Hi All, I just visited a company which has put up signage near all Co2 extinguishers saying that you have to use the mask (hanged on the extinguisher) when using it. I have never heard of this before and I don't think the masks they put there are of any use. I was told that it is to prevent users from inhaling Co2. Have you guys experienced anything like this? What are your views and how do you think I should handle it? cheers..

Kate, no they don't. I don't understand the rationale behind this requirement. I don't think these masks would absorb co2 and also masks are not supposed to be used in environments where there is lack of O2, I remember.

Oh for an edit button! Will NOT cause it to become an asphyxiant Phil

I'm surprised they didn't include gloves as well as an earth lead! Got to protect against the cold burns and the static charge that builds up discharging the gas under pressure. Still if you didn't use it what is the fire going to do? Simple solution is training by both understanding the limits of the protective equipment and their limitations and being aware of the hazards involved when dealing with an emergency situation.

Yes I agree with you guys. I will see where it all started.

Betta Exposure to CO2 at lower levels causes increased respiration and headaches, such that it has been assigned workplace exposure limits by HSE - 5000 ppm (i.e. 0.5%), 8 hour TWA and 15000 ppm, 15 minute excursion.

Like several forum users I was confused by this but then I noticed that you are based in the Middle East so... is the ‘mask’ not a mask but some sort of breathing apparatus ie it has it’s own air supply? And is the site some of sort of installation where there are limited air changes ie a confined space.. them perhaps the notice might make sort of sense except that in the UK I think it is unlikely that we would ever put anyone in situation where they would be require to use breathing apparatus to put out a fire unless they were trained fire fighters (perhaps in-house).

"I suspect this probably came from the same source that claimed back in April that CO2 portable fire extinguishers were banned in the United Arab Emirates because of their potential to be used as weapons in the perfect murder." The rest of my post is deemed unsuitable by the Mods, Fair enough..

Just throwing my two pence in: a 1kg fire extinguisher releases 540 litres of CO2 or 0.54m³ in a 2x2x2 small cleaning cupboard there is 8000 litres of air. Assuming the extinguisher displaces only the air, the concentration of CO2 in the space would then be 67,500ppm The CO2 will not just displace the O2 but all the air, reducing the O2 concentration to 19.575% As above the issue in a confined space is not of O2 displacement but of CO2 concentration. BS 5306-8 Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice states "WARNING. All three groups, and possibly decomposition products, are likely to be hazardous to persons in enclosed spaces with restricted ventilation." "Extinguishers using these media should not be installed in enclosed spaces with restricted ventilation, but cause little health risk when used in the open air, large rooms and other well-ventilated places inside buildings." The second point here is if there WAS a fire in a confined space the production of CO, CO2 AND other toxic gases would be likely more hazardous than the CO2 extinguisher sufficient enough to require SCBA. If you take the above scenario up to more reasonable sized 3x3x3 room the CO2 conc reduces to 20,000ppm and O2 only reduced to 20.57% To answer the original OP question, unless it is a very confined space there is no reason to wear a "mask" when using a CO2 fire extinguisher, in any evert as above the mask (unless airline fed) wouldnt even protect you against any gases from extinguisher, combustion or otherwise. Des

No I am from East Asia and this is a garment factory. The masks were just particulate and not of any standard. It was not any scba.

Yes Kate, I have been asked but not on this issue. This was something I saw as amusing.

Funny though it is, I think you ought to give some free, bonus advice on this one. After all, you won't need to draw on much expertise for it.