![Sample our Economics, Finance,Business & Industry journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5931/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Economics-Finance-Business-Industry.jpg"})
Abstract
The modification or rehabilitation of large industrial facilities often requires heavy construction activities inside buildings. Internal combustion-powered equipment may be used with the risk of exhaust product accumulation, especially carbon monoxide. Two situations of this type were examined after the fact in which heavy construction had occurred inside industrial buildings. Numerous vehicles and pieces of equipment were running at various times in these buildings, without precise information being available regarding times and locations. The problem was appropriate for the use of simple models to estimate the effects of assumptions regarding equipment in use and ventilation.
To estimate levels of carbon monoxide, an interactive model was constructed using the spreadsheet of the Symphony™ integrated program. The model allows the user to specify a wide range of variables from which the model calculates the carbon monoxide concentration resulting under both steady-state and build-up assumptions. The user specifies the time period for the build-up model, and the time-weighted average of the build-up model is also calculated. The spreadsheet also calculates the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels resulting from any specified number of hours exposure to the resultant CO levels using three COHb estimation equations from the literature. This overall model has proved to be a useful application of the power inherent in spreadsheet programs.
Regarding the problem situation itself, it was demonstrated for each case that CO levels ranging from sub-TLV to over 200 ppm were possible given various feasible levels of ventilation and emissions. This investigation confirms that major construction conducted indoors, even in a very large structure, can result in excessive levels of carbon monoxide. This should be anticipated and critical situations examined prior to beginning any project requiring such activity.