Polyethylene Glycol (PEG): Safety Precautions & Exposure Protection

Polyethylene glycol is a chemical compound used widely in medicine and manufacturing. Controlled amounts are used in skin creams, laxatives and various lubricants. Although it's a relatively safe compound to handle, there are a number of measures you should take to protect yourself if you're regularly exposed to it.

Instructions

• 1

  Wear goggles to protect your eyes when working with polyethylene glycol. If contact is made with the eyes, rinse with plenty of cold water for at least fifteen minutes. If irritation occurs after rinsing, you should seek medical attention at the earliest opportunity.

• 2

  Avoid contact with skin. Wear gloves when handling polyethylene glycol and remove any clothing or other materials that might have come into contact with the chemical, and wash them before wearing or using them again. Although no serious injury is likely to occur after skin contact with small amounts of the compound, it's advisable to wash affected areas thoroughly if this occurs and seek medical assistance if the area of contact becomes irritable.

• 3

  Use in a well-ventilated area or work space. Inhaling the vapor from small amounts of polyethylene glycol poses a limited health risk, but you should work with the chemical in an area with a ventilation system or multiple windows, which should be opened. If you begin to feel unwell while working with polyethylene glycol, you should seek medical attention.