Most at risk are homeowners and residents living near, above or adjacent to the garage, workers in the garage, valet hikers, and staff members in the lobby areas. The current OSHA max permissible level for garage CO levels is 50 parts per million (ppm).
Exposure under this limit is deemed safe by OSHA for a person breathing the air for one day. The only way to ensure compliance with this requirement is to have regular testing of the CO system. All garage CO sensors drift over time, and they all require periodic calibration. Most brands have a 12-month calibration interval. The sensors have a life expectancy of 5-10 years. Many brands allow for inexpensive cartridge replacements should the sensor element expire. The ventilation system is interlocked with these sensors and the ventilation (exhaust fans and make-up air) must be checked with the sensors to make sure the fans cycle ON when needed. City code for Chicago and suburbs requires an audible and visual alarm to annunciate when CO levels are at 100 ppm.
The liability to the board and management is significant if an employee or resident should be diagnosed with a health issue related to CO exposure. The health symptoms are typically very general and include chronic headaches, lack of concentration, shortness of breath and loss of sleep. There are legal cases going through the courts now with employees claiming to suffer from high CO poisoning and the “untested and non-maintained” garage CO system is a primary cause listed by the plaintiffs.
So what should property managers do?
Determine if you have a CO detection system. These sensors would be wall mounted, or sometimes ceiling mounted, in the garage.
By Jeff Dahnke, President, ARCO Equipment Sales
The CO sensors for the parking garage function differently than the CO sensors in the residential spaces. They are actually very different. Property managers may believe the garage CO system is being tested when the fire alarm vendor is doing the regular testing on the residential CO detectors. This is almost never the case, and is one of the reasons many garage CO systems go untested and neglected. Garage CO sensors have unique functions and require different calibration equipment and training than would be used for CO sensors in residential areas.
For the garage area, the primary health and safety issue is low levels of CO exposure over long periods of time. Low level exposure allows toxins to build up in the body causing numerous health issues weeks, months or years down the road. Carbon monoxide is well known to kill in high concentrations. However, OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) is most concerned about lower concentrations being inhaled over a long period of time.
Get the system tested to see if it still is connected with the ventilation system, both exhaust and intake. This is typically a “bump” test to see if sensors are alive at all.
Calibrate the sensors to trigger the fans at the correct ppm level, 25-50 ppm range is typical depending on the municipality you are in. Sensors that cannot be calibrated can be easily replaced.
Test the alarm audible function to sound at 100 ppm. This would alert building personnel to check the fans to determine why the high CO level is occurring.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A REPORT ON FILE THAT HAS THE ABOVE ITEMS CHECKED.
It is advisable to find a vendor who is familiar with your brand of CO sensors, has the correct calibration equipment and is properly certified by the equipment manufacturer. The vendor must also know the specific code requirements in your city or village. If you are getting the CO report, and doing it at least annually, you will be effectively managing the liability risk issue. Most importantly, you will know your garage parking area is safe from Carbon monoxide for your residents, staff and guests.
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