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PREVENT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
Carbon monoxide poisoning causes an estimated 15,200 people to visit an emergency room or miss at least one day of work per year. But because carbon monoxide exposure creates nonspecific effects that are easily misdiagnosed, the actual toll of carbon monoxide poisoning is probably much higher.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas that results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood and coal. Potential sources of CO exist in most workplaces in the United States, including furnaces, motor vehicles, generators, gas heaters and other small-engine powered appliances. The risk of CO exposure increases as people move indoors and increase their use of heaters. When breathed, carbon monoxide displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overcome you in minutes without warning—causing you to lose consciousness and suffocate. The symptoms and effects of CO exposure vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure. For lower-level exposures (below 100 ppm), symptoms may include headache, dizziness, and nausea. People with heart problems may experience chest pain. Higher levels of exposure (above 150-200 ppm) may result in disorientation, unconsciousness, and death. In addition, a growing body of evidence has associated chronic low-level exposure to ambient air CO to higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, stroke and adverse birth outcomes. To Prevent CO Poisoning:
Install an effective ventilation system. Maintain equipment and appliances (e.g., water heaters, space heaters, cooking ranges) that can produce CO in good working order to promote their safe operation and to reduce CO formation. Consider switching from gasoline-powered equipment to equipment powered by electricity, batteries, or compressed air if it can be Prohibit the use of gasoline-powered engines or tools in poorly ventilated areas. Test air regularly in areas where CO may be present, including confined spaces. Install CO monitors with audible alarms. Educate workers about the sources and conditions that may result in CO poisoning as well as the symptoms and control of CO exposure. Employers with high risk of CO exposure will want to take additional safety precautions, which we can detail for you. CO Alarms Can Save Lives Carbon monoxide alarms will sound before CO levels in surrounding air reach potentially life-threatening levels. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Hard wired or plug-in CO alarms should have battery backup. Avoid locations near heating vents or that can be covered by furniture or draperies. The Consumer Products Safety Commission does not recommend installing CO alarms in kitchens or above fuel-burning appliances. After installing a CO alarm, test it to make sure it functions properly, following the manufacturer's instructions. And note the alarm's replacement in a tickler file — alarms have a recommended replacement age, which can be obtained from the product literature or from the manufacturer. Currently marketed CO alarms are not as susceptible to nuisance alarms as earlier models. If a CO alarm sounds, do not ignore it! |
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