Altitude affects carbon monoxide formation in pickup campers.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Buchan RM ; Murano DB ; Savage EP
• Description:
  This study was undertaken to evaluate the portion of carbon-monoxide (630080) (CO) in pickup campers that can be attributed to inefficient combustion of gas appliances due to altitude increases of 3000 to 6000 feet and to determine if the excess CO formation due to altitude may be sufficient to warrant additional safety measures to protect the health of the occupants. During the months of August and September of 1975, 30 pickup campers were tested for CO concentrations. The amount of CO formed was significantly greater at altitudes near 9,000 feet than at altitudes near 5,000 feet. Three factors had a significant effect on the variability in CO concentration: the presence or absence of gas lights, the presence or absence of gas ovens, and the degree of ventilation over the gas range. At high altitudes, many pickup campers could contain CO concentrations sufficient to constitute a potential health hazard to the occupants. The authors recommend that all gas appliances, except gas ranges, should be installed with the combustion system completely separated from the interior of the camper, and that gravity ventilation should be installed over the range. Gas lights should be vented or replaced with electric lights. Owners of existing pickup campers should modify them to meet the same conditions as required of new campers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution Air Pollution, Indoor Automobiles Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  NIOSH-Publication; NIOSH-Grant; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Toxic-gases; Air-quality; Drivers; Combustion-products; Air-contamination; High-altitudes
• ISSN:
  0022-0892
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  198-202
• Volume:
  40
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00187021
• Citation:
  J Environ Health 1977 Jan; 40(4):198-202
• Contact Point Address:
  Microbiology Colorado State University Department of Microbiology Fort Collins, Colo 80523
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon monoxide (CAS RN 630-08-0)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1977
• NORA Priority Area:
  Pulmonary System Disorders
• Performing Organization:
  Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19750701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Environmental Health
• End Date:
  19940630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7dc847c09aedf140bc731323e8446b4703641ae07d6ad9e7b7238120dab30b8f7dcaa9b938d34d035f87873a0fe7fec262d5d13dcaf290925445e82b6de3b57d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/247678/cdc_247678_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 168.02 KB ]