CARBON MONOXIDE & DETECTION

CO – The Silent Killer

M.G.Browning

Business Development Manager

EDWARDS

Agenda

What is CO

CO Detection Technology

CO Codes & Standards

CO Design Consideration

What is CO?CO is the chemical abbreviation for Carbon Monoxide.

CO is the #1 cause of gas poisoning in the US.

CO is colorless, tasteless, odorless gas and cannot be noticed by humans or pets.

That’s why it’s called “The Silent Killer”

Gases

OXYGEN = O2 Supports Life

CARBON DIOXIDE = CO2 Product of Life

CARBON MONOXIDE = CO Destroys Life !

CO SourcesCommon sources of CO are home

heaters, fire places, gas appliances,

engine powered tools and

lawnmowers, grills, and car exhaust

CO PhysiologyNon presence of COOxygen is carried from the lungs by

the blood hemoglobin to the tissues,

here the beating heart is shown, and

normal healthy oxidative metabolism

goes on.

CO

O2O2

O2O2

O2

CO Physiology Presence of CODuring Carbon Monoxide poisoning,

CO is carried from the lungs by the

blood hemoglobin to the tissues,

preventing oxygen from being carried,

and blocking normal oxidative

metabolism. The heart is being

starved of oxygen

COCO

COCO

CO

CO

CO

COCO

CO SourcesEfficiency EffectsSmall amounts of CO may not be a great threat or immediately detected.

The toxic gases are constantly being diluted with fresh air, but because of modern building design and life styles, we live in a mini ecosystem.

Today’s buildings are more air tight with little or no dilution of inside air pollutants…and poisons.

Concentration Symptoms Duration UL Detector Requirement

35PPM None <=8 Hours 70 PPM 60 – 240 min

150PPM Mild Headache 2-3 Hours 150 PPM 10 – 15 min

400PPM Headache/Nausea 1-2 Hours 400 PPM 4 – 15 min

800 PPM Headache/nausea/

dizziness/ progressing

to unconsciousness 45 min. to 2 hours

6,400 PPM Headache/nausea &

dizziness 1 – 2 min.

12,800 PPM Immediately dangerous

to life or health

Symptoms & Exposure Duration

Mild Exposure

SymptomsSlight headache, nausea,

vomiting, fatigue(flu-like symptoms)

Medium Exposure

SymptomsThrobbing headache,

drowsiness, confusion, rapid

heart rate and irregular

breathing

Extreme Exposure

SymptomsConvulsions, unconsciousness,

heart and lung failure and brain

damage. These symptoms may

result in death

CO and NighttimeAs CO robs the sleeping victim of oxygen

Oxygen deprivation

Placement is critical

Code focus on sleeping areas

Sleeping is not the only time we are vulnerable to CO

Waterbury CT — Rashaya Cain's 8-year-old

daughter was one of 40 students treated for carbon

monoxide poisoning following a gas leak at Barnard

Elementary School Tuesday.

Carbon Monoxide Sickens 61 at Youth

Hockey Game - 2011Gunnison, Colo. – An ice-cleaning machine was the

source of a carbon monoxide leak that sickened 61

people at a youth hockey tournament in western

Colorado.

In 2009, more than 30 people at a youth hockey

tournament in Greeley were treated for exposure to

carbon monoxide.

New York 2014 -- A Legal Seafood restaurant

manager died and one of his employees remained

hospitalized after inhaling carbon monoxide at a

Long Island mall, authorities said Sunday

Amanda’s Law - 2009Signed in 2009, it is named after Amanda Hansen,16, who died in January 2009 when fumes from a faulty boiler killed her.

Previously, New York required detectors only in homes built after July 30, 2002.

Effective February 22, 2010, CO alarms must be installed in all new and existing one and two-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings and rentals having a fuel-burning appliance, system or attached garage.

NY State – Amanda’s Law

Where Required: One and two family dwellings, condos, coops, I-1, Nursery Schools with sleeping units, Bed and Breakfast’s, All Multi Dwellings.

• Exception: Compliance is not required if a CO source is not located within or attached to the structure.

Power: • Building wire (120 VAC) with battery backup.

• Buildings constructed before January 2008 may be Battery only.

• Interconnected if Constructed after January 2008.

Location: • Constructed after January 2008: Each floor where there is either a sleeping unit or a CO

Source.

• Constructed before January 2008: On the Lowest Floor containing a Sleeping area.

• Prohibited locations: near openings to garages, furnace rooms, bathrooms.

HI

AKFL

MI

ME

NY

PA

VAWV

OHINIL

WI

NCTN

AR

MO

GA

SC

KY

AL

LA

MS

IA

MN

OK

TX

NM

KS

NE

SD

ND

WY

MT

CO

ID

UT

AZ

NV

OR

WA

CA

Commercial CO

Legislation

VT

NH

MA

NJ

DE

MD

CT

RI

DC

Typically single-family and multi-family dwellings, hospitality, child care, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and possibly hospitals, schools and dorms.

States with CO Legislation

CO Codes and StandardsUL 2034, Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms.

UL2075, Standard for Safety Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors.

UL2017, General-Purpose Signaling Devices and Systems.

Listing allows CO system sensors and signaling.

NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code

Treats CO sensors as part of a combination system, which is not a fire alarm and may be identified as a Supervisory event

NFPA 720 Standard for the Installation of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment (three editions –2005, 2009, 2012).

Code Changes

17.10 was added in 2010 code

• 17.10.2.1 Gas detection equipment shall be listed for the specific gas or vapor it is intended to detect

• 17.10.2.3 The requirements of this code shall not apply to gas detection systems used solely for process control

• 17.10.2.4 The selection and placement of gas detectors shall be based on an engineering evaluation.

Engineering Evaluation A17.10.2.4The engineering evaluation should include, but isnot limited to the following;

1. Structural features, size and shape of the rooms and bays2. Occupancy and users of areas3. Ceiling heights4. Ceiling shape, surface, and obstructions5. Ventilation6. Ambient environment7. Gas characteristics of the gases present8. Configuration of contents in the area to be proteted9. Response times

Carbon Monoxide Detection System

NFPA720 - 3.3.19.1Stand-Alone CO system

• NAC’s annunciate Temporal 4 code

Synchronized across facility

Separate or Non-descript field devices

Annunciate as Alarms at control

Carbon Monoxide Detection System

NFPA720 - 3.3.19.1

Stand-Alone CO system

Standby Power

• Monitored = Dialer or attended system (24/7)

24 hour standby

1 hour alarm

• Non-monitored

24 hour standby

12 hour alarm

Combination Carbon Monoxide Detection System

NFPA720 - 3.3.19.2

• Residential CO “Alarm Devices” with their own audible (not fire)

• 120V or 24 V Alarm Devices

• Devices need to be programmed as “Supervisory” – suggest Supervisory Latching

Combination Carbon Monoxide Detection System

NFPA720 - 3.3.19.2• Now required to provide and monitor “Trouble Conditions”

• Many providing N/C Relay

• Can monitor only and need to annunciate to local occupants

(“Local occupants” will be up to interpretation

May be room, rooms, floor, etc.)

Combination System

NFPA720 - 3.3.19.3

• Can do both as previously detailed

combination fire and CO.

• Device type and standby/alarm requirements the same

dependent on system designation

• Supervisory when monitoring CO Alarms

• Alarm when monitoring CO Detectors.

3.3.2.1 Carbon Monoxide Alarm. (Residential

Applications)

3.3.4 Carbon Monoxide Detector. A device having a

sensor that responds to carbon monoxide gas that is

connected to an alarm control unit. (System application)

3.3.8 Dwelling Unit. One or more rooms arranged for the

use of one or more individuals living together, providing

complete, independent living facilities, including permanent

provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and

sanitation.

3.3.19* Separate Sleeping Area. The area of a dwelling

unit where the bedrooms or sleeping rooms are located.

NFPA 720 A Few Definitions

Kidde CO Alarm (listed to UL 2034) Residential Applications

EST Model 260-CO and SIGA2-COS CO Detector

(listed to UL 2075) System Applications

NFPA 720Household Mounting Locations

9.4.1.1* Carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall be installed as follows:

(1) Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area in the immediate

vicinity of the bedrooms

(2) On every level of a dwelling unit that can be occupied, including

basements, excluding attics and crawl spaces (3) Other locations where

required by applicable laws, codes, or standards

9.4.1.2* Each alarm or detector shall be located on the wall, ceiling, or

other location as specified in the manufacturer’s published instructions that

accompany the unit.

Residential Applicationsa) Local alarm only.

b) Not supervised by Central Station

or Fire Department.

c) Used where no Fire Alarm

System Panels exist.

Carbon Monoxide Detector Principles

Sensor Type Advantage Disadvantage

Biomimetic Lower cost False alarms

Slow recovery

Metal oxide

semiconductor

Increased life

span

High cost

High current draw

Non specific gas

response

Electrochemical Reliability Sensitivity to

ammonia based

cleaners

CO detectors monitor the amount of

CO in the air over a specific period of

time.

There are three types of CO sensors

available today

Type 1- biomimetic (Chemical-

Optical or Gel Cell)

Type 2 - metal oxide semiconductor

Type 3 - electrochemical

CO Codes and StandardsUL 2034, Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms.

UL2075, Standard for Safety Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors.

UL2017, General-Purpose Signaling Devices and Systems.

Listing allows CO system sensors and signaling.

NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code

Treats CO sensors as part of a combination system, which is not a fire alarm and may be identified as a Supervisory event

NFPA 720 Standard for the Installation of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment (three editions –2005, 2009, 2012).

Mounting HeightCO has a slightly lighter molecular

weight than normal air which leads

to the homogenous mix of CO with

air.

CO2 has a molecular weight that is

heavier than air and much heavier

than CO, which causes CO2 gas to

flow to the bottom of room.

Combination Devices – Smoke and

CO

Follow Detector

Mounting Requirements

Manufacturer Recommended InstallationSuitable Locations:

Wall: 5 ft AFF

Ceiling: 1 ft from Wall

ResidentialWithin each sleeping room, 10ft from each sleeping room, and on each level.

At a minimum outside each sleeping area.

CommercialOn every habitable Level, base design on an engineering evaluation as per NFPA 72 2013.

Do Not install:5 ft from Cooking Appliance

10 ft from Fuel Burning Appliance

Where restriction or redirection of entry exists

5.8.6.5 Distinctive Signal.

5.8.6.5.1 The audible carbon monoxide alarm signal shall comply with the following:

(1) Signals shall be a single tone pattern consisting of four cycles of 100 milliseconds

± 10 percent “on” and 100 milliseconds ± 10 percent “off,” followed by 5 seconds ± 10

percent “off.”

(2) After the initial 4 minutes of alarm, the 5-second “off” time shall be permitted to be

changed to 60 seconds ± 10 percent.

(3) The alarm signal shall be repeated in compliance with 5.8.6.5.1(1) and 5.8.6.5.1(2)

until the alarm resets or the alarm signal is manually silenced.

NFPA 720Protective Premises Signaling – Temporal 4 Code

Residential Applicationsa) Local alarm only.

b) Not supervised by Central Station

or Fire Department.

c) Used where no Fire Alarm

System Panels exist.

Generic 12 or 24VDC System Applicationa)UL 2075 Listed for System

Application.

b) Can be monitored by System

Control Panel through dry contacts.

c) Can provide trouble reporting to

System Control Panel for end of life

CO alert.

d) Can be monitored by FD or Central

Station through System Control

Panel.

e) 24vdc operating power and low

battery power can be supervised by

the Fire Alarm Control Panel through

dry contact interface.

Intelligent Addressable System Applicationa)UL 2075 Listed for System

Application.

b) Can provide trouble reporting to

System Control Panel for end of life

CO alert.

c) Can be monitored by FD or Central

Station through System Control Panel

for all alarm and trouble conditions.

d) CO sensor can be changed out

without the need to replace the entire

device at End of Life CO when used

with combination smoke/co units.

e) Can be mixed on existing

addressable Fire Alarm System loops

saving installation cost.

f) Combination Smoke and CO units

can report separate indications to

Central Station.

Summary

Carbon Monoxide gas is not noticeable by human

Carbon Monoxide requires special detection

CO detectors location based on engineering analysis

Relevant codes continue to change and be added

Make sure you aren’t the reason for a code addition!