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Caustics (Acids) (Irritant/Corrosive - Topical/Inhalation/Ingestion Toxidrome)

Caustics (acids) are chemicals that burn or corrode people's skin, eyes, and mucous membranes (lining of the nose, mouth, throat, and lungs) on contact.



Resource Comparison Table of Resource Comparison
Information from CDC, WISER, and CAMEO
Emergency Response Safety and Health Database (CDC/NIOSH) click to open link
  • ERSH-DB is a occupational safety and health database developed by NIOSH for the emergency response community.
  • Contains high-priority agents in terrorist events
  • Information includes:
    • Agent characteristics
    • Personal protective equipment
    • Emergency response
    • Signs/symptoms
    • Decontamination
    • First aid
    • Long-term implications
    • On-site fatalities
    • Occupational exposure limits
    • Acute expousre guidelines
    • Decontamination (environmental and equipment)
    • Agent properties
    • Hazardous materials warning labels/placards
    • Trade names and other synonyms
    • Who to contact in an emergency
    • Important notice
WISER (NIH/NLM) click to open link
  • WISER is a system designed to assist first responders in HAZMAT incidents.
  • Data derived from HSDB and DOT Emergency Response Guidebook
  • Information includes:
    • Substance identification
    • Protective equipment/clothing
    • Protective distance
    • Fire fighting procedures
    • Reactivities/incompatibilities
    • Treatment overview
    • and many more...
CAMEO (EPA, NOAA) click to open link
  • CAMEO is a database of response information for thousands of hazardous materials
  • MyChemicals: build a customized list of chemicals
  • Predicts reactivity of 2 chemicals
  • Information includes:
    • Chemical identifiers
    • Hazards
    • Response recommendations
    • Physical properties
    • Regulatory information
    • Alternate chemical names
 Medical Management Guidelines for Acute Chemical Exposures (CDC/ATSDR) click to open link
  • MMGs for Acute Chemical Exposures were developed by ATSDR to aid emergency department physicians and other emergency healthcare professionals.
  • Guidelines for managing acute exposures resulting from chemical incidents
  • Information includes:
    • Basic chemical and exposure information
    • Summary of potential health effects
    • Prehospital management information
    • Emergency department management information
    • Information for the patient
Chemical Emergencies (CDC) click to open link
  • A collection of CDC resources for professionals, including:
    • Case definition
    • Toxic syndrome description
    • Toxicology profiles
    • Training
    • First responders
    • Medical management
    • Emergency response cards
    • Lab info
    • Surveillance
    • Preparation & planning

Additional Resources:

ChemIDplus - Chemical dictionary, structures, and links to many Internet resources (NIH/NLM)
Hydrofluoric Acid

Hazardous Substances Data Bank - Comprehensive, peer-reviewed toxicology data (NIH/NLM)
Hydrogen Fluoride



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