Hazard Alert: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Gas-Powered Generators, Tools and Other Equipment

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  CPWR--The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Description:
  Are you in danger? If you are using... 1) A gas-powered generator indoors, in a semi-enclosed area, in a sheltered outdoor location, or outside near an air intake, or 2) any gas-powered tool, such as walk-behind or hand-held concrete cutting saws, power trowels, water pumps, or pressure washers, indoors or in a sheltered outdoor location ...then the answer is YES. You could die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Know the basics... 1) Use generators outside - NEVER run gas-powered generators or compressors inside a building or in a semi-enclosed outdoor space. Locate them as far as practical from any occupied building. 2) Use gas-powered tools outside - DON'T use gas-powered tools indoors. These tools include gas-powered concrete saws, pressure washers, water pumps, and power trowels. 3) Know other CO hazards and controls - Fuel-powered forklifts can cause CO poisoning indoors. Avoid letting engines idle. Consider asking for CO badges that alarm when levels get too high. Fuel-fired heaters (salamander or torpedo heaters) can produce CO. Make sure the unit is designed for indoor use and keep a CO monitor nearby. If you are MIG welding using carbon dioxide (CO2) shielding gas, make sure you have local exhaust ventilation (LEV) with hood positioned correctly. CO2 can be changed into CO in the hot arc of welding. If you find a co-worker down ... 1) Shut off the engine, if you can; 2) Call 911; and 3) Don't enter the area. Workers have died trying to save others. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Carbon Dioxide Carbon Monoxide Confined Spaces Construction Industry Education Fuel Oils Occupational Health Poisoning Propane Safety Safety Management Staff Development Ventilation Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Carbon-compounds Carbon Dioxide Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Confined-spaces Construction Construction-equipment Construction-industry Construction-workers Fuels Gas-indicators Gases Gasoline Powered Equipment Monitors Oxides Poison-gases Poisons Power Tools Propanes Safety-education Safety-measures Safety-programs Training Work-environment Worker-health

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• Series:
  CPWR - Center for Construction Research and Training Publications
• Subseries:
  Hazard Alerts
• Publisher:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1 pdf page
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049647
• Citation:
  Silver Spring, MD: CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 2014 Oct; :1
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon dioxide (CAS RN 124-38-9) ; Carbon monoxide (CAS RN 630-08-0) ; Propane (CAS RN 74-98-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  Hazard alert: carbon monoxide poisoning - gas-powered generators, tools and other equipment
• End Date:
  20240831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6e1b7e71e345f5458796dbd96a12caf5375724b0a535c1f51b4e1bfa7248454765b44b29f0c23659571853352541695005c6f60b5ac8130c555a70adc119df13
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/212897/cdc_212897_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 999.08 KB ]