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27 January 2011 By Zulfikar Aliyu Adamu The original
article, which was intended to bring to fore, the
hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning from generators
(e.g. the ‘I pass my neighbour' brand); has
elicited some feedback – including an avalanche of
questions. There was no intention to make a sequel,
but I am compelled to respond (not individually to the
interesting queries), but with this Part II of the
‘generator series' – if I may call it so. This, I feel
is best for the overall benefit of readers and I
apologise for not being able to respond to all
enquiries, individually. I should mention that there
were also occasional emails filled with cynical and
snide comments from pessimistic, short-sighted,
self-centred, champions of mediocrity who neither
understood nor appreciated the point made by the
original article. But since we know that carbon
monoxide poisoning can deteriorate the cerebral grey
matter of a person, I have good reason to turn the
other cheek. However, the
bottom line is that despite our groans and cries for
steady power, it is a reality check that Dimeji
Bankole (Nigeria's number three) wants us to
‘consider importers and distributors of generators'
which is purportedly a billion dollar business that
‘needs protection'. Maybe we can now stop
wondering why problems of NEPA and PHCN have defied
solutions all these years. There is seemingly a
powerful lobby group prancing around the premises of
our National Assembly. Are the Chinese manufacturers
of generators also involved in this web of conspiracy
that has kept us enslaved by generators? I don't know,
but the beauty of research is that it allows you to
ask the hard, brutal questions; before you work
towards answers. This is what I aim for. In the
meantime, fellow Nigerians, you can all go ahead and
plan for a generator, if you don't have one already,
that is. But beware that there could be serious health
consequences of the negative kind. In this second
part, I intend to address many issues including the
link between carbon monoxide poisoning and academic
performance, as well as what you as an individual can
do to safeguard the health and wellbeing of yourself
and your loved ones. This is done through some
frequently asked questions – and their answers. Again,
some advice is put forward to people who are in a
position to effect changes. And finally, a list of
useful internet links is also provided.
Re: Carbon monoxide and academic
performance To begin with,
my hypothesis that carbon monoxide poisoning could be
contributing to the horrendous academic performance of
our pupils (evident from 2009 and 2010 WAEC results)
is not only plausible, but open for discourse – using
facts and figures. I am not motivated to justify this
plausibility simply because of the irritable grunts of
aggrieved generator dealers and their political
cronies. The facts are clear and available to anyone
who knows how to use internet search engines like
Google. To buttress my
point, it has been known from as far back as 1967,
through a research experiment published in the
American Journal of Public Health (Vol. 57, Issue No.
11) that even very low dose/exposure to carbon
monoxide significantly impaired the academic
performance of young adults. Now let us fast forward
to contemporary times where as recent as 2010, the US
Department of Health sponsored a research titled
‘Exploring the Evidence Base for the Relationship
between Health and Learning'. This research found
that air which contained
gases like carbon monoxide affected the ‘memory' and
‘performance' of students, including their ‘ability to
'perform complex tasks' as well as their ‘response
time'. I hope that parents, school principals and
people in the Ministry of Education are listening
because WAEC gave similar reasons (misinterpretation
of questions, poor handwriting, incompletion of
answers/tasks, time-wasting, etc) for recent mass
failures. In another related investigation in Hong
Kong (published in Journal of Paediatrics) it was
shown that children, whose parents smoked tended to
have up to 28% probability of poor academic
performance. Cigarette smoke also contains carbon
monoxide, by the way, so the link is obvious. There
are many more examples from experimental research, but
let's not over flog the issue: carbon monoxide
poisoning affects the brain and nervous systems, both
of which clearly control academic performance. The
extent of impairment on academic performance depends
on concentration of the gas and duration of exposure.
So how long have you and your children been exposed to
carbon monoxide at home or at work?
Preamble (or why you should
worry) Too many
Nigerian homes rely on generators for electricity.
This is a fact no one can deny. And the litany of
deaths that were chronicled in the original article is
a pointer to the scope of ignorance about carbon
monoxide (CO) poisoning among our people. My rough
guesstimate (based on research findings) is that for
every death from CO in a populated space, there could
be up to two unrecognised (latent) cases of poisoning
among survivors. These latent cases we know, could
lead to temporary or permanent ailments, in the form
of cognitive and behavioural disorders which were
listed in the last article. For emphasis, let me list
them again: confusion, nausea, disorientation,
fainting, memory loss, seizures, cerebral oedema, etc.
Such ailments
can be instantaneous and serious enough to affect you
(yes, YOU my dear reader) right here, right now. You
may recall the case of Fadila, the bride who died in
August 2009 in Katsina after some minutes of showering
in a bathroom, where a generator was stored. Like I
tried to analyse in the first article, the scary thing
about the late Fadila's case is that the generator in
the bathroom was OFF. Now, if the CO gas emanating
from a non-operating generator was potent
enough to kill her; how safe do you honestly think you
are from CO gas pumped out of a working generator? Be
extremely careful with generators, I tell you. Thus, even if
you do not display any visible or instantaneous
symptoms, but have been gradually exposed to this
odourless, colourless and non-irritating gas over a
long time, you are prone to time-weighted exposure to
its dangers. This roughly means that over a long
period, a harmless substance could cumulatively
endanger your health/life. For people whose heart has
been moderately exposed to (or injured by) CO
poisoning, a report contained in Medical News of 27
January 2006 showed that after a period of about 7
years, such people have a higher risk of dying. To
counter this kind of problem, people who are exposed
to indoor environments where harmful aerosols (like
CO) exist, are protected using Permissible Exposure
Limits (PEL). This refers to the maximum length of
time an employee for example, should be allowed to
work in such a risky environment. It is applied in
many fields; from coal mining to nuclear science and
in hospital isolation rooms. PEL can further be
sub-categorised according to short-term exposure limit
or STEL; (where exposure is for example, evaluated
every 10-15 minutes) and long-term exposure limit or
LTEL (where exposure is evaluated in days/weeks).
Gases like CO are so potent that a very short STEL is
used to regulate any exposure to them; if one must be
exposed at all. The reason I
avoided using these ‘big grammar' and acronyms in my
original article was because I wanted the average
reader (who has been helplessly forced to use
generators at home/work); to appreciate the dangers
without flipping through a dictionary after every two
sentences. Going forward also, I needed to make this
brief elaboration cum clarification for those who may
think I am making wild claims about CO poisoning and
academic performance. This gas can kill within minutes
and is so dangerous that after certain period of
exposure, death may even be an easy/better way out for
victims because it will really mess with your brain
and organs. What use is a person with a faulty brain,
a non-performing liver, a weakened heart and
malfunctioning kidneys? So whether you buy a CO sensor
and install it indoors or you place your generator set
in a sensible location; it is still your decision.
Nevertheless, while my hypothesis that CO poisoning
could be affecting the academic performance of our
children is plausible, (based on established
scientific facts verifiable by anyone); it is only a
detailed, forensic and practical investigation that
can reveal the true extent of this
danger in our homes and offices. I usually make my
opinions on such matters in research circles, but
often, it is necessary to present watered-down
versions of research findings for public consumption.
Need for scientific enquiry Among the
responders of the first article, are a pitiful
category of people who probably have one or two things
to do with either generator business or Nigerian
politics, or both. Remember that generator importation
and distribution is a billion dollar industry in
Nigeria, so many businesses/interests actually thrive
on our misfortunes. These responders construed my
article as an attack on their interests. If that is
what my article has done, I offer no apologies
whatsoever. I also have an interest in this matter
albeit, a non-financial and a non-political one. That
is why I postulated based on my expertise and concern
that because of (1) the preponderance of generators in
our homes; (2) the widespread ignorance about CO and
(3) the impact of CO's toxicity to human cognitive and
behavioural systems - which can affect academic
performance; then it is (4) plausible or likely that
there is a link between mass WAEC failures and carbon
monoxide in our homes. If I could
translate these four points into Pidgin English, I
would do so, to avoid been misconstrued and misquoted.
The problem with us in Nigeria is that we are not used
to solving societal problems scientifically. We prefer
‘fire brigade' approach especially if it leads to
chop-I-chop. Only a detailed field survey (no, not
questionnaires) which includes actual measurement of
indoor concentration of CO over a long time (e.g. one
year) can provide a true picture of the potential harm
being done by this gas in a typical home which uses a
generator for say, 6-12 hours every day. So, sequel to
the 31% pass rate in 2009, WAEC itself has told us
that the standards of its exam have been unchanged
over the years, but it is the ‘attitude' of
students that is to blame. Now since WAEC did not
explicitly or implicitly point fingers at teachers or
teaching methods, (the usual suspects); then I think
we should be scrutinising the attitudinal (e.g.
cognitive & behavioural) factors for such failures.
These factors, (according to WAEC) are responsible for
‘poor grammatical expression, failure to expatiate on
points, misinterpretation of questions, illegible
handwriting, wasting of time on unnecessary preambles
and poor diagrams'. Similarly and worryingly, if in
the year 2010 only about 20% of the students who sat
for WAEC exams got 5 credits including English and
Mathematics, (a further decline from the 31% pass rate
of 2009); then this signifies a trend which is
dangerous to our national progress as a country. We
claim to be working on Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
and we aspire to join the G20 countries by 2020 – with
these sorts of academic performances, we shall be
lucky to be among the G150 countries in 10 years time.
So all I am suggesting, is for a scientific inquiry
into the cognitive and behavioural issues facing our
students; many of whom we all know study in homes
powered by generators. How hard can that be for the
Ministries of Education and Health to organise? Ideally, such
an enquiry would have some element of experimental
control, whereby (a large) sample of students who
live/study in homes powered by generators are
evaluated against those who live/study in homes using
clean energy. Now, therein lies an annoying problem:
where do we find students in Nigeria who live/study in
homes using clean energy to compare with? Oh, wait,
maybe we could test them against students from our
villages, (assuming we can find a village where
generators are not used widely) but even then, the
quality of teaching (City vs. Village) now becomes a
debilitating factor. Ha, Nigeria and its problems!
Anyway, it is not rocket science. This investigation
can be done, assuming someone actually cares, and
assuming ‘that' someone is brave enough to accept the
outcome and take remedial steps.
Self protection: Some
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) tips Before our
ministries of education and health eventually get
round to investigating the dangers of CO poisoning to
our health and wellbeing, it won't be a bad idea to
start helping ourselves. Given that generators will be
part of our must-have items for the foreseeable
future, below is further guidance on how to protect
yourself as well as your family or
colleagues/neighbours through some simple
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) tips and tricks. This has become
necessary because I deduce from comments made in email
responses that generally, Nigerians are wary,
sceptical, distrustful and disillusioned about any
legislative and statutory help coming from the
authorities, as per this matter. Even as we all hope
for better leadership, many such Nigerians would
understandably, like to know what they can do for
themselves. This is a good sign. So in the following
sub-sections; I aim to provide more details (the how's
and where's) about generators and CO sensors for a
typical home. Let me
reiterate again, that carbon monoxide (CO) is an
odourless and colourless gas. And it is not even an
irritant, meaning it does not make as much as an itch
in your nose. If you can smell it or it tickles your
nose, then it is definitely not CO. So please, dear
readers DO NOT RELY ON YOUR NOSE to inform you about
presence of CO in a room. Your nose may detect smoke
which may contain some amount of CO, but the notorious
gas is by itself very stealthy and does not need smoke
to move from point A to point B. Don't forget that its
nickname is the silent killer. In fact,
for those of you who are reading this article from a
public internet cafe (most likely powered by a
generator located somewhere by the entrance/corridor);
chances are that some quantity of this noxious gas is
creeping its way towards you, even as you read this.
Don't panic yet. Keep reading, but if you get
sensations of nausea (i.e. feel like vomiting) with or
without mild headache, you better log off and
vamoose! The following
are a series of frequently asked questions about CO
sensors and generators in Nigerian homes; with
corresponding answers.
QUESTION: How is CO actually produced by generators? ANSWER:
CO is produced when
there is incomplete combustion of fossil fuels.
Kerosene, Diesel and Petrol are examples of fossil
fuels and are common sources of CO poisoning. These
fuels are used in homes through appliances like
kitchen stoves and of course generators. Other sources
of CO include tobacco smoke and exhaust from cars.
Because CO is a colourless, odourless and
non-irritating gas, a poorly designed, badly
maintained or horribly located generator can
distribute this gas into your home. You would not know
it, unless you display symptoms of the immediate or
long-term types. High dose of CO gas kills within
minutes. Slow dose over a long term affects the brain,
nervous system and organs.
QUESTION: What is a CO sensor? ANSWER:
A traditional CO sensor is a small device that emits a
loud alarm after detecting presence of this gas in a
room. The alarm is usually loud enough to wake people
who are in deep sleep. It is NOT the same as a smoke
detector, which detects smoke in general. Most smoke
detectors operate using optical or similar technology,
meaning there has to be coloured particles of smoke,
dense or thick enough to warrant an alarm. So because
CO is colourless, you cannot rely on your smoke
detector for this purpose. It is rare and undesirable
for a detector to perform both smoke and CO alarm
functions.
QUESTION: Where can I buy a CO sensor?
ANSWER:
Your best bet for a
cheap CO sensor is from online retailers (see samples
here: Amazon.co.uk; Note: I am not endorsing this
retailer, just giving an example for sake of
convenience). The prices range from as little as
£15.00 GB Pounds (i.e. N3,500) per sensor to about
£30.00 GB Pounds (i.e. N7,000). I think these are
reasonable prices, with respect to the value of our
lives and health. However, if a retailer like Amazon
will not take your debit/credit card or will not post
the items to you on account of your being a Nigerian,
(well, we have a certain reputation that scares online
marketers); then I suggest some of you consider the
importation of CO sensors as a viable business in
Nigeria. You would be doing people a great service,
making a handsome profit and saving countless lives in
the process. If we (as a country) were really serious
at manufacturing, many small-scale industries would
boom from this problem/market very easily, because the
technology involved is basic. In the meantime, there
are many manufacturers in Europe and America. It is
also likely that such sensors are made in South
Africa, from whence it may be cheaper to import, but I
do not know for sure. Whatever you
do, make sure you do NOT buy tokunboh sensors, please.
I need not explain why. It is bad enough that many
cars and generators in Nigeria (all sources of CO) are
second hand. Don't toy with your life/health by making
‘cheap but costly decisions'- if you know what I mean.
If you have a cousin or an in-law abroad (especially
non-African abroad) now is the time to get
extra-friendly with them so that they can send/bring a
couple of sensors to you. As for me, sorry but I
cannot help you in this regard.
QUESTION: Are CO sensors the only option for
protection? ANSWER:
We have already ruled out your nose as a reliable
detector of CO gas. There are however, additional
approaches for protection. One of them involves
something called the CO Indicator Patch, while the
other involves use of specific indoor house plants.
These are further explained below:
(1)
The CO Indicator Patch The CO
Indicator Patch is a device gives a visual cue or sign
(i.e. changes colour, just like litmus paper) when the
concentration of CO in a room has reached a specific
level. This option is NOT recommended, unless it is
for test running, i.e. to decide if a
room/facility requires full CO sensors/alarms
described above. A common example of CO Indicator
Patch is the one made by First Alert (I am not
endorsing this product/company, just giving an
example). Now, why would you need this type of device?
Well, take for example, a case where you own a large
facility (e.g. factory, shopping centre, fast food
kitchen, hotel or even office complex) and you are
unsure or worried about presence of CO in parts of the
interior. Such indicators will tell you over a test
period (e.g. between 1 to 4 months) whether CO is
actually seeping in from a big generator located
outside. Afterwards, you can make an informed decision
about whether you need to buy and place permanent CO
sensors. WARNING: An indicator patch only changes
colour over a long time to signify presence of CO
gas. Therefore, do not (I repeat) do NOT use it
in places where instant alarm is required, e.g.
bedrooms/homes.
(2)
Indoor House Plants Surprise,
surprise! But yes, some indoor plants have been
scientifically proven to have air-cleansing abilities.
Now, wait, hold on please. Before you begin planting
‘Okro' and ‘Ewedu' inside your house, let us be clear
that it is not all plants that have this
special talent. Every plant essentially produces
oxygen as a by product of photosynthesis, so this is
by itself a good thing. However, only specific plants
are recognised as being able to ‘suck' in harmful
gases like CO. Also keep in mind that these unique
house plants are NOT a substitute for CO sensors,
because plants do not talk or shout when there is
danger, do they? These plants will basically ensure
that your indoor air is much healthier in the long
run, with or without a sensor. Some examples of plants
known to have these unique cleansing properties are
found at the end of this article, under ‘Suggested
Readings'.
QUESTION: How many CO sensors do I need in my house? ANSWER:
As for the quantity of CO sensors a typical home would
need, well, there is no straightforward answer. Much
depends on the sources of harm/danger. You may think
of placing only one sensor in your living room
(probably because your own mini-generator is always in
the front of the house). There is no harm in that, but
what about the risk from your neighbour's generator
which may be close to your bedroom window? My
suggestion would be to place any sensors with respect
to all the potential sources of CO gas. If, as an
extreme example, the neighbours located in the front,
side and back of your house all have generators which
operate reasonably close to your windows (e.g. less
than 6 meters); then you should place CO sensors in
all the occupied rooms (living/dining/bedrooms) that
are at risk from such generators. There is no need for
sensors in stores and bathrooms in this case because
the source of air contamination is external. You have
already been forewarned NOT to bring in your generator
into your store or bathroom at the end of each day.
Remember Fadila? Now let's do
some maths. To have three CO sensors in your house
(which may be an extreme case, by the way) you will
have to part with between N10,500 @ N3,500 per sensor;
or N22,000 @ 7,500 per sensor. But you should buy and
install only the quantity of sensors that you need
and do not try to ‘pass your neighbour' by
having a CO sensor in each and every room, corridor,
staircase and wardrobe! The sensors usually work with
two AA size batteries, so maintenance (check
the dictionary if you've forgotten its meaning) has to
be done every few months. Longer lasting batteries may
be more cost-effective, but all batteries eventually
die out. As such in countries like the USA, many local
authorities are encouraging such sensors to be
connected directly to a building's electricity wiring.
For obvious reasons, this would not work in Nigeria
for now. If we could have constant electricity in
Nigeria, we would not need generators in every home,
meaning we would not need to worry so much about CO
poisoning or worry so much about CO sensors and their
wiring... (Sigh). The user manuals that come with each
sensor will explain the nitty-gritty details of
test-running the alarms once every 2-3 weeks, just to
make sure they are functional. I should
re-emphasise that having up to three sensors (no
matter how cheap they are) is probably unnecessary. If
you have neighbours that have surrounded you with
generators on two or three sides of your house, the
best thing to do is to politely ask them to relocate
the generators (see further details down below). The
best option for dealing with air contamination is
always to eliminate the problem/source. If this does
not work, then you should consider having CO sensors
in the most occupied rooms at risk (essentially
living/dining areas and bedrooms).
And by the time the sensors are shrieking loudly
every few hours/days, you would have enough (friendly
or legal) justification to ask your neighbours to
consider your life and health.
QUESTION: Okay, I have bought the sensor. Where should
I place it in the house? ANSWER:
After purchasing a CO sensor, placing it (or getting
an electrician to do so) in your home/office is also a
simple but critical matter. Place it too far away -
and it will be ineffective or take long to register
dangerous levels of the gas. Place it too near to the
generator and it will give unrealistic and false
alarms. My advice would be to place it roughly in the
‘centre' of a room. You may also place it by the
window itself, but how effective this option will be
with regards the mean concentration in the entire room
is questionable, especially if you have two windows or
more. Vertically, I would recommend that the sensor
should be placed at a height of no more than 1.0 to
1.2 meters, on a wall. So this should rule out
placement of sensors on ceilings. Let me explain why.
There are
three kinds of gases: those that contain particles
(yes, all gases are made of particles) which are
lighter than air; those whose particles are
denser/heavier than air; and those that are in
between. CO is only slightly lighter than air. This
means that it essentially floats in air, but not so
quickly. So, placing the sensor on a ceiling will mean
that you may have already been exposed to CO for a
much longer period before the gas is detected at the
ceiling level. However, if the sensor is at a height
of say 1.0 meter on a wall, you are reasonably sure
that any CO entering the room will be detected once it
gets to nose level of a person sitting on a chair or
lying down on bed. Also avoid fixing the sensor on the
same wall that has a window. Place it on an adjacent
(90 degree) wall for better effectiveness. If you live in
a flat with a shared corridor, you may also fix some
sensors along that corridor at distance of say every 3
to 4 meters. Also ensure that no resident is EVER
allowed to operate or store a generator in such shared
spaces, (this includes lobbies, stairwells and shared
balconies).
QUESTION: Where is the safest location for small
generators? ANSWER:
Again, the first step in dealing with indoor air
pollution is to deal with the problem at the source.
But generators are not going to become extinct in
Nigeria any time soon. Therefore, you are best advised
to relocate the generator as far away as possible from
any building which is occupied by people/animals. If
this means erecting secure cages for the generators to
guard against theft, then so be it. Ideally, residents
in an area can come together and create generator
zone(s) in neutral and safe locations in a housing
estate for example. In the event that relocating the
generator far away is not possible/realistic (or that
you live in a congested estate or face-me-I-face-you)
then you may consider elevating the generator on a
pedestal. The reason for this is simple. Earlier, I
explained that CO is slightly lighter than air. If the
generator is left on the floor of a congested place,
it would be easy for the contaminant gas to migrate
indoors. Now by elevating/raising the source of CO
(i.e. the generator) by a height of say 2.5 meters,
you are ensuring that the gas will float skywards and
not descend downward into your window level. For a
bungalow, the bottom of windows (or sills), are
typically at elevation of 0.9 meters from the floor,
and the height of a window is typically 1.2 meters,
giving a total of 2.1 meters; from floor to topmost
part of your window. Elevating a generator therefore,
to a height of 2.5 meters is common sense. The
platform should be erected in a clear and free space,
and not close to wall. How can this be achieved? Well,
consult your local architect/civil engineer, and
explore all the options by discussing building
materials like galvanised pipes or block work –
just like we do with elevated water tanks. For
cost effectiveness, neighbours may wish to create one
large pedestal, which can accommodate many small
generators, accessible to all. I would
personally prefer to relocate the generator far away
from the building (6 meters) rather than building a
pedestal. If all neighbours (and landlords) cooperate,
a distant and safe generator zone can be created for
the benefit of everyone. Elevating a generator on a
pedestal will ONLY be essential in places where there
are space constraints e.g. tight mini-estates.
Accessing such elevated generators (e.g. through some
form of steps) regularly for fuelling and maintenance
purposes, will be important. Okay, I concede that for
some people (including those who live in congested
estates or face-me-I-face-you), this pedestal business
may sound farfetched. Yet it is not compulsory because
you have options. Option 1 is you wait for PHCN to
start giving us constant electricity by the year 20XX
– (where X is a positive integer greater than or equal
to 1). Option 2 is you roll the dice and take your
chance everyday with CO poisoning.
QUESTION: I have a big generator
sheltered in the backyard; what should I do? ANSWER:
If you have a roaring generator which is sheltered, I
hope that it is also located as far away from the
house/building as possible. Assuming that we are not
talking about offices which close at the end of the
day, your generator is likely going to operate much
longer, late into the night and possibly till you have
ironed your ‘agbada' in the morning. If the generator
house is not far away, (or is less than 6 meters to
your main house) the first thing I would advice is
that you check the direction which the exhaust pipe is
leading to. Hopefully it is not pointing horizontally
towards your building and its windows – or your
neighbour's building/windows. If it is, then you
should alter the direction of the exhaust pipe
immediately. Although smoke in general tends to rise
vertically, the momentum with which it is being pumped
out by a large generator gives it an initial
horizontal trajectory, before the smoke begins its
upward ascent. Next time you pass by a large
generator, kindly observe this phenomenon. Therefore,
it is critical to ensure that if an exhaust of such a
generator is close to a habitable building; such smoke
is not encouraged or allowed to come close to openings
(doors/windows). The exhaust system of the generator
should therefore be retrofitted with an ‘L-shaped'
channel that takes the smoke as high up as possible,
like a chimney. The height of
this ‘chimney' depends on many factors. If for
example, you are living in (or located close to) a
storey building, then you don't want this ‘chimney' to
send smoke to the windows of people living on higher
floors. That would be cruel and dangerous. The
situation of large generators located around
multi-floor building is actually a complex matter. In
such instances, smoke tests are supposed to be done to
investigate the pattern and direction of gas movement
with respect to prevailing winds and location of
openings. Some of you may fall asleep if I begin to
elaborate on this one, besides, smoke tests in
Nigeria? Hmmm. Needless to say, endeavour to be
considerate to your neighbours when reviewing the
status quo or when making future alterations to the
exhaust pipes of your gargantuan generator. OTHER
MATTERS
(a)
Volume of a
room/store Another point
to note is that the relatively small size (volume) of
a room e.g. the bathroom in Fadila's case contributes
to the high concentration or accumulation of fumes.
This led to her quick collapse and death. The bathroom
(whether it has a window, which was open or not) is
obviously not a well-ventilated space. Therefore a
build up of carbon monoxide from the stored generator
occurred quickly. Entering such a small room puts you
in clear and present danger. Please, I will never be
weary of repeating this warning: DO NOT store a
generator that you use frequently indoors. It is
suicidal and you can fall into coma within a few
minutes and die as a result of CO poisoning.
(b)
Air conditioned
rooms Some have
asked questions about air conditioned rooms in their
homes. Now, when a room is air conditioned using
either window or split unit, it presents a unique and
complicated case. Firstly, you should understand that
the AC unit takes its fresh air from somewhere, and
that somewhere is the outdoor environment. So if the
outdoor air intake of the AC is close to a generator,
then your AC could be sending CO into your cosy
bedroom as you sleep. Even though a typical AC has a
filter, to the best of my knowledge, such filters are
mostly for dirt/dust and other fairly routine
impurities. I seriously doubt that the filters are
designed to prevent the ingress of CO. There are
specific kinds of high efficiency particulate (HEPA)
filters that can be guaranteed to work but they are
expensive and are definitely not included in your
window/split AC unit. HEPA filters are only used in
the AC systems of clean rooms (e.g. microchip
manufacturing) or hospital isolation rooms where
people with airborne diseases (e.g. tuberculosis) are
kept. Another issue
with an air conditioned room in your house is that
when the AC is operating, it puts the room under
positive pressure. Meaning, the general flow of air is
from the room to the exterior. This by itself is a
(good) preventive mechanism in a way because any
incoming gas or smell will likely be countered by the
room air trying to escape. However, when the AC is not
working, the pressure balance is neutral and CO from a
generator can build up in the room (e.g. over weekends
or holidays). Occupants who move into such rooms are
in immediate danger, up until the air has been
refreshed.
Conclusion The advice and
suggestions made here are just from my humble
experience working/researching in building ventilation
and indoor air quality for about 10 years. I sincerely
hope that more people will become aware of the
everyday dangers lurking just round the corner of
their homes. The true extent of any damage being done
by CO to the populace may not be known until sometime
in the future. I am personally very concerned about
this future, on account of the sheer ignorance that
holds sway among so many generator users. But
hopefully, we can begin to protect ourselves until
such a time when our leaders begin to lead us well.
Some of these issues pointed out here may have sounded
alarmist, but hopefully many are now aware that CO is
indeed a silent and quick killer. If a gas is
dangerous enough to kill within a few minutes, imagine
what it can do to the internal organs of those who
survive contact with it. We should therefore, spare no
effort to protect our health and lives, as too many of
us are dying from ‘brief illnesses' nowadays. Those of
you who have the ears of government or the
concerned/organised private sector should endeavour to
carry the message of CO poisoning further. There are
examples to be learnt from other countries. At the very
least, we need to have television commercials, radio
jingles and newspaper adverts to enlighten and remind
everyone, regularly, about CO poisoning from
generators. The matter should also be addressed in
subjects like Introductory Technology and Integrated
Science in our secondary schools. In higher
institutions, there are Environmental Pollution
Control, Indoor Air Quality as well as Health Impact
Assessment (HIA) specialisation courses that can be
introduced as electives. Our professional architects,
planners and development control boards need to
strictly implement existing standards such as minimum
setbacks between houses; because its abuse complicates
cross-flow of contaminated air amongst houses. Relevant
continuing professional development (CPD) courses
should be designed and administered by trade bodies
like the Nigerian Institute of Architects. Generally,
much more information on public health and safety in
Nigeria needs to be available. Health workers should
be empowered to participate in a collaborative
monitoring programme where people with symptoms of CO
poisoning, their location and circumstances are
recorded in a national database. Someday, people will
plot graphs and charts from such a database from which
we would understand the trends of this malady in order
to aid better planning, education, control and
treatment. If we cannot handle CO poisoning, what will
we do when an airborne pandemic like SARS or Swine Flu
hits us one day? Crucially,
we urgently require laws and
regulations on issues like generators in densely
populated housing areas and their use in public places.
It is amazing that there is no guidance on these,
whatsoever. We are hence in dire need of Health &
Safety Acts, with a regulatory and implementation body
such as Occupational and Public Safety Agency (OPSA) -
which every serious country has in one form or
another. This would require a cross-disciplinary team
of experts, ranging from building industry
professionals to chemists and engineers as well as
community health workers. And indoor air quality or
air pollution is just ONE of many public safety
hazards for such an agency to tackle. There are
related matters requiring attention including noise
pollution, water pollution, use of
mechanical/electrical equipment or devices, biological
hazards to health workers, musculoskeletal disorders,
and so on. The truth is,
as a developing country, we place too much emphasis on
physical infrastructure (e.g. roads, bridges,
buildings) which are indicators of quality of place
(QOP) – but to the detriment of safety and health
matters (e.g. air and water pollution) which are
indicators of quality of life (QOL). However, both QOP
and QOL must go hand in hand. Any surprise as to why
the life expectancy of a typical Nigerian is today
placed at a lowly 45-50 years? You may live in a
mansion, but how long will you last as a human being
if your air is poisoned? The sooner we
re-strategise, the better; if we truly want to
develop. Shirking from this responsibility, amounts to
unforgivable negligence on the part of those whom we
gave our mandate at the state and federal levels. Let me end
with this parting shot. For Nigerians to be failing
exams regularly, getting sick slowly and dying quietly
- simply because they took money (from their own
pockets) to buy generators as a result of the
incompetence and corruption in our power sector; is
not just a tragedy. It is mass murder in slow motion. I hope that
the information contained herein will be beneficial to
as many people as possible, so kindly spread the word
please. I will not hesitate to elaborate more – maybe
with a Part III - if need arises, as there is so much
more to be covered and learnt. I thank you for reading
up to this point. Stay safe, love your neighbour as
you love yourself and remember: changing Nigeria
begins with YOU. Have a
prosperous 2011, and may your days be long.
Further (suggested) reading
(Links) Zulfikar
Aliyu Adamu Civil &
Building Engineering Department,
Loughborough University, United Kingdom. |
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