“Fire departments are responding to carbon monoxide (CO) alarms at warehouses and manufacturing facilities—but workers aren’t being poisoned…Whether facilities operate traditional lead-acid battery vehicles or have transitioned to cleaner technologies like lithium-ion batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, the charging process can cause the release of hydrogen gas. Unfortunately, standard carbon monoxide detectors can’t distinguish between CO and hydrogen…
The manufacturer solved the problem by implementing hydrogen-specific sensors that eliminate cross-sensitivity entirely…”
How Forklifts Can Trigger CO Alerts – Workplace Safety – Facility Executive Magazine
“According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), every year, workers die from CO poisoning, usually while using fuel-burning equipment and tools in buildings…
Portable CO detectors are a great choice when workers are in a place where CO is a possibility, but there aren’t any CO detectors available at the site.”
Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Your Facility | Cleaning & Maintenance Management (cmmonline.com)
“Crews were called to the facility…due to a forklift malfunctioning inside the building, causing carbon monoxide levels to reach 500ppm…four people all got sick within a fifteen minute period…”
Three hospitalized after carbon monoxide leak at Portland food bank (wagmtv.com)
CO poisoning from malfunctioning forklift in Rock Falls, IL…https://www.saukvalley.com/2019/02/22/carbon-monoxide-scare-in-rock-falls-sends-two-workers-for-treatment/a77r0n2/
In 1998, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Iowa State University (ISU) Extension Department, with the assistance of local health departments, investigated a series of carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings associated with the use of liquified petroleum gas (LPG)-powered forklifts in light industry. In each episode, forklifts emitting high CO concentration levels were operated in inadequately ventilated warehouse and production facilities, which resulted in high CO accumulations. Employees at each site developed symptoms of CO poisoning, and some employees received inadequate or inappropriate medical care. This report summarizes the investigations and provides recommendations to prevent such incidents.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4849a2.htm
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