Two federal agencies have issued warnings about the hazards of working in cold weather. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reminded employers and workers that frostbite and hypothermia can occur when working in cold, wet, icy, or snowy conditions. While exposure can be a concern for facility managers who handle their own snow removal, it can be easy enough to head back inside your facility to warm up. The warning from OSHA, however, addresses a problem of more immediate concern to facility managers: the hazards of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure from the use of portable generators, fuel-burning space heaters, and other equipment inside of a facility.
Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock.com
“Every year, carbon monoxide poisoning claims the lives of employees nationwide, usually when fuel-burning equipment and tools are used in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces without adequate ventilation,” OSHA said in a public statement.
“The danger increases during the winter months when this type of equipment is used in indoor areas that have been sealed tightly to block out cold temperatures and wind,” according to the agency.
Fuel-burning portable generators and space heaters are common sources of carbon monoxide, as is anything that uses combustion to operate, such as:
- Compressors,
- Furnaces,
- Gas-powered forklifts and other motorized vehicles,
- Power tools,
- Pumps, and
- Welding equipment.
If the use of these devices is an absolute must, OSHA said facility managers should install effective ventilation systems, avoid using fuel-burning equipment and vehicles in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, and use carbon monoxide detectors in areas where CO hazards may exist.