CO2 asphyxiation hazard program for small breweries and wineries

Last updated 2026-07-11

Why is CO2 so dangerous in breweries and wineries?

Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fermentation. That's the whole process. Yeast turns sugar into alcohol and CO2, and a single 15-barrel fermenter can throw off enough CO2 to make a room immediately dangerous to life and health. The gas is colorless, has no smell at hazardous concentrations, and it's heavier than air. So it sinks. It pools at floor level and settles into pits, trenches, and any low spot.

The numbers tell the story. OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) for CO2 is 5,000 parts per million (ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average under 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-1 ^[1]. NIOSH sets its immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) value at 40,000 ppm, which is 4% of the air you breathe ^[2]. Trouble starts far below that. Headache and dizziness show up around 1,000-2,000 ppm, breathing turns labored above 3,000 ppm, and at 7-10% CO2 a person collapses before they register that anything is wrong.

Breweries and wineries stack multiple CO2 sources in one building: active fermenters venting through airlocks or open manways, brite tanks being purged before packaging, carbonation systems, and supply lines running from bulk storage. A cracked fitting on a bulk delivery line can flood a cellar in seconds. This is not a hypothetical. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks asphyxiation deaths in food and beverage manufacturing every year, and state agencies have documented brewery and winery fatalities in exactly this pattern ^[11].

Small operations carry one structural problem the big guys don't. The person who would notice the hazard is usually the same person working alone in the room. A monitor on the wall helps. A program is what keeps people alive.

Which OSHA standards actually apply to CO2 in breweries?

There's no single CO2 standard. OSHA covers the hazard through several general industry rules working together, and your written program needs all of them. Here are the five that matter, and what each one demands.

29 CFR 1910.146: Permit-Required Confined Spaces. This is the most cited standard in brewery CO2 incidents. Fermentation tanks, conditioning tanks, brite tanks, and below-grade vaults meet OSHA's definition of a confined space if a worker can climb in bodily, entry or exit is limited, and the space isn't built for continuous occupancy. If CO2 can build up inside to create an atmospheric hazard, they're permit-required confined spaces ^[3]. The definition of a hazardous atmosphere under 1910.146(b) includes any atmosphere with oxygen below 19.5% or above 23.5%, which is precisely what CO2 does when it displaces oxygen in a sealed tank.

29 CFR 1910.1000: Air Contaminants. This sets the CO2 PEL at 5,000 ppm as an 8-hour TWA and a short-term exposure limit of 30,000 ppm. Your monitoring program has to show you can hold these limits in areas where fermentation is running ^[1].

29 CFR 1910.132 through 138: Personal Protective Equipment. When monitoring shows CO2 above safe levels and someone has to go in anyway for emergency or maintenance work, supplied-air respirators must be on hand and workers trained on them ^[12]. Air-purifying respirators are useless here because they don't add oxygen.

29 CFR 1910.38: Emergency Action Plans. You need a written plan for what happens when an alarm sounds or a worker turns up unconscious. Employers with more than 10 employees must have this in writing ^[7]. It overlaps with your confined space rescue procedures but stands on its own.

29 CFR 1910.1200: Hazard Communication. CO2 is a chemical hazard. Your hazard communication program needs a Safety Data Sheet for CO2, whether it arrives by bulk delivery or in cylinders, and workers must be trained on its hazards ^[6]. The SDS lists the IDLH, the PEL, and first aid steps.

OSHA has backed up the reach of 1910.146 into brewery tanks through letters of interpretation. A vessel that contains or could contain a hazardous atmosphere and meets the physical criteria is a permit space, and the industry it sits in makes no difference ^[3].

What should a written CO2 hazard program include?

A written program is the spine of your compliance. If OSHA walks in after an incident and you have nothing on paper, your exposure on willful or repeat citations climbs fast. Here's what the document has to cover.

Hazard assessment. Map every spot in your facility where CO2 can collect: fermenter cellars, brite tank rooms, CO2 storage and manifold rooms, floor drains that feed below-grade pits, and any enclosed area next to a large fermenter. Write down the CO2 source at each location and the conditions (active fermentation, purging, transfer) that push the risk highest.

Monitoring program. Name the equipment you use to measure CO2, how often it's calibrated, who owns that job, and what the action levels and alarm thresholds are. Fixed monitors with audible and visual alarms are the floor for any room where workers spend time and CO2 can build. Portable four-gas monitors are required for tank entry. A sensible fixed-monitor setup uses 1,000-1,500 ppm as a warning and 5,000 ppm (the PEL) as the evacuation trigger. Some programs drop the evacuation trigger to 2,000 ppm to buy workers more time to get out. I'd lean toward the lower number.

Confined space inventory and classification. List every space that meets the 1910.146 definition, classify each as permit-required or non-permit, and document why. Any fermentation or conditioning tank a worker enters for cleaning or maintenance almost certainly qualifies as permit-required once CO2 is present or could be.

Permit-required confined space entry procedures. This part gets detailed, and 1910.146 spells out the requirements: a written permit for each entry, atmospheric testing before and continuously during entry, an attendant stationed outside the whole time, a rescue plan with trained rescuers, and lockout/tagout of any mechanical hazard inside. The lockout tagout rules for agitators and other in-tank equipment apply here directly.

Ventilation procedures. Spell out how you clear spaces before entry and how you ventilate during active fermentation. Continuous forced-air ventilation of cellars through peak fermentation seasons is a control that works. Natural ventilation rarely does the job in below-grade or dead-air spaces.

Emergency response procedures. What happens when the alarm goes off? What happens when a worker doesn't answer? Write out the exact steps: evacuate, count heads, call 911, do not enter to rescue without supplied air and a trained team. That last line has produced multiple second fatalities in brewery incidents. A would-be rescuer runs in without gear and drops too.

Training documentation. List the training each job needs, who delivers it, how often it renews, and how you record completion. Under 1910.146, retraining is required whenever you have reason to think a worker has lost the knowledge.

If you want a framework that covers the required elements without starting from a blank page, SafetyFolio's safety program generator can produce a site-specific draft in about 15 minutes, which you then match to your actual tank inventory and floor plan.

What CO2 monitoring equipment do you actually need?

You need two kinds of monitors, and they do different jobs. Fixed units watch the room. Portable units go with the worker. Skip either one and you have a gap.

Fixed monitors live permanently in rooms where fermentation, conditioning, or CO2 storage happens. They run around the clock, log data, and fire audible and visual alarms at set thresholds. Look for an electrochemical or non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensing element. NDIR tends to hold calibration longer. Mount them low, 12 to 18 inches off the floor, because CO2 is denser than air and gathers there first. For a small brewery with one fermentation room, plan on $300-800 per fixed sensor head plus the cost of a display or control panel. Multi-point systems with a central panel cost more but let you read every zone in one place.

Portable multi-gas monitors ride with workers during tank entry or work in areas without fixed coverage. For CO2, a four-gas monitor reading CO2 (or oxygen depletion as a proxy) is the minimum. Oxygen deficiency, which starts below 19.5% under 1910.146, is often the first alarm to trip in a CO2-rich space. Portable units from reputable brands run $300-700 with a calibration kit included. Bump test before each use and run a full calibration on the manufacturer's schedule, usually monthly or as the spec says.

Calibration records are part of your written program. Keep them. Compliance officers ask for them by name.

Here's the thing people get wrong: placement matters more than the price of the sensor. A monitor at chest height in a cellar can read normal while the floor-level air is already lethal. Test your specific space with a portable unit at several heights before you bolt a fixed sensor to the wall.

For the smallest operations, say a two-person cidery or a micro-winery with one tank, a personal alarm monitor worn by each worker is a reasonable stand-in for fixed infrastructure. It does not replace the confined space program once tank entry enters the picture.

How do confined space entry procedures apply to brewery tanks?

OSHA's permit-required confined space standard, 29 CFR 1910.146, is one of the most cited rules against breweries and wineries after an incident. OSHA has folded food and beverage facilities into emphasis programs on confined spaces ^[3]. If your workers climb into tanks, this section is the one to get right.

The practical steps for a permit entry into a fermentation or conditioning tank:

Before entry. Cut the tank off from every CO2 source: close the supply valves, lock out agitators and transfer pumps, and depressurize. Test the atmosphere inside with a calibrated monitor. You want oxygen between 19.5% and 23.5%, CO2 below 5,000 ppm, and no flammable gas above 10% of the lower explosive limit. Write those readings on the permit.

The permit itself. OSHA 1910.146(f) lists what goes on it: the date, the space, the purpose of entry, the authorized entrants, the attendant, the entry supervisor, the hazards, the isolation and control measures, the atmospheric test results, the communication plan, and the rescue services to call. Post it at the entry point for the entire operation.

The attendant. Someone stays outside the whole time a worker is inside. The attendant watches the entrant, keeps communication open, monitors conditions outside, and calls for rescue if it goes wrong. The attendant does not enter to help. That's what rescue is for.

Rescue. You need a rescue plan before anyone goes in, not after. For most small breweries that means a written agreement with local emergency services (get it in writing, keep a copy in the program) or a trained internal team with supplied-air respirators and retrieval gear. Self-rescue comes first: the entrant walks out when conditions shift. Non-entry rescue with a retrieval line and harness attached before entry comes next. Entry rescue by outside responders is the last resort.

A permit entry for a 15-minute tank cleaning feels like overkill. But the accidents that kill people are almost always the ones the survivors call routine.

What should CO2 safety training cover and how often is it required?

OSHA 1910.146 requires training for each authorized entrant, each attendant, and each entry supervisor before they first do the work and before any change in their assigned duties ^[3]. Retraining kicks in when the program changes or when you have reason to think a worker doesn't understand the procedures.

The standard sets no fixed annual retraining interval. Most programs run an annual refresher plus immediate retraining after any near-miss or incident. That's what I'd do.

Training for authorized entrants has to cover:

• The permit-space hazards in your facility, specifically CO2, oxygen deficiency, and anything else present
• The signs and symptoms of CO2 exposure (headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, unconsciousness)
• How to use the monitoring equipment
• How to stay in communication with the attendant
• How to exit the space the instant an alarm sounds or conditions change, without waiting to be told

Training for attendants has to cover:

• Which spaces are permit-required and the hazards in each
• How to watch entrants and catch the behavioral changes that signal exposure
• How to use the communication equipment
• How to summon rescue services
• The one thing they can never do, which is enter the space

For general employees who work near fermentation but don't enter tanks:

• What CO2 is, what it smells like (nothing), and why that makes it deadly
• What the fixed alarm means and what to do when it sounds (leave now, count coworkers, call for help)
• Basic first aid: move the victim to fresh air, call 911, start rescue breathing if trained

Training records need the date, the topics, the trainer's name, and each trainee's signature. Keep them at least three years. Some programs hold them for the length of employment plus a year.

For owners or supervisors who want a broad safety foundation before writing a site-specific program, OSHA 30 certification covers hazard recognition and the regulatory framework at a level that sharpens your facility decisions. The OSHA training options get confusing, but 30-hour training for supervisors in food and beverage manufacturing earns its cost.

What are the OSHA citation risks and how large are the fines?

OSHA penalty amounts adjust for inflation every year. As of 2024, a serious violation tops out at $16,131, and willful or repeat violations reach $161,323 apiece ^[4]. One confined space incident where OSHA finds no written program, no monitors, and no training records can stack multiple citations into six figures fast.

The citations OSHA writes most often in brewery and winery CO2 inspections:

Citation	Standard	Typical Finding
No permit-required confined space program	29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4)	No written program at all
No entry permits	29 CFR 1910.146(e)	Workers entering tanks without permits
No atmospheric testing	29 CFR 1910.146(d)(5)	No monitoring before or during entry
No attendant	29 CFR 1910.146(h)	Sole employee entering a tank alone
No rescue plan	29 CFR 1910.146(k)	No identified rescue service or procedures
PEL exceedance for CO2	29 CFR 1910.1000	Area monitoring shows levels above 5,000 ppm
No hazard communication training	29 CFR 1910.1200	Workers not trained on the CO2 SDS

OSHA lands at a small brewery one of three ways: a worker files a complaint, an incident triggers a mandatory investigation, or the facility falls under a local or national emphasis program. Food and beverage processing has appeared in OSHA regional emphasis programs.

A fatality triggers a mandatory inspection. You have 8 hours to report a fatality and 24 hours to report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss under 29 CFR 1904.39 ^[5]. Blow that window and it's a separate citation on top of everything else. If a CO2 incident sends someone to the hospital, file the incident report with OSHA immediately.

One honest note. OSHA inspection rates for small businesses are low against the total count of establishments. But if someone is badly hurt or killed and you have no program, the fine is the small part. Your workers' comp experience modifier climbs, civil liability opens up, and the human cost is real. This is a bad bet to make.

How should you handle a CO2 emergency when it happens?

Speed matters. Clarity matters more. When someone drops in a fermentation area or an alarm sounds, a confused response turns one victim into three.

Post the emergency procedure at every entrance to a CO2 hazard area. Short enough to read in 10 seconds. Specific enough to act on.

Step one: Do not enter. If a worker is down in a confined space or a CO2-flooded room, the most dangerous thing a bystander can do is run in. Multiple brewery and winery deaths in the United States have been rescuers overcome before they reached the victim. The urge to help is powerful, and in these exact scenarios it has killed people.

Step two: Alert everyone and call 911. Hit any manual alarm if the fixed system hasn't fired. Count all workers. Tell the 911 dispatcher this is a suspected CO2 asphyxiation in a confined space, so responders show up with the right gear.

Step three: Ventilate from outside. If you can do it safely without entering, open doors and switch on the ventilation fans. Never enter to run ventilation equipment when the area is already dangerous.

Step four: Use non-entry rescue if you can. A worker in a harness with a retrieval line attached before entry can sometimes be pulled out without any rescuer stepping inside. This is exactly why the retrieval requirement in 1910.146 exists.

Step five: Brief EMS on the hazard. Tell arriving responders the specific hazard (CO2, not smoke, not fire) and the victim's last known spot. Their SCBA gear lets them lead the entry rescue. Let them.

Once the immediate danger passes, preserve the scene, report to OSHA inside the required window, and start your internal investigation. The 29 CFR 1904 recordkeeping rules apply if the outcome is a recordable injury or illness ^[5].

Does CO2 from fermentation count as a confined space hazard even if the tank is open-top?

Yes, and it catches a lot of small operators off guard. An open-top fermenter, whether a traditional open vessel or a tank with the manway hatch propped open, still builds dangerous CO2 right above the liquid surface. Active fermentation releases CO2 without pause, and because the gas is denser than air, it forms a concentrated layer over the beer or wine even with the top wide open.

OSHA 1910.146 does not require a space to be fully enclosed to count as a confined space. The definition asks three things: is it large enough to enter bodily, does it have limited or restricted entry and exit, and is it not designed for continuous occupancy. A square open fermenter a worker could lower into for cleaning almost certainly checks all three boxes.

The atmospheric test is the question that settles it. Could the CO2 inside the vessel create a hazardous atmosphere? If fermentation ran recently or any CO2 is being purged, the answer is almost always yes.

What that means on the floor:

• Test the atmosphere inside the tank at several depths before anyone leans in or climbs in
• During active fermentation, treat the atmosphere inside any fermenter as immediately dangerous
• Ventilate and re-test before entry, even on open-top tanks
• Never read an open top as a safe atmosphere

Some producers run open fermentation with workers stirring the cap or checking temperature. Working at the rim is different from entering the vessel, but CO2 can still reach harmful levels at face height if someone leans far enough into an actively fermenting open tank. For short rim-level work, continuous personal monitoring is a reasonable precaution.

How do small wineries and breweries differ in their CO2 risk profile?

Same chemistry, different rhythms. The way each operation runs shifts where your program should focus.

Breweries usually make CO2 faster per batch. Beer fermentations tend to run more vigorous and warmer than wine, and a larger craft brewery may have dozens of tanks fermenting at once. Bulk purging (clearing a brite tank before filling, purging packaging lines) releases CO2 in sudden high-volume bursts. Many breweries also buy liquid CO2 for carbonation, which puts a bulk storage vessel on-site: a second CO2 source unrelated to fermentation, with its own leak risk.

Wineries carry more seasonal risk. Harvest brings a spike of simultaneous fermentations that can swamp ventilation sized for the quiet months. Below-grade barrel caves and aging cellars are the sharpest danger, because they're enclosed, exchange air slowly, and workers spend real time inside them. Slow CO2 seepage from barrels and tanks over months can hold a cave at a persistently raised baseline that never trips an alarm but still walks workers toward the exposure limit.

Cideries and meaderies sit in the same framework. The CO2 source is still fermentation yeast, and the risk profile matches a small winery.

One difference shapes program design. Wineries lean on seasonal employees and harvest interns who need training before they ever meet the hazard. Your program has to catch them at onboarding, not two weeks into the shift.

For both, the sharpest moment is right after a fermenter finishes active fermentation and gets prepped for transfer or cleaning. The tank has been sealed, stacking up CO2, and cracking it open lets out a slug of high-concentration gas before ventilation can catch up. That's when to be most disciplined about testing.

What does a practical CO2 program look like for a very small operation?

One or two fermenters, two or three employees, a 1,000-square-foot cellar. The full permit space program still applies. You just don't need a full-time safety manager to run it.

Here's a minimal, compliant version at that scale.

A written program document, five to ten pages, that names your spaces, your hazard controls, your monitoring plan, your entry procedures, and your emergency contacts. This is what you hand an OSHA inspector and what guides your workers. SafetyFolio's safety program generator is built for small operations that need a documented, site-specific program without hiring a consultant.

One fixed CO2 monitor in your fermentation area with a visual and audible alarm. Budget $400-600 for a decent unit. Test and calibrate it on the manufacturer's schedule.

Two portable four-gas monitors (O2, CO2 or LEL, CO, H2S) for tank entry. You need at least one so a lone entrant can read the air continuously. The second is a backup and lets the attendant monitor from outside.

A pre-entry checklist on a clipboard by the tank manways. It covers: CO2 supply valved off, agitator locked out, atmosphere tested (write down the reading), attendant identified and briefed, retrieval harness attached.

Training records for each employee showing they've been through confined space entry, CO2 hazard recognition, and emergency response. You can deliver this training yourself if you know the content cold. Document it either way.

A posted emergency procedure at every tank entry point. Four to six steps, large font, laminated.

An annual program review, documented with the date and who took part.

That's the core. It isn't glamorous and it doesn't need a consultant. What it needs is follow-through: test the monitor, complete the permits, assign the attendant every single time. A program only works when it's used.

Frequently asked questions

What CO2 concentration is immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)?

NIOSH sets the IDLH for CO2 at 40,000 ppm, which is 4% of the air. At that level, exposure can knock a person unconscious in minutes. OSHA's PEL is 5,000 ppm (0.5%) as an 8-hour TWA. Workers feel headache and dizziness well below the IDLH, around 1,000-3,000 ppm, which is why setting an action level below the PEL gives you an early warning that works.

Do I need a confined space permit every time I clean a fermenter?

Yes, if the fermenter qualifies as a permit-required confined space under 29 CFR 1910.146, and fermentation tanks almost always do. A fresh permit is required for each entry event. The permit can be short when the hazards are well understood and controlled, but it has to be completed, signed, and posted at the entry point before anyone goes in. Reusing blank permits without filling them out does not satisfy OSHA.

Can one employee safely enter a tank alone if they have a gas monitor?

No. OSHA 1910.146 requires an attendant stationed outside the space the entire time during a permit entry. A gas monitor detects the hazard; it can't pull an unconscious worker out. If a worker collapses from CO2, no monitor helps them exit. For solo operations, either have a second person on-site during entries or set up outside rescue resources before anyone enters.

Is CO2 from a bulk storage tank the same hazard as CO2 from fermentation?

The chemistry is identical. Liquid CO2 from a bulk vessel, a common buy for breweries that carbonate in a brite tank, can dump large volumes of gas fast if a line breaks or a valve fails. A bulk tank in an enclosed room is arguably a higher acute risk than fermentation, because the release is instant instead of gradual. That storage area needs fixed monitoring, and the liquid CO2 SDS belongs in your hazard communication program.

What are the symptoms of CO2 overexposure and how fast do they appear?

At 1,000-2,000 ppm: mild headache, slight dizziness after prolonged exposure. At 3,000-5,000 ppm: headache, shortness of breath, faster heart rate. At 10,000 ppm (1%): moderate respiratory distress and dulled thinking. At 30,000-50,000 ppm: rapid unconsciousness, seizures, respiratory failure. At very high concentrations, onset can beat a worker's ability to react and exit, which is why alarmed monitoring and attendants are mandatory controls, not optional extras.

What first aid should I give someone overcome by CO2?

Move the person to fresh air right away, but only if you can do it without entering a CO2-hazardous area yourself. Call 911. If they aren't breathing, start rescue breathing or CPR if trained. Don't give stimulants. Pure oxygen from trained responders is the main treatment. The rule that matters most: do not become the second victim. If the area is unsafe, wait for responders with SCBA gear.

Does OSHA's confined space standard apply to very small tanks that workers only partially enter?

OSHA's definition in 1910.146(b) requires a space 'large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work.' A tank where a worker leans in from the top but never fully enters may not meet that definition, but the atmospheric hazard at the opening is still real. Test the air with a portable monitor before leaning in, and treat any space where the head and torso enter as a confined space entry for practical safety.

Do seasonal harvest workers at a winery need confined space training before starting work?

Yes. OSHA 1910.146 requires training before workers perform duties in or around permit-required confined spaces. Seasonal workers who clean tanks, work in barrel caves, or operate near fermenters need training before the first shift, not during it. Document it with each worker's name, date, topics, and signature. Short, well-documented onboarding training protects both the worker and the employer.

How does CO2 affect barrel aging areas and underground wine caves?

Barrel aging areas and underground caves collect CO2 through slow, steady seepage from barrels and any nearby fermentation. Their enclosed, low-ventilation design lets CO2 hold at a raised baseline, sometimes above 1,000-2,000 ppm during harvest. Workers who spend extended time there should carry fixed or personal monitors. Any area that could reach OSHA's PEL of 5,000 ppm needs engineering controls, specifically forced ventilation, before regular occupancy.

What is the OSHA reporting deadline if a CO2 incident hospitalizes a worker?

Under 29 CFR 1904.39, employers must report any in-patient hospitalization to OSHA within 24 hours of learning of it. A fatality must be reported within 8 hours. Report by phone to the nearest OSHA office or online at osha.gov. Failure to report is a separate citation from any underlying safety violation and carries its own penalty.

Can I use an air-purifying respirator to protect against CO2 in a confined space?

No. Air-purifying respirators, including cartridge units, filter contaminants out of the air but add no oxygen. In a CO2-rich, oxygen-deficient atmosphere they protect you from nothing. Only supplied-air respirators tied to a clean source, or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), protect workers in oxygen-deficient or IDLH atmospheres. OSHA 1910.134 governs respirator selection and use.

How often should fixed CO2 monitors be calibrated?

Follow the manufacturer's spec, usually every 6 to 12 months for full calibration plus a bump test before each use to confirm the sensor responds to gas. Keep dated calibration records in your written program. OSHA doesn't fix a calibration interval in most general industry standards, but a monitor with lapsed records reads as inadequate monitoring during an inspection, which draws the same citation as having no monitor at all.

What should I do if my OSHA-required written program doesn't exist yet?

Start with the permit-required confined space program under 29 CFR 1910.146, since that's the highest-citation standard in brewery and winery CO2 incidents. Write down your space inventory, entry procedures, monitoring plan, and emergency contacts. Even an imperfect written program shows good faith. Then add your hazard communication SDS file and training records. A program that exists and gets mostly followed beats no program for both compliance and safety.

Sources

1. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-1 Air Contaminants: OSHA PEL for CO2 is 5,000 ppm as an 8-hour TWA
2. NIOSH, Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Carbon Dioxide: NIOSH IDLH for carbon dioxide is 40,000 ppm (4%)
3. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.146 Permit-Required Confined Spaces: Permit-required confined space requirements including atmospheric testing, attendant, and rescue plan
4. OSHA, Penalties page: Maximum penalty for a serious violation is $16,131 per violation as of 2024; willful or repeat violations up to $161,323
5. OSHA, 29 CFR 1904.39 Reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye: Fatalities must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours; in-patient hospitalizations within 24 hours
6. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1200 Hazard Communication: Employers must maintain SDS for all hazardous chemicals including CO2 and train workers on chemical hazards
7. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.38 Emergency Action Plans: Employers with more than 10 employees must have a written emergency action plan covering evacuation and emergency procedures
8. NIOSH, Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) Values: CO2 IDLH documentation including physiological effects at various concentrations
9. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.134 Respiratory Protection: Air-purifying respirators cannot be used in oxygen-deficient or IDLH atmospheres; supplied-air required
10. OSHA, Confined Spaces topic page: OSHA guidance on confined space hazard recognition and control including atmospheric hazards from CO2
11. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI): Fatal occupational injury data including asphyxiation deaths in food and beverage manufacturing
12. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.132 Personal Protective Equipment general requirements: Requirements for PPE including respiratory protection selection when atmospheric hazards require supplied air