Working environment factors
How does Carbon monoxide affect workers’ health?
Nov
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless toxic gas that can pose a serious danger to the health of workers in manufacturing plants. This article will help you better understand the effects of CO on health, the potential risks, and how to effectively prevent them in the work environment.
1. What is Carbon monoxide?
CO gas, also known as carbon monoxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless chemical compound. It is produced during the incomplete combustion of organic substances such as coal, gasoline, petroleum, or natural gas. Therefore, CO is often present in exhaust fumes from vehicles, heaters, industrial machinery, or cooking appliances.
The chemical formula for carbon monoxide is CO, representing one carbon (C) atom combined with one oxygen (O) atom. Although it cannot be seen or smelled, CO gas can be seriously dangerous when it enters the body because it can replace oxygen in the blood, leading to oxygen deficiency in organs, especially the brain and heart.
Because it is undetectable by the senses, CO is often called “the silent killer.” It can accumulate in the work environment if there is not adequate ventilation, causing adverse health effects to workers who may not realize it immediately.
| No. | Chemical Name in Vietnamese | Chemical Name in English | HS Code | CAS Number | Chemical Formula |
| 1. | Cacbon monoxit | Carbon monoxide | 28112290 | 630-08-0 | CO |
See more: chemical safety training service according to Decree 113/2017/NĐ-CP
REGISTER FOR CHEMICAL OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY TRAINING ACCORDING TO DECREE 113
2. Where does Carbon monoxide originate from in the production process?
In the production process, carbon monoxide primarily arises from the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials. The sources of CO gas are very diverse and can appear in many different production sectors. One of the main sources is combustion equipment such as furnaces, boilers, generators, or heating systems in factories. When fuels like coal, oil, natural gas, or even biological materials are not completely burned, CO gas is produced.
In addition, in industries such as metallurgy, chemical production, or wood processing, carbon monoxide can also be generated in high-temperature processes, especially in kilns or in chemical reactions involving the decomposition of organic compounds. Particularly, in manufacturing plants that use old or poorly maintained machinery, this equipment may not operate efficiently and can cause the generation of CO gas.
Besides direct sources from equipment, CO gas can also appear in enclosed or inadequately ventilated areas, causing the gas to accumulate and endanger workers.
3. Industries that use Carbon monoxide in production
Many manufacturing industries use carbon monoxide (CO) as part of their industrial processes, especially in fields that require combustion or chemical reactions at high temperatures. One of the typical industries is metallurgy. During the process of steelmaking or iron production, CO gas is generated when coal or other carbon-containing materials are burned in a furnace, acting as a reducing agent in the chemical reaction. This process not only creates CO but also causes it to accumulate in the air if not controlled.
The chemical manufacturing industry is also a field closely related to the generation of carbon monoxide. In many chemical reactions, especially those involving combustion or decomposition, CO gas can be produced. Plants that produce plastics, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers often use high-temperature processes, making CO an unavoidable byproduct.
In addition, in the energy industry, especially in electricity generation from coal or natural gas, carbon monoxide is also a gas produced during fuel combustion. Power plants that use fossil fuels often have CO gas generated from boilers or combustion chambers.
Even in the wood processing industry, the generation of carbon monoxide can occur, especially when wood is burned or during wood drying processes using heat.
4. How does Carbon monoxide affect workers?
CO gas can cause dangerous effects on the health of workers when inhaled, especially in poorly ventilated work environments or those with high CO concentrations. When it enters the body, CO gas combines with hemoglobin in the blood to form carboxyhemoglobin, which reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. This leads to a lack of oxygen for organs, especially the brain and heart, causing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
At low concentrations, workers may experience symptoms like nausea, difficulty concentrating, and loss of alertness. If the exposure is prolonged or the CO concentration is higher, the risk of damage to the brain and cardiovascular system increases, which can lead to impaired heart function, nerve damage, or even death in severe cases.
One of the dangerous characteristics of CO gas is that it cannot be detected by ordinary senses, making workers easily exposed without realizing the danger. This further increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning without timely intervention.
5. Permissible safe concentration of Carbon monoxide for human exposure
To protect workers’ health, authorities have issued regulations on the safe concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in the work environment. According to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) and occupational safety agencies, the level of CO in the air should not exceed 25 ppm (parts per million) for long-term work, typically 8 hours per day. This means that the CO concentration in the work environment needs to be maintained below this level to avoid the risk of acute and chronic poisoning.
In some special cases, such as when working in an environment that may have higher CO concentrations, short-term CO concentration regulations also apply. For example, the maximum CO level can be up to 100 ppm for a short period (about 15 minutes), but it should not be maintained for too long to avoid adverse effects on workers’ health.
At a basic level, when working in an industrial environment, it is important to comply with safety standards and limit exposure to Carbon monoxide. Organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States provide safety guidelines and principles to protect workers from the negative impacts of chemical substances.
6. Measures to minimize the effects of Carbon monoxide on workers’ health
To minimize the effects of CO gas on workers’ health, prevention and control measures are essential. One of the most important measures is to maintain an adequate ventilation system in work areas with a high risk of CO generation. The ventilation system helps remove toxic gas from the air, ensuring that the CO concentration remains at a safe level and minimizing the risk of poisoning for workers.
In addition, installing and using CO concentration measuring devices is an important measure to monitor and detect dangerous CO levels early. These devices need to be regularly checked and calibrated to ensure their accuracy and effectiveness in alerting workers to changes in CO concentration in the air.
Training and raising awareness for workers about the risks of CO gas is also an important measure. Workers need to be instructed on how to recognize the signs of CO poisoning, how to use personal protective equipment such as gas masks, and how to respond in case of an incident.
Furthermore, regular maintenance of equipment and machinery that can generate CO, such as furnaces, boilers, or fuel-burning machine systems, is necessary to ensure they operate efficiently and minimize the risk of generating toxic gas. Improving production technology can also help reduce the amount of CO generated in industrial processes, thereby best protecting workers’ health.
Occupational safety training: Workers need to be trained and educated on the risks and safety measures when working with this type of chemical. This training needs to be provided periodically and regularly to ensure understanding and proper compliance with safety rules.
Periodically organize workplace environment monitoring in factories and enterprises, collect and analyze factors harmful to workers, and then adjust to reduce the hazard level to prevent occupational diseases for them.
7. National Workplace Environment Monitoring Center
The Workplace Environment Monitoring Center of Nam Viet is a professional unit specializing in monitoring and measuring the quality of the working environment across all provinces in Vietnam. With a team of experienced monitoring specialists, the center uses modern measuring equipment, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
REGISTER FOR WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING SERVICE
In addition to providing monitoring services, the center also supports clients in planning, handling, and tracking workplace environment issues. With the motto “the customer is the center,” the center focuses on customer satisfaction, meeting all customer needs, and is committed to providing the best solutions for businesses.
With investment in technology, engineering, and human resources, Nam Viet’s monitoring center has become one of the reputable units in the field of workplace environment monitoring in Ho Chi Minh City with the following objectives:
- We always value our brand reputation and the quality of our products and services.
- We provide our customers with the best and most suitable options available.
- Together with a team of experienced Masters and Engineers with a desire to protect the environment and benefit businesses.
- By coming to the Nam Viet Environmental Monitoring team, your company will receive professional service from experts in the monitoring field. At the same time, you will get the best deals on costs.
8. Quotation for Workplace Environment Monitoring
To help businesses carry out workplace environment monitoring professionally and effectively, Nam Viet provides our valued customers with a high-quality and reasonably priced quotation for workplace environment monitoring services.
- Our monitoring quotation provides detailed information about the prices of the monitoring services we offer. It includes all costs related to travel, measurement, analysis, and reporting of results. Our valued customers can be completely assured of the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring result reports we provide.
- We are committed to always offering the most competitive and reasonable prices on the market, and we are also always ready to advise and answer any questions about monitoring services in the quickest and most professional manner.
- With Nam Viet’s monitoring quotation, our valued customers can easily choose service packages that suit their needs. We are committed to bringing our customers the highest satisfaction with professional quality service.
