Carbon Monoxide Poisonings Linked to Gasoline-Powered Generators

Feb. 4, 2000
Experts caution that using a gasoline-powered generator in your home for backup power can put you at risk for deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

With severe winter weather bearing down on many parts of the country and causing widespread power outages, experts caution that using a gasoline-powered generator in your home for backup power can put you at risk for deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

In a study of 100 people with carbon monoxide poisoning seen in four hospital emergency rooms after a 1998 Maine ice storm left 600,000 people without power, the majority of the cases were associated with using a gas-powered generator in the home.

Generators operated in attached garages were 19 times more likely to cause carbon monoxide poisoning -- and those in basements were more than 300 times more likely -- than generators placed outside or in an unattached structure.

Other than generators, the main source of carbon monoxide poisonings were kerosene and propane heaters.

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, odorless gas found in the exhaust of motor vehicles and other gasoline-powered devices.

The 59 female and 41 male patients with carbon monoxide poisoning in the Maine study ranged in age from 11 months to 95 years.

Oxygen is the main treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning, and most patients were required to wear an oxygen mask for a few hours to bring down the level of gas in their blood.

Experts cautioned that generators should always be operated outside the home, away from any place where air might enter the home, such as near windows, doors, or vents.

More than 500 people in the United States die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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