Silverton 34C - How a Person Is Affected by Carbon Monoxide

SAFETY-9
the exhaust of all engines and generators as
well as any open fl ame device produce CO
and the same precautions should be taken
regardless of the type of fuel.
HOW A PERSON IS AFFECTED BY
CARBON MONOXIDE
When breathed, carbon monoxide is ab-
sorbed by the lungs and reacts with the
blood hemoglobin to form carboxyhemo-
globin, which reduces the oxygen carrying
capacity of the blood. The result is a lack of
oxygen for the tissues with the subsequent
tissue death and, if prolonged, death of the
individual. Carbon monoxide in high concen-
trations can be fatal in a matter of minutes.
Even lower concentrations must not be
ignored because the effects of exposure
to CO are cumulative and can be just as
lethal. Certain health related problems and
age increase the effects of CO. People, who
smoke or are exposed to high concentra-
tions of cigarette smoke, consume alcohol or
have lung or heart disorders are particularly
susceptible to an increase in the effects from
CO. However, the health of all of the boat’s
occupants should be considered. Physical
exertion accelerates the rate at which the
blood absorbs CO. The early effects of CO
poisoning are easy to overlook because they
are similar to the effects of other boating
related stresses such as eye strain, fatigue,
sun exposure, seasickness, or alcohol con-
sumption. But as the concentration of CO in
the air increases, it has increasingly adverse
effects on your health.
One or more of the following symptoms
can signal the adverse effects of carbon
monoxide accumulation. The order of this
list is generally the sequence of symptoms.
However, the number of symptoms and the
order of appearance may change for differ-
ent people:
Watering and Itching eyes
Flushed Appearance
Throbbing temples
Inattentiveness
Inability to think coherently
Ringing in the ears
Tightness across the chest
Headache
Drowsiness
Incoherence
Nausea
Dizziness
Fatigue
Vomiting
Collapse
Convulsions
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