The drivers are the size of the rooom and the size of the tank. There was a death recently from a similar situation in a smallish trap room under a stage with a CO2 tank for a theatrical fog effect. Three people were rendered unconscious and one died. Monona
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From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Sent: Fri, Jun 7, 2019 8:07 am
Subject: [DCHAS-L] 3 sickened after being exposed to nitrogen gas at Weston ice cream shop
This headline caught my eye and I thought it worth posting separately to the list because we have discussed before concerns related to the issue of using liquid nitrogen in food preparation settings. This event provides a scenario worth considering in evaluating those proposals.
- Ralph
3 sickened after being exposed to nitrogen gas at Weston ice cream shop
WESTON, Fla. - Two employees fell ill and a deputy with the Broward Sheriff's Office was treated after being exposed to nitrogen gas at a Weston ice cream shop, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.
Fire Rescue received a call after 4 p.m. from employees who were complaining of dizziness, officials said. The Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream shop is located in the 2200 block of Weston Road.
The release of nitrogen likely happened so quickly that employees could not escape the business before collapsing, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue. Officials said evidence of the release could be seen on the iced-over storefront windows.
The ice cream parlor uses nitrogen as a freezing agent in preparation of their desserts, officials said.
"Nitrogen is an inert gas, meaning it doesn't chemically react with other gases and generally isn't toxic," Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue said in a release. "But breathing pure nitrogen could be deadly because the gas displaces oxygen and could lead to suffocation of the victim. In high concentrations, unconsciousness can occur within one or two breaths, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board."
Officials said BSFR's hazardous materials team stopped the leak, which was emanating from a large storage tank.
Ventilation of the structure is in progress but it likely will not be allowed to reopen until a professional service team responds to repair the nitrogen tank assembly, officials said.
.... more at URL above
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