A tragic farm accident this week left three people dead. On a country property near Gunning the brother of the owners was helping to clean a concrete water tank. This tank was empty and a ladder was used to reach its depth and a pressure spray powered by a small petrol motor was used to wash the walls.
When this man collapsed his brother rushed to give assistance - and promptly collapsed alongside him, causing that mans wife to call for help on her Smartphone before trying to revive them both. Unfortunately she also fell victim to the silent killer and all three were found dead when the rescue people arrived.
The cause of death was that petrol motor powering the spray equipment. It had been lowered in to sit on the bottom of the water tank and in a confined and unventilated space it churned out carbon monoxide gas - which is both colourless and odourless. It is also deadly to humans.
Unfortunately, carbon monoxide is a risk that is not apparent to many people. All petrol motors need adequate ventilation to be safe and it should be remembered that this is a heavier than air gas. Had that spray cleaning equipment been left in the open air at the top of the water tank on a day of still air, it is quite possible that the gas could have seeped into the shaft - with deadly results.
It is a good safety rule to always use electrically powered equipment when work is required in a confined space, and if this needs to be powered by a petrol generator, make sure that the generator is located in a ventilated area where fumes can not contaminate the working area. Never use petrol powered equipment in any sort of pit or structure that prevents the free flow of fresh air.
Carbon monoxide can also cause death when unventilated fires consume the oxygen in the air and replace it with this gas. Each winter we see tragic results when outdoor barbeques are brought indoors during a very cold spell and lit to bring warmth. Even perfectly legal unflued gas heaters need a small external air supply to be perfectly safe for indoor use.
Strangely, the danger of carbon monoxide is well known as a means of suicide. It is common for intended suicides to drive their car to a remote area and insert a length of garden hose into the exhaust pipe with the other end into the cabin of the car - and sit and wait until the idling engine generates enough gas to cause death. In other instances, some people simply sit in their car with the engine running while it is in the garage - with the doors closed.
Unfortunately, it is the danger from small petrol motors in confined and unventilated spaces that usually goes unnoticed. Generators and small petrol appliances carry warnings about the carbon monoxide danger but they go unheeded. The only benefit from this tragic farm accident is that the wide publicity will foster awareness.
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