Need a HCN gas detector

[justinhcase]

Haha that pretty much sums it up.

Well, not at all.
If that were the case, they would not sell Cyanide antidote kits.
Much like drowning, a well-trained individual with access to the necessary equipment can revive a completely unconscious individual.
The exact outcome will depend on the exact level of toxicity, the correct IV infusion or simple amyl nitrite inhalation can save people who otherwise would succumb to the poisoning quite quickly.
Second count, so have the kit close to hand and have someone who knows how to use it close at hand dose save people's lives.
Or it would not be recommended by most all labs mines and plating operations.
I know the individuals working in solitude is the norm among us, but it is not always safe.

 

[nickvc]

Very little of what we do is really safe in the hands of people ignorant of the dangers and risks involved or of the proper way of negating those dangers and risks.
Those that just leap in to this hobby/ occupation without studying are very very foolish and yes cyanide is deadly if not treated with respect and full understanding, I can remember well when Jon would hide in the house while I was using it but he learnt that if handled correctly it’s safer than many other reagents. I have never been complacent when I am using it, I know the risks and dangers and know what I can and can’t do.
In my opinion refining platinum group metals is much more scary and that’s something I did rarely as there is no way to know when you get that final dose of poisoning that will kill you very slowly and not overly pleasantly.

 

[anachronism]

I know the individuals working in solitude is the norm among us, but it is not always safe.

I completely agree with this. And that's exactly why a sole worker would have something that alerts them.

 

[anachronism]

Very little of what we do is really safe in the hands of people ignorant of the dangers and risks involved or of the proper way of negating those dangers and risks.
Those that just leap in to this hobby/ occupation without studying are very very foolish and yes cyanide is deadly if not treated with respect and full understanding, I can remember well when Jon would hide in the house while I was using it but he learnt that if handled correctly it’s safer than many other reagents. I have never been complacent when I am using it, I know the risks and dangers and know what I can and can’t do.
In my opinion refining platinum group metals is much more scary and that’s something I did rarely as there is no way to know when you get that final dose of poisoning that will kill you very slowly and not overly pleasantly.

Damn right I was terrified of it until I understood the chemistry behind it. I have absolutely no problem admitting to that.
A bit of a long edit but worth it for context:
Knowing what something does is one thing. Knowing why it does it is another. It's easy to be scared of things we don't understand, so the best thing to do is hit the books and learn about it because very often (and certainly in this case) knowledge brings clarity. Nick showed me the how, which in its basic form is quite scary. Learning the why takes the mystique out of it, and the knowledge removes the unreasoned fear that's perfectly natural but ultimately springs from a lack of understanding. The why was learned in the main from a particularly knowledgeable fella who has both the chemistry knowledge and operators knowledge based upon decades of commercial experience.

Short version - if you learn why, things become a lot clearer than merely following a set of instructions.

Jon