Green Building Forum - Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

pmusgrove — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 12:34:10 +0100

Has anyone fitted a carbon monoxide monitor with data downloads? If so please can you let me know where to start? This is for a commercial kitchen in a care home which already has an alarm system but I would like to monitor the daily levels of carbon monoxide to ensure the cooks are not being exposed to high levels.

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

windy lamb — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 15:07:52 +0100

I'd hire a carbon monoxide data logger for a week. If you've got good kitchen extraction and adequate clean air intake (good ventilation) then you should be well within any COSHH limits - assuming your gas cookers are burning properly. Once you've done a monitoring exercise then all you need to do is regular maintenance of the appliances.
Trouble with gas monitors (of any worth) is that they need regular calibration etc and are relatively expensive.

I'd start with a google search for carbon monoxide COSHH assessments or personal CO monitoring and occupational hygiene monitoring. If you have a well designed and maintained kitchen then you shouldn't really need to actually measure CO.

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

SteamyTea — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 15:45:51 +0100

Is there a 1-Wire sensor you can use, the logger is easy enough to make.

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

Ed Davies — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 16:49:20 +0100

Not necessarily 1-wire but there are cheap easy-enough-to-use sensors available:

https://www.hobbytronics.co.uk/mq7-carbon-monoxide-sensor

No idea of the calibration available and required for this application, thought.

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

pmusgrove — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 20:39:12 +0100

Thanks for the responses; will look for a data logger hire tomorrow.

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

SteveZ — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 21:27:32 +0100

Our cheapish Kidde CO alarm (<Â£20) has a live CO level display and a peak level recording function - could you read the peak level daily or get one of the staff to read and record the peak level at the end of the daily shift? It wouldn't give you the changing levels throughout the day, but would indicate any problems with the ventilation or combustion, which might need a more thorough approach

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring

pmusgrove — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 07:59:33 +0100

Thanks SteveZ; will start with the cheap and easy and see where we go from there.