A worker who does not know about carbon monoxide poisoning may ignore these early symptoms or think a minor illness is coming on. But continuing exposure can cause confusion, loss of consciousness, and even death. Unless workers know about the dangers of carbon monoxide, they may never even think about moving away from air that is poisoning them. All fuel-burning equipment emits some carbon monoxide. This includes car, truck and forklift engines, construction equipment powered by propane or gasoline, and non-electric heaters.
Carbon monoxide tends to build up in pockets in the poorly ventilated areas of workplaces.
This can happen even in semi-enclosed workplaces,where tarpaulins and plastic sheeting are used for shelter. All areas where fuel-burning equipment is being used must be ventilated by mechanical means to the outside. Tune and maintain engines and other equipment regularly. Where practical, install air-monitoring devices. Employers and workers should be made aware of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning from fuel-burning equipment.