FT102 54 JULY 2016 DANGERS OF CO2 FOR BREWING AND WINE The danger associated with carbon dioxide (CO2) in the brewing and wine industry is wellknown. This gas is toxic, but the nature of the threat it poses is not always fully understood. People die needlessly every year in tragic but completely avoidable accidents that don’t recognise that the use of gas protection devices designed to detect CO2 is necessary to protect human life. This issue should be at the top of the agenda for companies within the food and beverage industry, particularly in drinks where carbonated soft drinks, wines and beers use CO2 in their manufacturing. Carbonation of soft drinks occurs at many points along the production and logistics process, from the bottling process or at point-of-sale. The danger is often increased by the nature of the cellars and storerooms where gas cylinders are located. CO2 is heavier than air, meaning it sinks to the floor when escaped and collects in cellars and the bottom of containers and confined spaces, such as tanks and silos. It can kill in two ways – by displacing oxygen, leading to rapid asphyxiation; and as an exposed toxin. Because it’s completely odourless and colourless, there is often no indication of danger until it is too late. So how can people be protected in environments where CO2 is used in so many different ways and a danger in so many scenarios? To ensure compliance with occupational exposure limits calculated as time-weighted-averages, it is necessary to monitor the levels of CO2 each worker is exposed to individually. To achieve this, personal monitors are provided to staff when they enter the risk zone of their workplace. Alternatively, fixed monitors can be installed in such places as cellars, cool-stores or production areas where CO2 is being stored. All detection equipment is to be calibrated on a six-monthly basis by a certified service supplier. For more information, contact Derek at Instrumatics on (09) 526 0096 or www.instrumatics.co.nz.
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