Once again, a portable engine in a poorly ventilated place has caused carbon monoxide poisoning and death. This time, it was inside a gold mine in O’Neals, CA. See http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id;=6154061
According to ABC, “the bodies of brothers David and Matthew Alison from Prather and their cousin, Brannon Scharf of Madera, were discovered in an abandoned gold mine. The three had been pumping water out of a mine while searching for gold when they were overcome by carbon monoxide” from what has now been identified as water pump.
This time of year, we expected portable generators to start taking their CO toll, but expected to be because of power outages. But instead, our last two stories have been related to using a portable engine (like a pump or carpet cleaning machine) in enclosed areas like a mine or a garage.
If you are using a portable engine, it is imperative that you do so in a well ventilated area. Further, some type of CO detector must be used.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning kills Two Carpet Cleaners
Just when it seems like the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is lessened because of the ending of the winter heating season, another story comes across to remind us that any time you operate an engine in confined areas, the risk exists.
According to a story in the Province News, on March 3, 2008 two men, from Fast Speed Carpet and Upholstery, went to a townhouse complex in Richmond, BC, Canada to clean the complexes carpet. The men told the complex manager that they would be done cleaning around 6pm. Around 8pm the complex manager found the two men dead.
WorkSafe BC is investigating these fatalities. Donna Freeman, manager of WorkSafe BC public affairs claims, “The Richmond fire department did detect the presence of carbon monoxide.” For the full story, click here.
The two men were cleaning carpet with their carpet-cleaning equipment, which was in the garage. The men were working in a “relatively closed” area with an “internal combustion engine.” The carpet-cleaning equipment released carbon monoxide gases that the men must have been exposed to, resulting in their death.
This is a consistent theme throughout the non-winter cases: an engine, exhaust, poor ventilation, death or serious injury. No engine can be operated without proper outside air ventilation. It isn’t just cars that can cause danger in a garage. Just because it isn’t the main part of the house, doesn’t mean it isn’t enclosed or that the exhaust from it can’t leak into a house.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is very dangerous because it is colorless and odorless. Victims do not know that they are being exposed to a hazardous gas. Carbon monoxide can be produced in nearly every home. It can be produced while charcoal is being burned on a grill or inside a home, from cars that are still running that are left in the garage and fuel-burning appliances (space heaters, furnaces, etc).
Not everyone with CO poisoning dies. Warning symptoms include: headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. For more information on symptoms http://codamage.com/carbon_monoxide_poisoning/carbon_monoxide_symptoms.html and the Consumer Products Safety Commissions warnings at http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/466.html
According to a story in the Province News, on March 3, 2008 two men, from Fast Speed Carpet and Upholstery, went to a townhouse complex in Richmond, BC, Canada to clean the complexes carpet. The men told the complex manager that they would be done cleaning around 6pm. Around 8pm the complex manager found the two men dead.
WorkSafe BC is investigating these fatalities. Donna Freeman, manager of WorkSafe BC public affairs claims, “The Richmond fire department did detect the presence of carbon monoxide.” For the full story, click here.
The two men were cleaning carpet with their carpet-cleaning equipment, which was in the garage. The men were working in a “relatively closed” area with an “internal combustion engine.” The carpet-cleaning equipment released carbon monoxide gases that the men must have been exposed to, resulting in their death.
This is a consistent theme throughout the non-winter cases: an engine, exhaust, poor ventilation, death or serious injury. No engine can be operated without proper outside air ventilation. It isn’t just cars that can cause danger in a garage. Just because it isn’t the main part of the house, doesn’t mean it isn’t enclosed or that the exhaust from it can’t leak into a house.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is very dangerous because it is colorless and odorless. Victims do not know that they are being exposed to a hazardous gas. Carbon monoxide can be produced in nearly every home. It can be produced while charcoal is being burned on a grill or inside a home, from cars that are still running that are left in the garage and fuel-burning appliances (space heaters, furnaces, etc).
Not everyone with CO poisoning dies. Warning symptoms include: headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. For more information on symptoms http://codamage.com/carbon_monoxide_poisoning/carbon_monoxide_symptoms.html and the Consumer Products Safety Commissions warnings at http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/466.html
One of the most important things for people with CO exposure who survive to remember is that the symptoms of this can get worse over time, for as long as 40 days. This syndrome is called Delayed Neurological Squeal (DNS). For more on DNS, click here.
Portable Carbon Monoxide Detectors
One of the greatest risks of carbon monoxide poisoning is staying at hotels and ski lodges. Sadly, most states do not mandate CO detectors in all hotel rooms. The solution? A portable carbon monoxide detector. Where to get one? Finding one is as easy as typing in “portable carbon monoxide detector” into Google, but for those who want to save the step, Click here.
But as most home detectors are something you can simply plug into a wall socket, there may be no need for a so called portable detector. Buy one more home detector and carry it with you and plug it in each time you stay. But if you are like me, you may wind up leaving it in a hotel room, once a month. The advantage of the portable units is that perhaps you can leave it in a conspicuous place so it is the first thing you pack.
But as most home detectors are something you can simply plug into a wall socket, there may be no need for a so called portable detector. Buy one more home detector and carry it with you and plug it in each time you stay. But if you are like me, you may wind up leaving it in a hotel room, once a month. The advantage of the portable units is that perhaps you can leave it in a conspicuous place so it is the first thing you pack.