OSHA Safety Standards for Monitoring Restaurant Gases
Carbon dioxide is one of the most versatile gases and is commonly utilized in the restaurant, food & beverage, and commercial industries. It’s most commonly used in its gas form and is sometimes used in its dry ice form. CO2 is a colorless, odorless, and non-flammable gas that can easily cause work-related injuries if mishandled or leaks are not detected. Because it’s denser than air, high levels of CO2 exposure can be very dangerous.
By understanding hazards, common symptoms from CO2 exposure, and OSHA safety and monitoring requirements, restaurant owners and customers can safely enjoy the benefits of CO2.
How CO2 is Used in Restaurants & Food Storage
Carbon dioxide is used frequently in your everyday life in food and drink. You can see carbon dioxide in action anytime you visit a restaurant. CO2 is most commonly used to carbonate soft drinks and beer, which gives your beverage a nice fizz and consistency.
Alongside the restaurants, CO2 is used by commercial businesses to store frozen meats, foods and other cold storage items. It’s also the ideal gas for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), which is used to extend the shelf life of food items in grocery stores, like chips. Because CO2 is used in many areas of the food industry, from butchery to packaging, it’s vital that facilities follow proper regulations and safety requirements to prevent any injuries, or in extreme cases, death from improper compressed gas handling.
The Hazards of Restaurant CO2
CO2 related accidents vary from big to small, but can also have an effect on your business reputation. If people don’t feel safe eating at your establishment, you’re going to lose out on business; more importantly, you want to make sure your customers and employees are safe. That’s why it’s important to have a monitoring system within your facility and have the proper training to quickly identify the symptoms related to CO2 poisoning.
Because carbon dioxide is odorless and colorless, it’s very hard to detect when there is a leak or excess amount of CO2 levels present in the air. This is very dangerous as people won’t be able to detect leaks just from smell. You wouldn’t be able to tell if there are high levels of gas in the air until you start noticing the initial symptoms of exposure, which can also seem disguised as common, everyday symptoms like a headache.
Common Symptoms of CO2 Poisoning
A common hazard in the workplace can become dangerous when the gas is confined to small spaces and with limited ventilation. Asphyxiation is a potential hazard when the gas displaces oxygen in the air. This happens when CO2 is dispensed from portable tanks, which are commonly used for beverage dispensers. In order to prevent injuries or fatalities, it’s important to know common symptoms of CO2 exposure that can lead to serious health conditions:
- Frostbite
- Headache
- Drowsiness
- Rapid breathing
- Confusion
- Increased heart rate
- Unconsciousness
As levels of CO2 increase, more severe symptoms like fading eyesight, sweating, and fainting can start to develop and could potentially lead to death if exposed to high levels of 100,000 parts per million (ppm) or greater.
OSHA Safety Standards
Exposure limits are set for safety standards in the workplace and are observed through the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA uses the time-weighted average (TWA) to set exposure limits for CO2. It’s very important to know which standards are required of your facility. Information can be collected through the city’s fire marshal or the building inspector.
According to OSHA, restaurant facility workers cannot be exposed to CO2 levels higher than 5,000 parts per million (ppm) over an 8-hour work day, which is about 0.5% of CO2 in the air. If exposure is short term, the limit is set to no more than 30,000 ppm for the duration of 10 minutes. To put into perspective, 40,000 parts per million is considered very dangerous to a person’s life and health.
How to Monitor CO2
- Why Monitoring is Important
Monitoring CO2 levels is very important because leaks and exposure are very difficult to detect and can cause life-threatening situations if exposed for long durations. OSHA has administered regulations for restaurants and restaurant facilities that regularly work with CO2 gases in their daily processes. Exposure can lead to workplace injuries and poisoning if not detected. Not only is CO2 exposure dangerous to employees, but restaurant customers can also be at risk.
- Alarm System
Incidents in restaurants and facilities could be prevented with proper detection methods. Using a monitoring system will alert workers of any CO2 emissions or leaks and will improve worker and community safety. Most monitoring devices are cost-effective and can prevent any potential fines or injury related liability in cases of exposure.
Some municipalities require restaurant facilities to have CO2 safety alarms installed for those using bulk CO2 systems. When using bulk CO2, it’s best to have a professional who is trained and insured for gas line installations.
Precautions & Prevention
- Employee Safety Training – All employees should be properly trained on preventive measures, safety precautions, exposure limits, and symptoms of exposure. Training must be documented and filed for a minimum of 5 years, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
- Warning Signage – Make sure your facilities include proper signage around CO2 sources or areas where workers may be exposed to some levels of CO2. Signage should be clearly visible in areas where CO2 is stored.
- Ventilation – Make sure your facility has a proper ventilation system that will vent CO2 from the work area.
- Install CO2 safety alarms – Safety alarms help protect employees and customers by monitoring CO2 levels and controlling ventilation. Having an alarm can help save lives in case of extreme situations. If levels reach certain limits, the alarm will ring and alert the proper emergency responders.
Conclusion
Here at Air Source Industries, we make sure we’re always compliant with OSHA standards at our facility. We always offer our customers the best customer service on selecting compressed gases and professional on-site installations. We offer CO2 solutions for local businesses in Los Angeles and Orange Counties with convenient deliveries. For a free quote, please call our experts to help you get started. Call us at (562) 426-4017 or get a gas quote online.
Sources:
https://www.co2meter.com/blogs/news/co2-safety-in-restaurants-bars-venus
https://macurco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ebook_co2_the-carbonated-beverage-hazard_regulations-and-safety_final.pdf