Workers were exposed to excessively high carbon monoxide gas exposures from forklifts operating throughout the plant. The plant had no outside source of air intake and air withing the building could not be exhausted to the outside because of the odor problem within a residential neighborhood. Workers also were exposed to carbon dioxide from flash freezing process and trimethylamine from processing the seafood in the plant. There were no elevated exposures found relative to trimethylamine but short-term exposures to carbon dioxide from leaks in the process equipment. Recommendations were made to tune-up the forklift and continue proper maintenance. The plant was ventilated to remove the carbon monoxide exposure.

1. Occupational Assessment of
Carbon Monoxide, Carbon
Dioxide, and Trimethylamine
Exposures in a Seafood
Processing Plant
Copyright© 2000 The Windsor Consulting Group, Inc.

2. Initial Investigation
• Complaints - Foul Smell, Dizziness,
Nausea, and Headache
• Check for Refrigeration Leaks - Carbon
Dioxide
• Natural Gas Heating System
• Three large ceiling fans
• No exhaust ventilation to outside

3. Seafood Processing Operation
• Receiving
• Thawing (Cold) - Cooking (Heat)
• Evisceration
• Culling
• Flash Freezing
• Packaging
• Shipping

4. Environmental Exposure
Monitoring
• Carbon Monoxide - Propane Forklifts
• Carbon Dioxide - Flash Freezing
• Trimethylamine - Decaying Fish

5. Air Monitoring Instruments
• Metrosonics®
AQ-501 monitor for carbon
monoxide and carbon dioxide
• SAE - 50 ppm CO2 and 5 ppm CO
• Gillian®
low-flow air sample pumps
calibrated at 200 cc/min with silica gel
tube for trimethylamine
• NIOSH Method 221 - LOD - 0.003 mg

6. Occupational Exposure
Guidelines
• OSHA 8-Hr. TWA PEL for CO - 50 ppm
• NIOSH 8-Hr. TWA REL for CO - 35 ppm
• NIOSH Ceiling Limit for CO - 200 ppm
• ACGIH 8-Hr. TWA TLV for CO - 25 ppm

7. Occupational Exposure
Guidelines
• OSHA 8-Hr. TWA PEL for CO2 - 5,000 ppm
• NIOSH 8-Hr. TWA REL for CO2 - 5,000 ppm
• ACGIH 8-Hr. TWA TLV for CO2- 5,000 ppm
• ACGIH/NIOSH STEL for CO2- 30,000 ppm

8. Occupational Exposure
Guidelines
• No OSHA PELs for Trimethylamine
• ACGIH 8-Hr. TWA TLV - 5 ppm
• ACGIH 15-min. STEL - 15 ppm
• NIOSH 8-Hr. TWA REL - 10 ppm
• NIOSH 15-min STEL - 15 ppm

9. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Exposures
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
Eviserating Culling Line Outside

10. Carbon Dioxide
(CO2)Exposures
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Office
(Peak)
Kitchen
(Peak)
Culling
Line
Outside

11. Trimethylamine Exposures
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
IllexLine
Packing
Tentacle
Cutting
Day
Kitchen
Evisceration
Separation

12. Recommendations
• Tune-Up Forklift Vehicles
– Replace Worn Spark Plugs
– Clean or Change Air Filter
– Evaluate Engine Temperature
– Change Ignition Points
– Check Fuel-Air Mixture
– Measure CO at Exhaust Pipe
• Use Fuel Additive - CGX-4

13. Recommendations
• Develop periodic maintenance schedule
for forklift vehicles
• Replace Freezer Door Seals and Supply
Valves on Flash Freezer in Day Kitchen
• Open Outside Windows in Upstairs
Accounting and President’s Office

14. Recommendations
• Install Alarm System for CO2in the Day
Kitchen
• Install Alarm System for CO throughout
the Plant
• Periodically Re-Evaluate CO and CO2
Exposures

15. Recommendations
• Notify Workers of Test Results and Keep
Records in a Conspicuous Location
• Train Workers in Signs and Symptoms
of Exposure to CO and CO2
• Don’t Ignore Worker Complaints of Poor
Indoor Air Quality