Air normally contains 21 percent oxygen. Oxygen deficiency is created when the oxygen level falls below 19.5 percent at sea level.
Oxygen deficiency can be caused by:
- Combustion (fire, welding, and operation of internal combustion engines all consume oxygen),
- Formation of rust (consumes oxygen),
- Decomposition of organic matter (consumes oxygen and produces flammable methane gas, which can also displace oxygen),
- Displacement by a heavy gas that has settled in a low-lying space or by another vapor (an inert gas such as argon, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen) used to purge the space.