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NOTICE
Boats fueled by diesel have limited carbon mon-
oxide present in the exhaust in comparison to
gasoline engine exhaust. However, the boat
owner should still be aware of the causes and
effects of carbon monoxide which may occur in
different boating situations.
A. Properties and Characteristics of Carbon Mon-
oxide
1. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless and taste-
less gas. It is commonly referred to as CO.
2. Its weight is about the same as air so it cannot be
expected to rise or fall like some other gases, but
will distribute itself throughout the space.
NOTICE
DO NOT rely on the use of smell or sight of
other gases to detect CO, because it diffuses in
the air much more rapidly than easily detectable
vapors (i.e. visible and aromatic vapors).
B. What Makes Carbon Monoxide
Any time a material containing carbon burns such as
gasoline, natural gas, oil, propane, coal, or wood, CO is
produced.
Common sources of carbon monoxide are:
1. Internal combustion engines.
2. Open flame devices such as:
a. Cooking ranges
b. Central heating plants
c. Space heaters
d. Water heaters
e. Fireplaces
f.
Charcoal grills
C. How a Person is Affected by Carbon
Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is absorbed by the lungs and reacts
with blood hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which
reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. The
result is a lack of oxygen for the tissues with the subse-
quent tissue death and, if exposure is prolonged,
death of the individual.
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D. Effects of Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide in high concentrations can be fatal in
a matter of minutes. Lower concentrations must not be
ignored because the effects of exposure to CO are cu-
mulative and can be just as lethal.
Certain health related problems and age will increase
the effects of CO. People who smoke or are exposed to
high concentrations of cigarette smoke, consume alco-
hol or have lung disorders or heart problems, are par-
ticularly susceptible to an increase in the effects from
CO. However, all occupants' health should be consid-
ered. Physical exertion accelerates the rate at which
the blood absorbs CO.
E. Symptoms
One or more of the following symptoms can signal the
adverse effect of CO accumulation:
1. Watering and itchy eyes
2. Flushed appearance
3. Throbbing temples
4. Inattentiveness
5. Inability to think coherently
6. Loss of physical coordination
7. Ringing in the ears
8. Tightness across the chest
9. Headache
10. Drowsiness
11. Incoherence
12. Slurred speech
13. Nausea
14. Dizziness
15. Fatigue
16. Vomiting
17. Collapse
18. Convulsions
NOTICE
The order of the above list is generally the se-
quence of appearance of symptoms. However,
the order of appearance may change for differ-
ent people.
NOTICE
The symptoms of Carbon monoxide poison-
ing may easily be mistaken for seasickness.
Section B
Page 5
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