by Shane Henson — February 4, 2013—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released a fact sheet on carbon monoxide (CO) exposure that informs employers about this deadly threat so they can take precautions to protect the health of employees.
As OSHA warns, every year, workers die from carbon monoxide poisoning, usually while using fuel-burning equipment and tools in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces without adequate ventilation. This can be especially true during the winter months when employees use this type of equipment in indoor spaces that have been sealed tightly to block out cold temperatures and wind.
Sources of carbon monoxide can include anything that uses combustion to operate, such as gas generators, power tools, compressors, pumps, welding equipment, space heaters and furnaces. Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure can include headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting or tightness across the chest. Severe carbon monoxide poisoning can cause neurological damage, coma and death, says OSHA.
To reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in the workplace, employers should install an effective ventilation system, avoid the use of fuel-burning equipment in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, use carbon monoxide detectors in areas where the hazard is a concern, and take other precautions outlined in OSHA’s fact sheet.
