Some of us might assume that the persons involved were ignorant of the effects of CO and that they had unknowingly put themselves in a position which we are certain we would not repeat in the same situation. The effects of CO are far more subtle than I had believed them to be prior to entering the marine surveying profession, and this is the point of this article. Carbon monoxide is particularly, pardon the term, sneaky in the enclosed environment of the boating world.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas.
Unlike many other gases, it is about the density of the air around us, which means that it distributes very readily and evenly throughout an enclosed space, having no tendency to either sink or rise. CO enters the lungs through respiration and reacts with the hemoglobin in the blood, which reduces the capability of the blood to supply oxygen to the various tissues of the body. We all know that, if this situation maintains itself for a long enough period, the tissues will die. I'm not trying to make light of a very serious problem, but am merely trying to point out that, for the most part, these are very common symptoms which persons experience every day all over the world. 2- follow proper procedures of system maintenance and ventilation.