Portable Generators and Protecting Workers and Building Occupants from Carbon Monoxide Hazards

Businesses use portable back-up generators powered by fossil fuels to provide electricity when utility power fails or because no other source is available. These generators can help to keep a business open after a natural disaster or to power a worksite, but they can also expose people to carbon monoxide (CO) if not properly used.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that is extremely poisonous, potentially causing death in minutes if one is exposed to high enough concentrations in the air they breathe. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘quiet killer’ as it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection agency (EPA), because it is impossible to see, taste, or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill before one detects its presence. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health, and the concentration and length of exposure.

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that about 85 people die in the United States each year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gasoline-powered portable generators,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “At CTSI, our industrial hygiene and indoor environmental quality professionals offer worksite and building assessments to identify potential CO dangers from portable generators and the many other sources of this toxic gas. Equipped with air monitoring instruments and decades of experience, they can detect exposure risks and suggest various control options in order to avoid tragic cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. These services also help to keep companies in compliance with OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and NIOSH’s Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for CO and other combustion gases.”

CTSI recently sponsored an educational video about portable generators and carbon monoxide hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/Ju5x-S7828o

To learn more about protecting workers and building occupants from exposure risks to carbon monoxide and other airborne hazards, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com, or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail