What action should be taken immediately after pesticide exposure?

Immediately rinsing skin and eyes after pesticide exposure is crucial for reducing the risk of harm. Pesticides can cause irritation, burns, or allergic reactions, and the faster they are removed from the skin or eyes, the less damage they may cause. Flushing with clean water helps dilute and wash away the pesticide, minimizing its effects.

In the case of skin contact, rinsing can help prevent the chemical from being absorbed into the bloodstream, while for eye exposure, thorough rinsing is essential to prevent potential long-term damage to vision. It's important to use a gentle stream of water and continue rinsing for an adequate duration, often recommended as at least 15 minutes for eye exposure.

The other actions do not address the immediate need to remove the pesticide from contact areas effectively. For example, applying first aid ointment may actually trap the pesticide against the skin, while consuming a large amount of water is not an appropriate response for dermal or eye exposure. Waiting for symptoms to appear allows the chemical to potentially cause irreversible effects before any action is taken.