The hazards from carbon dioxide (CO₂) are comparatively well recognised in drinks manufacturing. They are less well acknowledged in the trade environment, however. Pubs and restaurants routinely have cylinders of CO₂ in cellars or other similar areas, which is used as a dispense gas, to propel the beverage to the dispensing tap, and sometimes to add fizz.

Carbon dioxide is toxic in high concentrations, but you can’t see it or smell it. Accidents have been caused by CO₂ leaking from dispense equipment which has not been maintained appropriately or cylinders which have been accidently left open.

Employers have a duty of care to their employees. How can breweries and drinks delivery companies ensure their drivers and service engineers don’t enter any unsafe environments full of CO₂? This case study shows how one leading brewery is protecting their employees, using Crowcon Gasman CO₂:

https://www.gasmonitor-point.co.uk/crowcon-gasman-single-gas-detector-toxic-flam-CO2

Carbon dioxide occurs naturally in the Earth's atmosphere at about 0.04%. But too much carbon dioxide is dangerous. In poorly ventilated areas such as cellars, a leaking CO₂ cylinder can quickly create toxic gas levels. As CO₂ concentrations increase, the effects of exposure to them become more serious:

1% – can cause drowsiness if exposure is over prolonged periods, affecting how safe it is to drive

2% – produces a feeling of drunkenness, with increased blood pressure and pulse rate

5% – leads to dizziness, confusion and difficulty in breathing; panic attacks may also occur

8% – results in headaches, sweating and tremors with black-out after 5-10 minutes of exposure

One leading brewer, who takes their duty of care to their workforce extremely seriously, approached us as we are specialists in personal gas detection, for guidance on how to protect their team members working in the field. The solution had to be easy to use, mustn’t impede the wearers going about their daily work, and it must provide clear, unambiguous warnings of any danger. Our answer was to have each team member issued with Crowcon Gasman CO₂.

·         The Crowcon Gasman has a simple one-button operation. This has the added advantage of reducing the amount of training required.

·         Gasman is a light, compact detector which doesn’t get in the way as you going about your working day. For a team working in the field, this is particularly important. Under circumstances of no oversight, something that impedes movement might discourage use and so decrease safety.

·         When unsafe levels of CO₂ are detected, Gasman goes into alarm – a 95dB sounder goes off, lights flash and the whole unit vibrates. Even in noisy surroundings, the wearer will be in no doubt that it is time to leave.

·         Gasman uses an infrared (IR) sensor, which is better suited for by the drinks industry for several reasons. IR is not affected by high levels of gas, which some other sensors can be, making it more accurate and reliable. Similarly, unlike IR sensors, some other CO₂ sensors are not suitable for use in temperatures below 10°C, so are not appropriate for cold pub cellars. IR sensors are more robust, too. Their much longer life compared, to other commonly used sensor types, also makes them more cost-effective.

Manufacturers of gas monitors recommend that these meters are calibrated every 6 months to ensure the integrity of the sensors and confirm that the personal gas detector will alarm in the event of a toxic or flammable gas exposure. 

At Point Safety Ltd our engineers are manufacturer trained in calibration and service of portable gas detectors, this service is timely and efficient as they understand the importance of reducing downtime. The cost of servicing a Crowcon Gasman is £35.00 plus VAT and carriage and the turn around time is un-matched at 48 working hours.

Carbon dioxide is a toxic gas, and the threat of accident due to leaks in trade establishments, such as pubs and restaurants, is a real one. This leading brewery has acted to protect their remote-working employees, to whom this risk is a real threat. Through working with ourselves, each employee of this leading brewer is now protected by the Crowcon Gasman CO₂.