Diesel Exhaust fumes

[dmc1892]

Hi,

this may be an odd question for on here but I work in a large factory and one area has 4 vans in it , every morning we test the vans engines for roughly 20 minutes and we use extractor tubes to take the dangerous fumes away but one of the vans extractor tubes fell off and was left running for maybe 10 minutes on its own , i smelled a strong smell and reported it , i was only exposed to fumes for a few minutes, 10 minutes at a push but i was in another van away from the van with the loose tube.

since it happened maybe about an hour ago i felt a bit sick with the smell tbh not i feel ok but i keep feel panicky and anxious that i have Carbon monoxide poisoning even though i don't feel bad at the moment.

would monoxide poisonibg make me feel gradually worse if i did have it? no other member of my work is feeling anything but my anxious mind won't rest.

[Carys]

No, carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms would reduce, not increase, once the potential leak is dealt with. It was only a 'potential' as well, you don't know there was any emission problem anyway. That is why some people, who live in homes with small CM issues often only feel ill when in the home and it improves once they are out of it. Remember some people sit in traffixc jams, or live by roads where these vans are pumping out emissions all day and every day. I suspect your panicky feeling is causing all of the symptoms, especially if nobody else at work is unwell. Also, feeling sick isn't one of the primary symptoms anyway. Factories like the one you work in, are clearly regulated and take precautions to ensure staff safety, and if nobody else (in a management position) seems to think there is a problem, then its ok.

Go outside and have 5 minutes in the fresh air, walking, calming yourself, then the smell will be gone and there would definitely not even be a hint of CM about Oxygen therapy is how CM poisoning is dealt with, plenty of nice fresh air out there.

[Carys]

I'd also be very surprised, if in the enviornment you work in, they don't have CM detectors in place !