Workers at food plant in Colorado exposed to carbon monoxide

Eight workers at a Colorado natural foods plant were exposed to carbon monoxide last week after the carbon monoxide detectors at the facility failed to sound an alarm as levels exceeded maximum allowable standards.

The eight workers went to the emergency room with classical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.  When testing at the hospital showed levels over 10%, doctors wee concerned about the public health implications of this and called the fire department.  When firefighters arrived at the plant, they were greeted with surprise since none of the carbon monoxide detectors at the plant had sounded.

However, using their own equipment, firefighters found that levels in the plant were 70 parts per million, well in excess of the 25 ppm permitted under OSHA standards.  Examination determined that although there were detectors at the plant, they only worked when the test button was pressed and did not sound when carbon monoxide levels exceeded the detector thresholds.

An executive at the plant referred to this as "basically a non-event."  I wonder whether he would feel the same if members of his family were to suffer the long-term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

These injured workers would be entitled to seek worker's compensation benefits in Illinois.  Also, they would be permitted to file a third-party liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the defective carbon monoxide detector.