Heating, ventilation crucial at work sites

Dubai: Dubai Police has urged contracting and construction companies to provide proper heating and ventilation at worksites to prevent mishaps.

In 2007, two Asian workers died of suffocation after inhaling carbon monoxide fumes in a warehouse in Dubai. They had lit a fire using pieces of wood to warm themselves, but as the warehouse was not properly ventilated, they inhaled the toxic fumes.

Deaths

According to Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Humaid Al Merri, Director of the criminal investigation division at Dubai Police, around three to four Asian workers died last year as a result of carbon monoxide inhalation while working in a tank.

These accidents take place at this time of year when the temperature falls, especially at night. Warehouses located in remote areas in the desert sometimes lack heating or proper ventilation systems. Workers are forced to build a coal or wood fire to keep themselves warm.

"Simple preventive measures could make a big difference. These deaths are tragic and can be avoided. I urge companies to educate their workers and provide them with heating and proper ventilation units," Al Merri said.

Once carbon monoxide has been inhaled, it enters the blood stream, kills off cells and starves vital organs of oxygen.

Dangers

A large enough dose of this gas can kill a human being within minutes.

According to Al Merri, since the gas is odourless, colourless and tasteless, there are cases of people dying from carbon monoxide poisoning every year around the world without ever knowing what hit them.

One could simply slip into unconsciousness and never come around, or one may already be asleep when breathing in the carbon monoxide and simply never wake up again.

Toxic gas: Carbon monoxide

- Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, toxic gas.

- The molecule consists of a carbon atom that is triply bonded to an oxygen atom.

- Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood used in boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires.