INTRODUCTION - Acoura Overview
Acoura Ltd, Environmental Health Consultants with extensive experience in the leisure
and hospitality industry, were appointed by the Directors of JetChill to review the health
and safety hazards and risks associated with using equipment and solid carbon dioxide
powder to produce foaming or smoking drinks for consumption in the leisure and
entertainment markets.
The Directors wanted to ensure that the products they were providing to the
entertainment industry were inherently safe and unless operational procedures were
abused, would not cause harm to the operators producing the drinks or the customers
consuming the drinks.
Outcome of Review
Acoura Ltd, and in particular, Pat Perry, reviewed the procedures for creating the smoking
drinks.
The operation of the equipment was demonstrated.
The solid carbon dioxide substances were reviewed.
The procedures for mixing the drinks were reviewed.
Technical details e.g. Safety Data Sheets for the solid carbon dioxide were reviewed.
Research was carried out to establish whether solid carbon dioxide when used in the
entertainment drinks industry was the cause of numerous accidents. A review of on-site
procedures was undertaken by an Enforcement Authority in Newcastle and the officer
involved was contacted to establish whether he had any concerns over safety.
A comprehensive Health & Safety Information Folder was developed which JetChill could
distribute with its equipment thus providing the operators with information regarding
hazards and risks. Risk Assessments were completed which could be made ‘site specific’
by the site operators. Manufacturer’s information was reviewed and included in the
Manual.
Training material was evaluated and further developed so that every operator would
have definitive information to understand the hazards and risks and the tools to be able
to cascade the training to operators who would fill the drinking vessels with solid carbon
dioxide and liquids.
Conclusion
There is always an inherent risk associated with many activities i.e. there is the potential
to cause harm and the severity of that harm would be variable. There is an inherent risk
associated with using solid carbon dioxide - it has a temperature below minus 78oC. It
causes severe skin burns on impact. When mixed with liquid, Dry Ice (as solid carbon
dioxide is known) will sublime into a gaseous state which creates the ‘smoking’ effect.
Carbon dioxide gas is an asphyxiant and in high concentrations it may cause asphyxiation.
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