Joey Payeur
Patrons of the Memorial Sports Centre can breathe easy.
So promises Community Services manager Jason Kabel in light of a report out of Lake Delton, Wis. over the weekend about a serious incident involving carbon monoxide poisoning at a hockey arena there.
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 81 people were admitted to hospital after a faulty ice rink resurfacer emitted significant levels of carbon monoxide into the air at the Poppy Waterman Ice Arena without the problem being identified in time by staff.
The incident came on the heels of a similar case two weekends earlier in Ottawa, where 20 hockey players were admitted to hospital following a charity tournament.
“We do have carbon monoxide detectors in the Memorial Sports Centre and we would have them there whether it was the law or not,” said Kabel.
“We have had the alarm go off before when we’ve used the hand-held, gas-powered edging machine along the boards more than our usual one time a week during times when we have had to do more serious ice maintenance situations,” he noted.
“But we make sure we turn on extra ventilation during those times.”
Kabel stressed a full investigation is held whenever the alarm is set off.
He also said there’s strict documentation of when the propane tanks are changed on the arena’s main ice resurfacer (purchased in 2009) and the back-up one (purchased in 2000).
Any abnormalities in the amount of propane being used are investigated immediately.
The back-up ice resurfacer only is used in extreme emergencies, with Kabel stating it only has been used once since his tenure as Community Services manager began in the spring of 2012.
“We make sure the propane is still changed on the spare machine regularly, along with having the battery charged and the blade sharpened,” he remarked.
Those affected in the Wisconsin incident included most of the players and coaching staff of the visiting Rochester Ice Hawks, as well as a number of fans on hand for Saturday’s game against the host Dells Ducks.
The first signs of problems cropped up during the first of the two-game series between the clubs the night before, with players complaining of headaches and one assistant coach for Rochester becoming “violently ill” overnight.
It is not mandatory in Wisconsin to have carbon monoxide detectors in place in recreational facilities.
In Ontario, a law was passed last December making carbon monoxide detectors mandatory for all residential homes.
The law, however, is not as clear when it relates to public facilities such as recreation complexes.
“Health and safety for our patrons and employees is of utmost importance,” vowed Kabel, who noted the Northwestern Health Unit conducts inspections of air quality at the Memorial Sports Centre twice a year.
“Having the detector in place is crucial but so, too, is employee awareness of their surroundings, as well as documentation of all maintenance done,” he said.
Health Canada lists the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning as ranging from headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, ’flu-like symptoms, and impaired motor functions to dizziness, chest pain, poor vision, and difficulty thinking.
At very high levels, those exposed can suffer convulsions, become comatose, and even die from carbon monoxide.
Other sources of carbon monoxide include furnaces, gas water heaters/boilers, wood stoves, and any other appliances that run on fuels.
