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Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas and one of the most common industrial hazards. CO results from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon, such as gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane, coal, or wood. Forges, blast furnaces, and coke ovens produce CO, but CO exposure in the workplace most often results from the internal combustion engine.
Harmful levels of CO are a potential danger to anyone who works around equipment that uses internal combustion. Employees most at risk include those who work in boiler rooms, breweries, warehouses, petroleum refineries, pulp and paper production, and steel production; around docks, blast furnaces, or coke ovens; or those who work in or around:
CO poisoning occurs when the gas is breathed in. CO replaces oxygen in the blood, which deprives the body of oxygen, resulting in flu-like symptoms ranging from headache, dizziness, flushed skin, disorientation, troubled thinking, abnormal reflexes, shortness of breath, fainting, and convulsions. CO poisoning can even lead to coma and death.
CO poisoning can be reversed it caught in time. However, even when someone recovers, exposure to CO may result in permanent damage to critical parts of the body such as the heart and brain.
Employee exposure to CO is of particular concern in confined spaces.
The OSHA Permissible exposure limit for CO is 50 parts per million (ppm). OSHA standards prohibit worker exposure to more than 50 parts of the gas per million parts of air averaged during an 8-hour time period.
To reduce the chances of CO poisoning in the workplace, employers should take the following actions:
To reduce the chances of CO poisoning, employees should take the following actions: