CO2 Safety in Bars & Restaurants

April 27, 2022

Many bars and restaurants use carbon dioxide (CO₂) to carbonate soda or draw tap beer. This gas is versatile, popular, and extremely dangerous. Often referred to as the silent killer, CO₂ is tasteless, odorless, and colorless, meaning that workers and restaurant or bar patrons can be exposed without realizing it until symptoms occur. CO₂ safety is a top concern for any commercial restaurant or bar, as prolonged or concentrated exposure can cause death.

Preventing & Identifying CO₂ Exposure in Bars

CO₂ leaks and exposure can have permanent consequences for you, your employees, and your business. It is essential to complete a comprehensive risk assessment of your bar or restaurant to pinpoint any potential CO₂ hazards, such as employees suffering exposure while changing spent CO₂ canisters to a slow leak permeating the air.

State Regulations & OSHA Standards for CO₂ Exposure Limits

Knowing state and federal guidelines that pertain to restaurant CO₂ exposure limits is the first step to minimizing risk and increasing CO₂ safety. While state guidelines vary widely, most defer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policies regarding acceptable bar CO₂ exposure limits.

OSHA standards state that restaurant workers cannot be in an area where CO₂ levels are over 5,000 parts per million (ppm), or 0.5% CO₂ air saturation, for an eight-hour workday. If CO₂ exceeds 30,000 ppm, workers may stay in the area for no longer than 10 minutes. Any environment with CO₂ levels over 40,000 ppm is extremely dangerous.

Signs & Symptoms of CO₂ Poisoning

When using CO₂ in bars or restaurants, it is critical to be aware of the signs and symptoms of CO₂ exposure as the gas itself is undetectable without proper tools. Symptoms of CO₂ exposure in restaurants and bars include:

• Headaches
• Drowsiness
• Rapid breathing
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Loss of eyesight
• Death

Always seek prompt medical attention if you suspect CO₂ exposure has occurred.

 

 

Increasing Your Restaurant’s CO₂ Safety

While any bar or restaurant using CO₂ will always be at some risk of exposure, you can quickly and easily minimize risk in your business through a few simple steps:

• Train all employees on proper CO₂ safety in bars and restaurants.
• Post clear and visible warning signs near any CO₂ sources.
• Keep all areas containing CO₂ and CO₂ cylinders well ventilated.
• Have a reputable contractor install gas detectors and CO₂ alarm systems throughout your business.

Upgrade CO₂ Bar Equipment to Minimize Risk

One of the best ways to protect against CO₂ exposure in bars and restaurants is by installing quality, high-performance equipment to handle your CO₂ cylinders. One option is Assurance Valve’s Eliminator system. The Eliminator is an automatic gas cylinder changeover system that is easy to install and straightforward to operate. When a CO₂ canister is spent, the system automatically switches to a new cylinder, lowering your labor costs and risk in a single operation.

As a large amount of CO₂ exposure in restaurants occurs while an employee is changing depleted cylinders, automatic switchover setups like The Eliminator significantly lower risk. No worker-caused accidents occur as our changeover system handles everything, and less CO₂ is left behind to leak from spent canisters. In addition to improving CO₂ safety in bars, The Eliminator also features:

• Non-electric operations
• Higher efficiency than electronic changeover systems
• Ability to support 2-, 4-, 6-, or 8-cylinder setups
• And more!

Contact Assurance Valve Today!

Want to know more about how Assurance Valve can upgrade your bar’s CO₂ safety while saving you money, resources, and product? Contact us today or request a quote to get started.