Carbon Monoxide Awareness
Construction and general industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is colorless, odorless, and tasteless — you cannot detect it without a monitor. The OSHA PEL is 50 ppm as an 8-hour TWA.
- The primary source on construction sites is gas-powered equipment — generators, concrete saws, compressors, and heaters — operated in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
- Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and fatigue. These are easily mistaken for heat exhaustion or the flu.
- Never operate gasoline or propane-powered equipment inside a building without adequate ventilation. Position exhaust to blow away from occupied areas and air intakes.
- If a CO monitor alarms, evacuate the area immediately, get to fresh air, and report the reading. Do not re-enter until the source is identified and the area is ventilated.
Ask the crew
Do we have any gas-powered equipment running inside or near the building today — and where is the exhaust going?
Standards this talk is built on
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
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Sign-in sheet
Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.
| Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
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