Ohio Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at Manufacturing Plant

In late November, 2016 another Ohio carbon monoxide poisoning occurred where multiple people were hospitalized after 70 employees were exposed to the toxic carbon monoxide at a manufacturing business, according to Fox News.

The company located in Elyria evacuated its employees the night of the incident and remained closed until the source of the fumes was found.

One of the employees complained of chest pains and others were sickened from the toxic gas exposure.

The report stated that dozens of employees developed severe headaches, a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Some of those exposed even passed out, which indicates there was probably a pretty high level of carbon monoxide.

The Ohio carbon monoxide poisoning report stated that all were expected to recover, but we know that carbon monoxide can cause neurological problems in the weeks following the actual poisoning.

Carbon monoxide can damage the brain by depriving it of oxygen and spreading toxins that injure brain cells. Brain damage is often seen deep in the brain, and can affect the corpus callosum or the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus.  These deep areas of the brain are stationed at the end of the brain’s oxygen route, so they are the most vulnerable to suffer damage from carbon monoxide.

The levels for Ohio Carbon Monoxide Poisoning were not included in the report, but it did say firefighters detected high levels of the gas in their gas meter reading.

The plant manager reported that the building’s heating ventilation system failed around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, the day before Thanksgiving Day.

Lorain County Automotive Systems was the company affected. They manufacture automotive seats. They remained closed through the weekend as the cause of the leak was investigated.

Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas that results from incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon, including gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane, coal, or wood.

It is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. You can breathe it in without even knowing that you are breathing in harmful fumes.

It is suggested by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that equipment and appliances be maintained to reduce carbon monoxide formation.