Safety announcement

[Ryan Davenport AWGB]

After receiving a phone call this morning from a friend I just thought I would remind everyone about the dangers of a calor (servo warm) gas heater, besides the potential fire hazard.
My friend called me this morning to warn me that his wife found him lying in a heap on his workshop floor yesterday while she was taking him a cup of tea, what had actually happened is the carbon monoxide that was generated by the heater got too much (he's lucky his wife found him quick), after she called the ambulance he came round, he's in hospital but all is ok acording to his latest gas test (painful test in wrist).
Could i please remind everyone that you MUST have a open air source (i.e. Somewhere the gasses produced can escape).
Many people are not lucky enough to learn the lesson.
Finally he's now going to listen and get a oil filled rad.
Take care.

[Graham]

Good post. Thanks for that.

[Eric Harvey]

also remember carbon monoxide is heavier than air,so you need a flap low down for this gas to escape,and lying on the floor unconsious just exasebates the problem,ie;you die quicker on the floor than you would standing up,that`s why all new caravans have holes in the floor to let the carbon monoxide out,cheers,

Eric.

[Ryan Davenport AWGB]

Yes, best if you can leave a door open slightly, thanks for pointing that out Eric.
You can't beat making a insulated cavity with 1 1/2" thick moisture resistant mdf which is strangely enough a green colour, saves loads on heating bills too.

[Graham]

Don't know much about this sort of stuff, is it an issue with wood burners as well ? Though mine gets so hot I usually have a door open anyway.

[Ryan Davenport AWGB]

Not really so much with wood burners, if the doors open then you'll be safe.

[Ryan Davenport AWGB]

Worth a read:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/woodindx.htm

http://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/resources/users.pdf

http://www.hse.gov.uk/asthma/asthmagen.pdf

[Les Symonds]

Don't know much about this sort of stuff, is it an issue with wood burners as well ? Though mine gets so hot I usually have a door open anyway.

With a commercially made (or styled) woodburner, the exhaust gases, which accounts for most of the smoke and the CO, goes up the chimney...the important thing is to ensure  an adequate supply of fresh air, via ventilation.

What I think is more pertinent to this thread, is the possibility of a flash-flame from air-born wood dust in the vicinity of an open flame. 

Les

[Ryan Davenport AWGB]

Yes the burner should/must be enclosed (e.g. Glass door)

[BrianH]

Having attended at least 2 burnt out workshops in a red lorry full of ladders I would advise against ANY form of flame based heating. The tiniest spark landing somewhere out of sight, as a result of making the fire up for instance, can lay apparently dormant for many hours before evolving into flame, throwing dust into the air and spreading the problem with probable terminal results. How many of us are protecting ourselves from flamable dust while encouraging flames in the same space?
 Compost your shavings, heat with oil filled rad....or better still suitable clothes.... and isolate power when leaving is my advice.
Happy New Ears to you all
Brian

[Bryan Milham]

Plenty to thing about in this thread.

No Flame, plenty of ventilation...

... and I'll add, keep a fire extinguisher somewhere handy.

[Graham]

Tempted to look aloof and lie through my teeth saying 'Wood dust ? I don't allow wood dust in my workshop' But I am aware of the seriousness of this subject. My wood burner is top loaded rather than through one of those glass doors and I never leave it unattended.

[andygc]

also remember carbon monoxide is heavier than air,so you need a flap low down for this gas to escape,and lying on the floor unconsious just exasebates the problem,ie;you die quicker on the floor than you would standing up,that`s why all new caravans have holes in the floor to let the carbon monoxide out,cheers,

Eric.

I'm afraid that's not true. CO is marginally less dense than air, so it will diffuse pretty well evenly throughout the air volume in a room.

Also, there's a nothing wrong with using a woodburner with the door open. It's no different from an ordinary fire on a grate. Stovax's instructions for their stoves, for example, merely point out that their stoves are less efficient with the door open and need a spark guard (which they sell as an accessory).

There shouldn't be any CO going up the chimney (or anywhere else) from any open or closed flame fire that is installed correctly and is adequately ventilated. If somebody falls over using a Calor gas stove either there's grossly inadequate ventilation, or the stove is defective.

Whether or not to use a flame heater in a workshop is a different matter, of course.