There are several professions where a person is more at risk of cyanide poisoning. For example workers in gold mines and plantations
Cyanide poisoning is probably more common in novels or movies. However, this is actually something that can happen to anyone, you know. In fact, also in a workplace that may not be unexpected.
Yes, there are some professions that put a person at high risk of cyanide poisoning. What are you doing? Let's see the discussion!
A Little About Cyanide Poisoning
Cyanide is actually a substance that is rarely used. However, this substance proved to be lethal. Cyanide makes its victim's body unable to use the oxygen it needs. In the early period of its use, this compound was used in the mining world as a binder for the precious metal gold.
Cyanide is used in amalgamation techniques so that the gold content that can be obtained can reach 89 to 95 percent, and much better than other methods which only reach 40 to 50 percent.
After the world war, the use of cyanide shifted as a dangerous chemical and began to be used for genocide and suicide poison. Now, cyanide poison can be used to kill moles to protect crops.
Professions That Make Someone Vulnerable to Exposure
It is true that some human jobs can be helped because of cyanide. For this reason, it is suspected that some of these professions may experience cyanide poisoning:
Gold Mine Worker
In the gold mining industry, cyanide is used in the gold extraction process. As a result, gold mine workers are very likely to experience cyanide poisoning.
Plantation Worker
Plantation workers can also be exposed to cyanide which is contained in the pesticides that they spray regularly every day. Mixing cyanide into pesticides is known to be effective in killing plant pests and insects.
Unfortunately, if you don't use adequate work equipment, cyanide can accumulate and endanger plantation workers.
Apart from these two types of work, several other industrial sectors that can cause work accidents due to cyanide poisoning include the metal, mining, plastic, dyeing and jewelery industries. These workers can experience cyanide poisoning due to accidental exposure to cyanide, whether swallowed or inhaled.
Symptoms to Watch Out for
In cases of chronic cyanide poisoning, in the sense of being exposed to small amounts of cyanide for a long time, generally the symptoms will appear gradually.
Some of the symptoms that can be felt include:
- Feeling anxious.
- Changes in the sense of taste.
- Vomit.
- Pain in the stomach, chest and head.
Meanwhile, in acute cyanide poisoning (exposure to large amounts of cyanide) symptoms appear rapidly, quickly even causing death.
In addition, if a person with severe cyanide poisoning survives, he or she will suffer permanent brain and heart damage. The symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning are:
- seizures
- Lost consciousness.
- Lung damage.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Respiratory system failure.
- Low blood pressure (hypotension).
- Bradycardia.
A person experiencing cyanide poisoning sometimes has a reddish color because oxygen is trapped in the blood and cannot enter the body's cells. The patient's breath can be fast or slow, and smell like almonds, although it is difficult to detect.
Prevention Tips
There are several ways to reduce the risk of cyanide poisoning, namely:
- Install smoke detectors. Avoid using space heaters and halogen lamps, and avoid smoking in bed.
- Keep containers containing toxic chemicals and storage cabinets locked and out of reach of children.
- Follow work safety regulations, including using the necessary safety equipment.
If you have a profession that is prone to cyanide poisoning, be sure to leave all chemicals in the lab or factory. Do not take potentially contaminated work clothing or equipment home.