Monday, March 11th. Employee metal coating plant He comes to his workplace, like every morning. When approaching the tank hexavalent chromium, you see something that catches your attention. The sheet he usually covers himself with at night has moved and some yellow footprints Going outside revealed the presence of a possible intruder. Worried, he runs to check the CCTV cameras, which show the cat running away from the building down the road. 21:30 the night beforeR. He quickly alerts his superiors, who call authorities and the media to notify neighbors: toxic cat He’s free
This may seem like the start of a B movie, but it’s actually a true story. It happened in a Japanese city Fukuyama and its residents are very worried. Hexavalent chromium is highly toxic and carcinogenic, so contact with cats can be dangerous. even deadly.
The video does not show the animal falling into the tank, but this is likely, given the tracks and the change in the position of the lid. It is unknown how this could happen, given that the dimensions of the container 3 meters high. Be that as it may, most likely the toxic cat could not resist the effects of this substance and died somewhere in the city. However, it is important that anyone who finds a cat acting suspiciously, very sick or dead, and possibly dirty from a surprise bath of hexavalent chromium, leaves it alone and notifies the authorities. But why is this so dangerous?
Danger of Japan’s poisonous cat
Hexavalent chromium is a very toxic form of this metal. It has many industrial applications such as pigment production, welding or coating of stainless steel to those who work in a factory where a toxic cat has found its way. It is also widely used in electroplating. This is a procedure in which one metal is coated with electricity by another, thus changing its properties.
Personnel working with this substance must wear gloves, masks, glasses and, ultimately, all possible protective measures. And its toxicity can occur through skin or eye contact, inhalation or, of course, ingestion.
It is these last two routes that cause the most serious damage. Through inhalation It can cause ulcers and irritation of the respiratory tract, as well as cancer of the lungs and nose. If swallowedEffects can range from digestive discomfort and ulcers to cancer or reproductive problems. Effect on skin, which can cause irritation and ulcers, usually occur over a long period of time. This would pose a hazard to workers who frequently come into contact with the substance, but not to those who touch the toxic cat. However, it should be noted that you can touch a cat and then put your hand in its eyes, and the damage can even lead to blindness.
For all this it is very important take all possible precautions considering the possibility of contact with this animal. First of all, special attention should be paid to children who may want to touch it and then put their hands to their eyes, nose or mouth.
Additional measures need to be taken
While the authorities are looking toxic cat, the company where the incident occurred has committed to taking action in the future. Although workers have all the necessary safety equipment, the possibility that an animal could enter the site and take a bath with hazardous substances was never considered. Therefore, extreme precautions will henceforth be taken to avoid the visit of those who have not been invited. Including non-human animals.
Source: Hiper Textual
