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First aid · Australia

Poisoning

Move away from the source if safe and call the Australian Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 without waiting for symptoms. Call 000 first for collapse, abnormal breathing, seizures or severe symptoms. Do not induce vomiting or give food, drink or charcoal unless instructed.

Medical emergency? Call 000

What to do

  1. Protect yourself

    Protect yourself. Move away from the source only if safe; do not enter fumes or touch a spill.

    Take care. Do not enter a contaminated area or touch poison without appropriate safety advice.

  2. Severe symptoms: call 000

    Call 000 for collapse, seizures, severe symptoms or breathing trouble. If unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR. If unresponsive but breathing normally, place them on their side and monitor.

  3. Call Poisons Information now

    Otherwise call Poisons Information on 13 11 26 immediately. Do not wait for symptoms. Have the product, amount, exposure route, time, age and weight ready if known.

    Take care. Do not wait for symptoms, guess the amount or discard the packaging.

  4. Follow substance-specific advice

    Follow the adviser’s instructions for the particular substance and route of exposure. Keep the container, label or a photograph for medical staff.

    Take care. Do not induce vomiting.

    Take care. Do not give food, drink, activated charcoal or a home remedy unless the Poisons Information Centre or emergency call-taker instructs you.

  5. Swallowed button battery: emergency care

    A suspected swallowed button battery needs immediate emergency-department care, even without symptoms. Call 13 11 26 while arranging help; call 000 if urgent ambulance assistance is needed.

Know when to act

When to get help

  • Call 000 first for collapse, unresponsiveness, abnormal breathing, seizures, severe drowsiness, rapidly worsening symptoms or immediate danger. Call 13 11 26 for any suspected exposure even if the person seems well.
Poisons Information · 13 11 26

Children and babies

  • Small amounts may seriously affect a child. For a suspected swallowed button battery, get emergency care immediately. Ask the poisons adviser about age-specific honey or jam instructions while arranging care; give nothing by mouth if there is breathing difficulty or bleeding, and never give honey under 12 months.

Keep checking

  • Keep checking the person’s airway, response and breathing. If unresponsive but breathing normally, use the recovery position; if not breathing normally, start CPR and follow 000.

What you may notice

  • Exposure may be by swallowing, breathing in, skin contact, eye contact, injection, overdose or a button battery.
  • Symptoms can include vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, breathing difficulty, burns around the mouth or seizures.
  • A person can become seriously unwell before obvious symptoms appear, and some medicine overdoses have delayed harm.
  • Product containers, spills, fumes, empty packets or residue on skin and clothing can help identify the route and substance.

When help arrives

  • Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for any suspected exposure, or call 000 first for collapse, abnormal breathing, seizures or severe symptoms.
  • Keep the product packaging, label or a photo nearby and tell the adviser the route, amount, time, age and weight if known.
  • Monitor airway, response and breathing and follow route-specific decontamination instructions.

Other useful answers

What if poison is on skin, in an eye or inhaled?

Move away from exposure if safe and call 13 11 26 for substance-specific instructions. Do not enter fumes to rescue someone without suitable protection.

Sources and last update

Content updated: 6 September 2026.

These sources inform the guidance. This independent resource is not a substitute for a first aid course or medical assessment. An editorial update is not independent clinical review. Source organisations have not endorsed this site.

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