US carbon monoxide leak injures 13

Thirteen workers in Ohio are lucky to be alive after being involved in a carbon monoxide leak on October 24.

Fire officials were called to Seneca Tape and Label in North Royalton after reports of people with dizziness and nausea. Authorities quickly went to work with gas detector tools and found elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the environment.

According to reports, carbon monoxide was recorded at 300 parts per million of air at the facility. However, the exposure limit for this gas is only 50 parts for million of air – over eight hours. This suggests that if the workers were in the building any longer, they would have begun to develop further breathing problems – the situation could have been far worse.

Authorities believe that the level was actually much higher before they arrived as by the time the measurement was taken, the building had been opened up considerably.

As a result of the reading, the building was evacuated immediately and the gas was turned off.

After the building was aired out, it was deemed safe again. However, Columbia Gas of Ohio are investigating the cause of the carbon monoxide leak. First reports from fire officials officials suggest there was a malfunction in the building’s heating system. Following the accident, all the workers were subsequently released from hospital.

Industry options

For maintenance teams checking building systems, it is important to check and have the right tools to detect high levels of carbon monoxide.

Two devices perfect for these situations is the testo 317-3 Ambient CO Meter and the testo 315-2 Versatile CO meter that can sense high levels emitted by heating and air conditioning systems. By identifying these trends quickly, it can prevent carbon monoxide issues surfacing when the building is occupied.