TITLE: Phenol first aid and personal protective equipment
AUTHORS: Roey Angel, Eva Petrova

[DESCRIPTION]
<div class = "text-blocks"><div class = "text-block"><div class = "justify" style = "text-align:left"><span>Phenol is a common chemical used for nucleic acid extraction. Phenol can be a component in a commercial reagent (e.g. QIAzol, TRIzol) or prepared as part of a mixture in the laboratory (e.g. chloroform:phenol). Because phenol solutions are an integral part of routine life science applications, their hazards may be taken for granted. Phenol can be </span><span style = "font-weight:bold;">very dangerous</span><span>, and the hazards are not just those of a typical corrosive. The hazards of phenol are 2 fold: it is both </span><span style = "font-weight:bold;">corrosive </span><span>(can cause severe burns) and </span><span style = "font-weight:bold;">toxic </span><span>(absorbed phenol acts as a systemic toxin). In one case, death resulted from ingestion of as little as 15 ml. Liquid phenol can penetrate the skin with efficiency approximately equal to that of inhalation. </span><span style = "font-weight:bold;">Deaths have been reported for exposures of 25% or more of body surface area. Phenol has an </span><span>anaesthetic</span><span style = "font-weight:bold;"> effect and can cause severe burns that may not be immediately painful or visible</span><span>. The threshold concentration of human skin damage from phenol is 1.5%. It can cause permanent </span><span style = "font-weight:bold;">eye injury and blindness.</span></div></div><div class = "text-block"><div class = "justify" style = "text-align:left"></div></div><div class = "text-block"><div class = "justify" style = "text-align:left"><span style = "font-weight:bold;">Prevention</span></div></div><div class = "text-block"><div class = "justify" style = "text-align:left">Anyone working with phenol should be familiar with its risks, chemical properties, and ways of handling spillages or exposure. Please read the MSDS and this protocol before starting to work with phenol. Work with phenol is only allowed in a working chemical hood, and a phenol decontamination kit should be at reach. The user must wear protective equipment described in this protocol at all times. </div></div><div class = "text-block"><div class = "justify" style = "text-align:left"></div></div><div class = "text-block"><span style = "font-weight:bold;">First aid for dermal (skin) exposures</span><span style = "font-weight:bold;"> </span></div><div class = "text-block">It is recommended to use polyethylene glycol 300 or 400 (PEG-300 or PEG-400) rather than water for immediate first aid treatment of dermal exposures. </div><br/><div class = "text-block"><span style = "font-weight:bold;">First aid for spills</span></div><div class = "text-block">For phenol spill on a floor or bench (non-body case), use an absorbent (e.g. Vermiculite). After it soaks the liquid, collect them into a plastic bag and store them together with other toxic/phenol waste below the fume hood in a ventilated cabinet.</div></div>

[STEPS]
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Remove all contaminated clothes, including jewelry or any leather items such as watch bands or belts.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Put on safety glasses and Silver Shield® gloves (but don’t put on the gloves if you are treating yourself and your hands are contaminated with phenol).
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Open up a few packages of gauze pads.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Pour polyethylene glycol liberally on to one of the gauze pads.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Gently wipe off excessive phenol on the exposed area. Discard the gauze pad in the small plastic bag in the kit.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Take a new gauze pad, add polyethylene glycol, and continue to clean off exposed area. Discard the pad. Repeat with a new gauze pad and application of polyethylene glycol until all visible traces of phenol have been removed from the skin.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Continue to gently wipe skin (do not scrape or irritate the affected skin area) with polyethylene glycol soaked gauze pads until no odor of phenol remains, changing the gauze pad frequently.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Even if you feel it is unnecessary call 112 (Europe) or 155 (Czechia) and get emergency help for evaluation to determine if follow-up treatment is necessary. Don’t forget to fill out an accident report!
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Seal all contaminated clothes in a double plastic bag. Label both the bag and the small zip-lock bag used to collect the used gauze wipes as “Hazardous Waste – Phenol Contamination”.
?. [Instructions Phenol Skin (Dermal) Exposure First Aid]
Replace the contents of the kit with new, unused items.