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Occupational and Environmental Testing Services

Category Press Release
Publish Date 3/13/2024
Author Paul Cochrane
Title Portable Back-Up Generators and Protecting Californians from Carbon Monoxide Hazards
Introduction LA Testing offers laboratory testing services, sampling supplies, gas detection equipment and monitoring instruments to help prevent exposure risks to carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases.

Huntington Beach, California, March 13, 2024

The use of portable back-up generators powered by fossil fuels has become a common sight in California. They are used by many businesses and individuals to provide electricity when utility power fails or because no other source is available.

Portable generators can help to keep critical appliances on, to power a worksite, or to keep a business open after a natural disaster. As useful as portable back-up generators can be, they can also expose people to deadly levels of carbon monoxide (CO) if not properly used.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 85 people die in the United States each year from CO poisoning caused by gasoline-powered portable generators. CPSC reports that most generator-related deaths (81%) occur in residential locations and the top three reasons for using a generator among the reported fatal incidents were weather-related power outages, power shut-offs, and attempts to provide power to temporary locations.

“Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause death in minutes if a person is exposed to high enough concentrations in the air they breathe,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “To help prevent these tragedies, carbon monoxide detectors, in addition to smoke detectors, should be in all homes and buildings. To help protect Californians, LA Testing offers laboratory testing services and sampling supplies to detect and monitor for CO and many other hazardous gases. We also sell and rent air testing, monitoring and data logging instruments to safeguard workers and the public from these and other airborne exposure risks.” 

LA Testing sponsored an educational video about portable generators and carbon monoxide hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/Ju5x-S7828o 

To learn more about carbon monoxide or other air quality testing services, or for access to sampling supplies and monitoring instruments, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794.

 

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.

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