Hazardous Materials

Some ores and dusts are hazardous and can cause negative effects or even kill you if they are carried in your inventory.

Certain equipment such as masks, gloves, and hazardous material suits later on can be used to counter these effects.

Face Mask

The Face Mask provides protection from any Inhalation hazards, such as Arsenicosis.

Rubber gloves can either be made from Leather and Latex, or out of Rubber Sheets. They provide protection from any Skin Contact hazards, such as Berylliosis.

First, knap the leather into mittens.

Mittens are then soaked in Vinegar, a mixture of fruit and alcohol.

Prepared leather gloves are then heated in a vat with Vulcanized Latex, one step away from rubber.

Finally, the latex-soaked gloves are heated in an Oven.

The easiest way to prevent hazardous items from entering your inventory is to not pick them up at all.
Filling your inventory with Rocks, for example, will let you pick and choose which items you want to pick up, letting you deal with the hazardous ones all at once later.

Hazardous materials only deal damage while they are in your inventory, but that doesn't apply to other containers!
Hazardous materials will not deal damage while they are in another container such as a Backpack or Vessel. Right-clicking while holding a vessel will allow direct transfer of it's contents to and from containers

Standing in Spring Water will provide a slow Regeneration effect.

Aged Alcohol will give potion buffs, some of which you might find useful.

You can drink them with a Jug or Flask.

Aged Beer: Absorption II (20:00)

Aged Cider: Speed (5:20)

Aged Rum: Speed II (2:40)

Aged Sake: Resistance (5:20)

Aged Vodka: Resistance II (2:40)

Aged Corn Whiskey: Haste (5:20)

Aged Rye Whiskey: Haste (5:20)

Aged Whiskey: Haste II (2:40)

Eating better foods with more nutrition will raise your maximum HP by a significant amount.

Soups, Sandwiches, and Salads are great for this.

If all else fails, bringing along a bed to respawn is a good idea.

If you don't have access to Wool or String, you can also make a Thatch Bed.