[ADZE07]

Oxygen enriched atmospheres can be found just about anywhere... from the home of the person with COPD and emphysema to the hospital setting to some manufacturing processes. Some water treatment plantrs use ozone as part of the water purification process.

In the hospital setting, you will find liquid oxygen (lox) tanks somewhwre on the property to provide O2 for the OR, ER and patient rooms.

What are the hazards of lquid oxygen?

What is the danger of being in an O2 or O3 (ozone) enriched artmosphere?

What can you do for someone who is exposed to O3?

[Firebird40622]

Liquid Oxygen, for one, is very, very cold. Its an extreme oxidizer (captain obvious fact right there..haha) So much that its commonly used as an additive for rocket power. (or atleast used to be)

Oxygen-enriched atmospheres the same thing. Things burns a lot faster, a lot hotter, and a lot easier. Including (please correct me if Im wrong) Nomex (aka our hoods) if its saturated enough.

As far as my memory serves me O3 (ozone) is pretty unstable and will usually bond back into regular O2 on its own. So its rare to find it outside of a lab setting or any type of professional commercial usage like you said. Prolonged exposure will usually lead to respiratory problems.

Thats all I got..I know theres more!

[You Dont Know About That?]

fire cant exist in more then roughly 24% oxygen.

i believe if ur exposed to O3 in a fire condition it will most likely change from O3 to water and a form of hydrochloric acid....



if worst comes to worst...use 'thumb' method...stand at a distance in which ur thumb is infront of u...approx an arms length away...and completely blocks ur view.

[Oracle]

fire cant exist in more then roughly 24% oxygen.

I think Gus Grisson, Ed White and Roger Chaffee would beg to differ.

[ride-n-fly]

If im not mistaken O3 doesn't burn well if at all. however O3 doesn't really like to stay in the state. something as simple as a little UV light will cause it to enter en excited state and dump a an O atom thus turning into O2.

Home O2 presents it own issue any home with O2 inside SHOULD display some kind of sign telling you its in there. Biggest problem most likely to face you at the home isn't the oxidizing effect usually there just simply enough of it to matter but its all in sealed containers. thus you face the potential for a BLEVE. now i don't know if you have seen an O2 bottle go flying across the room but it scares the life out of me. also some of there containers are massive and would put a hole thought floors and walls

[ADZE07]

Here are some of my thoughts. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm trying to start a conversation. Let me know what you do or think about in your place.

• Our protective clothing becomes flammable at high concentrations of oxygen.

• Be vigilant when entering a house with a "NO SMOKING" sign on the door, could mean there is O2 being used. The O2 bottles can explode and they make for quite a fire.
• Consider ventilation to remove the saturation level as soon as the person leaves the working zone of the incident.
• Liquid Oxygen can make normal combustibles explosive.

• Same thing will happen with asphalt. When exposed to liquid oxygen, it becomes shock sensitive and explodes if impacted with a tool or even boots of some type.
• Which is why you will see concrete pads under lox tanks and where the tank connections are. You will also see it under liquid hydrogen tanks and tank connections.
• Probably your single greatest exposure risk will be with home oxygen.
• For those running EMS how many of your frequent fliers are on home oxygen? How many of your last 25 EMS calls had home oxygen? Take a look and see how many of these home oxygen patients are still smoking. I know it doesn't seem possible but they do. Either they slip the mask or cannula off to the side or maybe take it off but they still light up in an oxygen enriched atmosphere. They keep doing it because they haven't been burnt yet or at least not too bad yet. Take a look around their favorite sitting place. See the burn marks? Cushions, carpeting and flat surfaces near them. You might even find burn marks on the tubing. These are long time smokers that have compromised lungs requiring oxygen, but they just can't bring themselves to quit. They may have cut back but...........they won't or can't quit. When they finally make that last mistake and light up (quite literally) it is one heck of a fast burning hot fire.

[Firebird40622]

Originally Posted by Oracle

fire cant exist in more then roughly 24% oxygen.

I think Gus Grisson, Ed White and Roger Chaffee would beg to differ.

Took the words right outta my mouth

[johnfromnowhere]

O2 rich environment will cause almost anything to burn. As someone already mentioned, the original pilots of Apollo 1 would agree as they were in a high pressure, high O2 environment when they burned to death from a wiring short that ignited the excessive velcro surface throughout the cabin. fires burn hotter, faster and will eat up everything with enough O2.

Ozone is an extreme oxidizer. It can ignite upon contact with a variety of metals and chemicals. It is also extremely toxic to humans. It can be toxic at 100 PPM for 1 minute. Death will usually occur due to Pulmonary Edema.

[ride-n-fly]

this topic was put up like 2 days ago and sure enough someone hand an o2 leak today

[nyfire2]

manually shut down the O2 when in Medical environment usually maint. can assist or may be done already. Sections of hospital or med. facility can be shut if nec. as apposed to entire facility. In home- O2 concentrators are not a problem. Tanks again are not usually a problem I have never had problem and never remember hearing one. Usually people are on low amounts at home. Liquid O2 can cause burns and I am not sure of anyone having anything larger than a portable at home. Any tank with a significant leak will only last a short time. The piped med gas through a facility is the one that will cause problems if not secured due to its bulk storage.