaminated garments in a sealed bag helps prevent vapors and transfer to others or surfaces, and you should wash exposed skin afterward.

Washing the clothes while still wearing them or after only a brief rinse can spread the chemical to your skin or surroundings because the contaminant remains in contact with you and can be transferred during removal. Delaying proper decontamination by bagging and washing later also risks exposure and spread. The safest approach is to discard the heavily contaminated clothing and replace it with clean apparel, followed by appropriate skin decontamination.