Some OSHA inspectors stand behind an industrial lift truck and sniff with a PPM carbon monoxide analyzer. Is this an accurate technique?
A. No, the PPM analyzers usually measure up to 2,000 PPM carbon monoxide. At the tailpipe of a properly adjusted industrial truck the levels are 5,000 PPM. The analyzer cannot read high enough to get meaningful numbers. Also, any cross draft from air movement will blow the exhaust plume away from the analyzer. So, this approach in not only useless, but is dangerous as a high carbon monoxide emitter could appear to be running clean.
