Just came across this line in something I was translating:
Nach dem Berühren von gezündeten Airbags sind die Hände zu waschen
[Hands must be washed after touching inflated airbags]
Huh? Why?? I mean, airbags are meant to cushion your face and the upper parts of your body - arms, hands etc. - in an impact. Why would there be something on them that would be harmful to the skin??
But it turns out that there is, or at least was until very recently. After being "deployed", airbags are covered in a kind of dust, which also flies up into the air in the vehicle. The dust is mostly stuff like talcum powder, but on the older airbags it will also contain "a small amount of a potential skin irritant, sodium hydroxide." The website I'm quoting there is a guideline for emergency rescue personnel, which goes on to say:
Hands should be washed with mild soap and water after handeling [sic] a deployed bag. Also avoid rubbing your eyes, eating, or smoking after handeling the bag until you have removed the gloves and washed your hands. Rescuers also should take care to avoid introducing the residue into the eyes or any wounds of the patient.
Is this widely known?? Wikipedia knew, but wikipedia knows everything. It was obviously news to me but then I spend virtually no time in cars and don't get out much.
I find it all slightly distressing. You'd think people in car accidents would have enough to worry about already.
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