H [ | gas This is the story of a “killer”—Carbon 
Monoxide Gas. (CO to you from now on.) 
You can’t see it—it has no vapor or 
color. You can’t smell it—it has no odor. 
But when coal, gasoline, wood, illumi- 
nating gas and many other fuels contain- 
ing carbon are incompletely burned, 
CO gas is released into the air. It 
sneaks into closed rooms, cars, garages, 
workshops and strikes its victims silently. 
If you work near a furnace, an engine, 
or other fuel-operated machines, watch out 
for CO gas. It may be escaping. The amount may be too small to kill—but 
enough to make a strong man sick, knock 
him out, and steal a lot of his pay* 
When there is plenty of pure oxygen and 
the air is in motion, CO mixes with it and 
can't hurt you. Released in closed places, 
CO is a deadly poisoner—ready to strike 
any oxygen-breathing creature in reach. 
CO enters the body through the lungs— 
the only route it can travel. Then it mixes 
with the red coloring matter of the blood—the 
stuff which absorbs oxygen and carries it 
through your body. CO stops the blood from 
absorbing oxygen—suffocates its victims. 
Watch for These Danger Signals in 
yourself and fellow workers! 
If a worker has been breathing even small 
amounts of carbon monoxide for a long time, 
he gets a tight feeling across the forehead. 
Soon he has a throbbing headache. He 
gets nervous, depressed, dizzy. His face 
may be flushed, his eyeballs bright red. He may feel sick in the stomach and vomit. 
Finally, he passes out. 
First Aid for CO Poisoning. Carry 
the victim to the fresh air at once. Call 
a doctor. 
If the victim has stopped breathing or is 
gasping, give artificial respiration. Use the 
Schafer method. It is explained in all up- 
to-date first aid books. If your shop does not 
have a first aid squad, why not organize one? 
A CO victim should be given extra oxygen. 
Plants where there is a CO hazard should 
have apparatus and trained crews for giv- 
ing oxygen. 
Loosen your patient’s clothes. Rub his 
hands and feet. Keep his body warm 
with blankets and 
hot water bottles. 
(Don’t let the bottles 
burn him.) Keep 
him at rest. Never let a CO victim get up and walk 
about until the doctor says he is entirely re- 
covered! Many lives have been lost because 
people thought a man could walk off the 
effects right after he came to. Exercise sim- 
ply speeds up the attack of CO on the heart. 
When this happens, the patient may collapse 
and die before help can reach him. 
Sometimes it takes a man quite a while to 
get over CO poisoning. For several days 
he may be very uncomfortable, dizzy, nau- 
seated. He is restless and irritable. He 
worries without knowing why. But these 
troubles will pass. They come from the 
effects of the gas. CO poisoning seldom 
leaves permanent ill effects. Of course, it is 
very hard on people who have heart trouble 
or nervous disorders. They should never 
work where they may be exposed to CO. 
Prevention is Safer and Cheaper. First 
aid and prompt treatment by a doctor can 
save a CO victim's life. But why take a chance? It is safer and cheaper to stop CO 
gas before it stops you. 
The best protection against carbon monox- 
ide is good ventilation in the workshop. The 
amount of CO in the air should be kept 
down to the safe limits set by the American 
Standards Association. Samples of the air 
you breathe should be tested regularly. If 
there is too much CO, engineers can find out 
where it is coming from and get rid of it. 
They can improve ventilation in your shop. 
If a worker enters a closed place where 
CO gas may be present, he should wear an 
air-line respirator and a safety line. A crew 
of men who know the signs of CO poisoning 
should watch him while he is in there. 
Good ventilation means more than getting 
rid of carbon monoxide. It means supply- 
ing plenty of oxygen, keeping the air reason- 
ably dry and in motion. 
Too much dampness, too little oxygen, 
overcrowding in workrooms, and strenuous work can all gang up and make usually safe 
amounts of carbon monoxide dangerous. 
Workers and employers can gang up on 
CO gas and prevent accidents. Remem- 
ber—carbon monoxide is a stealthy killer. 
Obey all the safety rules. And this includes 
wearing your CO gas mask when it is 
required. Be on the watch for headache, 
dizziness, flushed faces—in yourself and 
others on the job. Your plant can see that 
carbon monoxide is kept to safe limits and 
that workrooms are well ventilated. You 
can help by being always wise to CO gas 
and its sneaky, death-dealing ways. 
CO gas is a smart killer 
—but it can't outsmart 
a smart worker. Jobs where CO may be a hazard 
GARAGE WORKERS AND MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS. Most CO 
accidents occur on these jobs. 
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY. Illuminating gas plants, coke-oven work- 
ers, tar distillers. Ammonia gas plants. Methane and 
methyl alcohol manufacture. Soda plants. Charcoal burn- 
ers. Carbide makers. 
METAL INDUSTRY. Blast-furnace workers, Bessemer furnace- 
men, welders. Chargers, cleaners, coremakers, cupola men 
—in copper, lead, silver, zinc smelters and brass foundries. 
MINING INDUSTRY. Blasters, because some explosives release 
CO. Other workers if fire damp explosions occur. 
GARMENT INDUSTRY. Felt blockers and Bangers, calico print- 
ers, cloth singers, ironers, pressers. 
GLASS AND POTTERY INDUSTRY. Kiln workers, brick burners, 
teazers, temperers, moldmakers, enamel makers, enamelers. 
PRINTING INDUSTRY. Linotypists, monotypists, from the melting 
pots. 
OTHER JOBS. Blacksmiths, plumbers, solderers, chimney masons, 
chimney sweepers, furnace tenders, firemen, boiler cleaners, 
cooks, bakers, cable splicers. 
IS YOUR HEATING SYSTEM AT HOME SAFE? 
FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY 
U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
Workers7 Health Series—No. 3 
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. Price, 5 cents. 
Special prices for larger quantities. 
U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16 22294