Confined Spaces with over 23% Oxygen Saturation

HardKnocks

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I've been tracking the Honolulu Fire Ambo explosion, as this is not a new occurrence.

I'm looking back at some of the older NREMT questions and I cannot find anywhere they mention the possibility of dangers of explosion of 02 Saturation in a confined space, (i.e. Pt Transport Vehicle etc).

Speaking to recent EMT-B Grads, not one remembers 02 Confined Space Safety being mentioned, (Ambient O2 levels over 23% etc).

Btw, I don't have an updated copy of the current EMT-B Curriculum handy to see what they're teaching.

Thoughts?
 

ffemt8978

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I've been tracking the Honolulu Fire Ambo explosion, as this is not a new occurrence.

I'm looking back at some of the older NREMT questions and I cannot find anywhere they mention the possibility of dangers of explosion of 02 Saturation in a confined space, (i.e. Pt Transport Vehicle etc).

Speaking to recent EMT-B Grads, not one remembers 02 Confined Space Safety being mentioned, (Ambient O2 levels over 23% etc).

Btw, I don't have an updated copy of the current EMT-B Curriculum handy to see what they're teaching.

Thoughts?
It's been a while since I've done Gas Free Engineering in the military, but oxygen enriched environments by themselves aren't inherently dangerous. It takes other factors for it to become a serious concerns.

 

LthomCO

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The only O2 related fire I have seen was actually in the hospital (which was still only a security footage recording, I was not there in person). It took place during a code where the pt's O2 flow had interacted with one of the d-fib pads as it was shocking causing a small explosion that singed the pt's body hair but did not harm any of the staff. Since COVID, my agency has gotten into the habit of running the ambulance exhaust vents for respiratory pt's requiring excessive supplemental O2 consumption. I don't know how the flow of O2 through the exhaust vent would react in the event of an explosion but ideally there would be a smaller volume of O2 present in the box.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Short answer: oxygen isn't flammable, but it does vigorously support other things burning


longer answer: it's not taught in EMT class, but it is in hazmat.


 
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HardKnocks

HardKnocks

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I believe that there's a UK Jurisdiction that suggests pulling the Pt. off O2 before Defibrillation due to a possible O2 Flash.

I'll have to dig through some reference material to pull it up.

Running the Rigs exhaust vent blower would probably help and possibly do two things;

1) Help exhaust the high O2 concentration and dilute the area of O2 to below 23% and;
2) Hopefully pull in some other ambient atmosphere gases, (i.e. CO2, Nitrogen etc) from the outside, and lowering the explosive risk.

I'd like to see a little more O2 safety in the EMT-B curriculum.
 

Jim37F

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Rumor mill says the patient was on CPAP at the time of the fire.

My question is (and I don't know the answers) is exactly how much O2 would have to leak from the main cylinder to raise the ambient atmosphere to those levels.

Especially considering the patient compartment is hardly airtight, exhast fan, inlets, Air Conditioning running, etc etc.... is it actually realistic a leak would raise the O2 levels to those percentages? Would it require a major failure of the tank, or would just the air flow through normal lines be enough?
 
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HardKnocks

HardKnocks

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Rumor mill says the patient was on CPAP at the time of the fire.

My question is (and I don't know the answers) is exactly how much O2 would have to leak from the main cylinder to raise the ambient atmosphere to those levels.
The following report concentrated more on fire initiated by O2 system contamination vs oxygen saturation levels.

Looks like the explosion risk occurs by either increasing Oxygen saturation levels over 23% and/or by increasing atmospheric pressures in the Confined Space.

Fires Involving Medical Oxygen Equipment
According to a U.S. Fire Administration Report "Fires Involving Medical Oxygen Equipment" # 1999 USFA-TR-107 the atmospheric pressure has to increase over 14.7 psi and/or with saturation levels over 23% is defined as "Oxygen Enriched."

Btw, A change in the local Barometric pressure can easily cause this.
 
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