Objective: To study the causes of the occurrence of severe acute occupational poisoning and its first-aid, and to improve its prevention and management.
Methods: Data of labor health conditions in 25 episodes of poisoning during the past 13 years were collected and analyzed statistically according to industries, enterprises and toxicals.
Results: Twenty-five episodes of poisoning accidents involved 131 persons, with 22 deaths. The incidence rate of occupational poisoning accidents in township and town enterprises exceeded that in state-owned ones. Ten kinds of toxicants were involved in the poisoning, with the hydrogen sulfide, benzene, carbon monoxide, phosgene and organophosphorus pesticide at the top five places in the number of cases with poisoning they caused. There were another 131 persons intoxicated during their emergency action and eight deaths, with a higher incidence and mortality rates due to poisoning than those in the operation workers.
Conclusion: The major causes of the poisoning accidents were lack of knowledge of prevention and protection from them. It laid a good foundation for the establishment of emergency rescuing system in the grassroots.