This is another aspect of chemical poisoning that’s pretty common yet not many people know about it.
What Is Refrigerant Poisoning?
Refrigerants emit a common chemical known as Freon or fluorinated hydrocarbons. This is again odorless and tasteless. When it’s deeply inhaled, the chemical can easily cut off your body’s oxygen supply. Even limited exposure can be harmful. And at a level that’s from mild to critical, Freon fumes become fatal. Plus, prolonged exposure can cause breathing issues, organ failure, or even sudden death.
Symptoms of Refrigerant Poisoning:
When the refrigerants accumulate in enclosed spaces, they can develop the following symptoms:
- A headache
- Nausea
- Bloody vomiting
- Irritation of the skin
- Frostbite (in the case of liquid Freon)
- Irritation of the throat or eyes
- Lung bleeding
- Irregular heartbeat
- Unconsciousness
- Feeling mentally fatigued
- Seizures
- A dry cough
- Chemical odor on clothes
- Lack of concentration
- Hallucinations
- Muscle weakness
- Feeling agitated
- Nervous damage
- Brain cell damage
- Eventually, death
How to Avoid Refrigerant Poisoning: Steps for Prevention
Inhaling the chemical fumes of Freon is commonly seen as drug addiction. People intentionally sniff the chemical but even an unintentional sniff can be pretty lethal. Such chemicals are easy to find in the entire United States of America. And according to a 2014 report, around 40,000 underage kids were seen inhaling these chemicals on just any given day.
So, the side effects can spread to your skin like a bacterial infection which will need you to seek medical help. This is why; you must try to induce vomiting so as to discharge any irritants from the stomach of the person who has inhaled the Freon fumes. If the person shows excessive anxiety, cover them, and try to calm them down. Additionally, store such aerosols or household chemicals off the reach of your kids and pets