Why? Because he walked into the cafeteria without a CO monitor.
It’s tragic, but unfortunately not unusual. Every year, I hear stories of firefighters, police officers, and emergency responders walking into dangerous situations with zero idea what’s in the air. And every time I teach my CO class, I tell students:
“You’re no good to your customer if you’re lying on the floor next to them.”
That advice applies to first responders, and it applies to us, too.
Monitor First, Every Time
There is no excuse anymore. Personal CO monitors are affordable and readily available. They clip on your belt, your tool bag, your backpack — wherever. If you’re working in the HVAC Industry and you’re not carrying one, you’re playing Russian roulette. You might walk into 10 homes with zero CO. But the eleventh? That could be the one that takes you down.
Until you have a personal monitor, fire up your combustion analyzer before you walk through the front door.
Make it a habit. Make it automatic.
This action is more than just being a great technician — it’s about being responsible for your safety and the safety of your customers.
CO Doesn’t Take Time Off — Neither Should You
We tend to think of carbon monoxide as a wintertime issue, but let me be clear: CO doesn’t take a vacation. I’ve encountered dangerous levels in the heat of summer, in airport terminals, in schools, and in homes where no one suspected a thing.
We work in the High-Performance HVAC world. We hold ourselves to a higher standard — not just in terms of comfort and efficiency, but also in health and safety. Monitoring for CO isn’t a nice extra. It’s a core to the job.
If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this: Get a personal CO monitor. Use it every day. Bring it on every call.
The life you save may not just be your customer’s.
It might be your own.
Mark Hunt is an instructor for National Comfort Institute (NCI). He’s been with NCI for many years and teaches courses on combustion performance and carbon monoxide safety. He advocates for always carrying CO monitors based on personal experience in the field. Mark has been in the plumbing and HVAC industries since 1983. Taking the Jim Davis CO course in 1993 changed how he viewed combustion appliances forever. If you would like to talk to Mark about his CO experiences, contact him at ncilink.com/ContactMe.
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