What does the colour of the smoke produced indicate?
Smoke is the product of combustion. Vehicles at your workplace may produce three kinds of smoke, two of which indicate engine problems. The three types are: • blue smoke (mainly oil and unburnt fuel) which indicates a poorly serviced and/or tuned engine; • black smoke (soot, oil and unburnt fuel) which indicates a mechanical fault with the engine; • white smoke (water droplets and unburnt fuel) which is produced when the engine is started from cold and disappears when the engine warms up. With older engines, the white smoke produced has a sharp smell which may cause irritation to your upper respiratory system. You should tell your employer if workplace vehicles are producing blue or black smoke so that prompt action can be taken to correct any problem. Where are diesel fumes likely to be found in the workplace? You may be exposed to diesel fumes if you work where diesel operated heavy vehicles are being used, or where motor vehicles are generating diesel fumes such as when coming into
