[Chris R]

Reading a thread on a american cc board it seems that at least 20 Tm users who posted replys have had problems with carbon monoxide poisoning from the TM. Any UK TM users had a problem?
Taken from american cc board.
Two of my techs almost died from carbon monoxide due to trying to "save hose" and parking too close to the house. The house wife left without them knowing it and left the garage door up. This created a "chimney effect" and the rest is history. I'm just glad the woman's little girl left with her or we would have had a death too.

As it was both techs were hospitalzed (hyperbaric chambers, Flight for Life, intensive care, the whole works) and one (naturally the best one) was put on permanent disability. (Extreme short term memory loss and other symptoms I don't remember. Hmmm ...)

Excellent topic for a post, Mr. Carter. Thank you.

Steve Toburen CR
Director of Training
Jon-Don's Strategies for Success

PS We implemented a procedure using an airmover pointed out the door and toward the truck mount to shoot the eexhaust away. You can also use the exhaust hoses mechanics use to divert your fumes away too. Mostly, be aware.
Modified By Steve Toburen on 10/1/2004 at 8:15 PM



http://www.i-boards.com/ics/default.asp
Interesting thread on American CC board.
Scroll down page to subject.

Many carpet cleaners dying from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by TMs venting fumes into customers house?
What do you think?
Chris

[SMP]

Can't say that I've heard of this in the UK, but it is possible.  Both when I did my franchise training and again on my NCCA/ IICRC training I was warned not to let this happen.  Better safe than sorry - but easy to forget unless you have something like this thread to remind you.

Cheers

[Dynafoam]

I've not heard of this happening this side of the pond, which does not mean that it could not, or has not happened.

I have one customer who operates a car repair business in his front garden. The summer before last three of his family were hospitalised for CO poisoning when exhaust from the vehicle he was tuning entered a bedroom window at the front of the bungalow and built up in the other rooms.

Good design of a TM would lead to the exhaust being discharged skyward and this would lessen the risk of this happening. CO detectors are readily available at low cost (the ones that look like smoke alarms) and the strategic placement of one or more of these would do much to offset the risk.

John.

[Dave_Lee]

Coincidently, I had an incident just last week. Tm was running for about two hours. I was parked at the front and to the side of the house on the shared drive. Exhaust pointing across the front garden. Finished job and Tm switched off for around 15 minutes. In the back kitchen chatting to client when her CO alarm on top of kitchen units went off. After discussion as to why this had happened, it transpired that she had opened a top kitchen window just five minutes earlier. I can only think that the fumes must have been lingering in the drive area between the two houses and had been drawn into the house through the open window. I always imagined the fumes would disperse readily, but it seems this is not the case.
Also, I suspect fumes accumulate in the van, as I and my wife (Whom I collect from her work place, every day) have had periods of unexplained intense tiredness. We have both thought it could be down to Tm exhaust fumes, so much so that I now make sure the van is well ventilated by opening all the doors whilst packing up after every job.
Dave.

[Glynn]

One thing that improves this is a TM equiped with a caytalitic exhaust.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi ,

I'm no combustion expert but I do believe diesel engines have lower CO emissions.

Cheers,

Doug