Leopard Catamarans 40 - Carbon Monoxide; 2-8.1 How Is A Person Affected By Carbon Monoxide

2-8 Carbon Monoxide | 41
2-8 CARBON MONOXIDE
DANGER
Carbonmonoxidecanaccumulatein
interiorspacesandexteriorareas.Carbon
monoxideaccumulationisaffectedbya
multitudeofvariables(e.g.,boat
geometry,hatch,windowanddoor
openings,ventilationopenings,proximity
tootherstructures,swimplatforms,
canvasenclosures,locationofexhaust
outlets,vesselattitude,winddirection,
boatspeed,boatsystemmaintenance,
etc.)
DEFINITIONS
Carbon Monoxide
– Agasformedbythecombinationof
oneatomofcarbonandoneatomof
oxygen.ChemistsrefertoitasCOfor
itschemicalformula,Cforcarbonand
Oforoxygen.
Cobh(carboxyhemoglobin)
– ThemoleculeformedwhenCO,
insteadofoxygen,combineswith
blood.
EnclosedAccommodationCompartment
– Onecontiguousspacethatcontains
anyofthefollowing:
a. designated sleeping
accommodations,
b. agalleyareawithsink;and
c.aheadcompartment.
NOTE:Alockerintendedforgearstorage
andopenpassengercockpits,withorwithout
canvasenclosures,arenotconsideredtobe
enclosedaccommodationcompartment(s).
PPM
– Partspermillion
PROPERTIESANDCHARACTERISTICS
OFCARBONMONOXIDE
Carbonmonoxide(CO)isacolourless,
odourlessandtastelessgasthatweighs
aboutthesameasair.Itcannotbe
expectedtoriseorfalllikesomeother
gasesbecauseofthisitwilldistributeitself
throughoutthespace.Donotrelyonthe
senseofsmellorsightaswithother
gasestodetectCOasitdiffusesintheair
muchmorerapidlythanothereasily
detectablevapours,(i.e.,visibleand
aromaticvapours).
WHATMAKESCARBONMONOXIDE
Carbonmonoxideisproducedanytime
materialcontainingcarbonburns,suchas
gasoline,naturalgas,oil,propane,coalor
wood.CommonsourcesofCOare
internalcombustionenginesandopen
ameappliancessuchas:
• Cookingranges
• Central heating plants
• Spaceheaters
• Water heaters
• Fireplaces,and
• Charcoalgrills
Thecarbonmonoxidecomponentof
dieselexhaustisextremelylowrelativeto
thecarbonmonoxidelevelfoundin
gasolineengineexhaust.
2-8.1 HOW IS A PERSON AFFECTED
BY CARBON MONOXIDE
Carbon monoxide is absorbed by the
lungsandreactswithbloodhaemoglobin
toformcarboxyhemoglobin,which
reducestheoxygencarryingcapacityof
theblood.Theresultisalackofoxygen
forthetissueswiththesubsequenttissue