Emergency services were called to a meat processing facility in Derrimut on Monday after a carbon monoxide leak affected dozens of workers. Twenty-one workers were transported to four different hospitals for treatment of the effects of the gas, including vomiting, dizziness, headaches and altered states of consciousness.
All patients are now in a stable condition, with some remaining in hospital for observation.
It is believed that the leak originated from some of the meat preservation machinery, and the meat processing facility’s carbon monoxide alarm alerted the workers to the danger.
When Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) firefighters arrived on scene they found approximately sixty workers had evacuated, with many showing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. FRV crews provided oxygen therapy to the afflicted until Ambulance Victoria (AV) arrived to triage, treat and transport the injured workers.
AV medical director David Anderson said carbon monoxide can be lethal and works by stopping oxygen from binding to haemoglobin in blood, potentially leading to death. “It’s a very, very dangerous chemical. It’s colourless, it’s odourless. So, it can only be detected by specialised equipment,” said Mr Anderson.
Firefighters in breathing apparatus with gas detectors entered the factory and recorded "dangerously high" carbon monoxide readings. FRV crews then ventilated the building until readings dropped to a safe level, with the incident declared under control within an hour of FRV arriving at the scene.
WorkSafe has been notified of the incident, with inspectors attending the site to determine what further action is required.
You can learn more about this serious hazard at our Carbon Monoxide - OHS Reps page, including the legal standards and information about the effect of this gas on health.