With the extreme cold and number of power outages across the nation, now is a good time to remind workers about the dangers of using fuel-burning generators without sufficient ventilation.
Every year, workers die from CO poisoning, usually while using fuel-burning equipment, tools, compressors and pumps, gas-powered forklifts and other devices in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces without adequate ventilation.
OSHA resources include:
- Carbon Monoxide Fact Sheet
- videos in English and Spanish
- QuickCards for workers in English and Spanish, and
- a fact sheet on portable generator safety.
More weather-related safety resources
Here are more resources from OSHA to improve worker safety during the severe winter weather:
Safety and Health Topics page
QuickCards
- Cold Stress QuickCard (English)
- Cold Stress Quick Card (Spanish)
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | Spanish
- Portable Generator Safety | Spanish
- Tree Trimming and Removal Safety | Spanish | Vietnamese | Portuguese
Pamphlets
- Snow Removal: Falls and Other Hazards to Workers Removing Snow from Rooftops and Other Elevated Surfaces
- Snow Removal: Know the Hazards Pamphlet
OSHA Alerts
- Working Safely in Cold Weather: OSHA Alert (English)
- Working Safely in Cold Weather: OSHA Alert (Spanish)
- Portable Generators: Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning While Working with Portable Generators: OSHA Alert (English)
- Portable Generators: Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning While Working with Portable Generators: OSHA Alert (Spanish)
OSHA Fact Sheets
- Atmospheric Testing in Confined Spaces
- Chain Saw Safety | Spanish
- Cleanup Hazards | Spanish | Portuguese
- General Decontamination
- Demolition Safety
- Downed Electrical Wires
- Working Safely with Electricity | Spanish
- Falls
- Fungi Hazards | Spanish
- Grounding Portable Generators
- Hand Hygiene and Gloves
- Hydrogen Sulfide
- Lead Hazards
- Lead in Construction
- Mold
- NHTSA and OSHA Safe Winter Driving
- Portable Generator Safety
- Search and Rescue
- Tree Trimming Safety | Spanish
- Trenching and Excavation Safety
- Working Outdoors
- Work Zone Traffic Safety
