BarDownGinos 3 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 Did anybody else see this? They just blew this up like every rink is knowingly endangering everyone who uses their facilities. In addition to blaming fuel powered zamboni's, of which I have seen maaybe half a dozen in the last decade, they are putting blame on the gas powered edgers. Really? Most of the rinks I've been to use that at the end of the night unless there's been a group out that has just destroyed the ice. I was under the impression that most rinks had switched to the battery powered zamboni's, but maybe I'm wrong. Anybody have opinions/thoughts on this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooah4 12 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 the threat is real and out there. IMO most of the smaller rinks in the states will run the zam into the ground before they'll buy a new one. Since CO is denser than room air it tends to fall, etc..putting people at some risk. We treat about 100 people a year for CO poisoning, about 60% are accidental. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
number21 3 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 I don't know that I have seen a battery zamboni other than at a pro game.Granted I have only skated at a handful of places.EDIT:Didn't a Canadian news do something similar a few years back? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coryroth24 15 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#41508607 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerbe3:16 19 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 Oh yea, this is a very real thing we're talking about here. They actually shut down a rink in New Hampshire this weekend (Exeter I believe) because people left and then started getting sick. The fire department went over there when they figured out the link between all these sick people and measured a very high parts per million of CO and shut it down for a while. Generally speaking, it's a fairly well known thing that the air quality in rinks is terrible because of the zambonis.edit - looks like Colorado and NH had issues with CO buildup because of air system failures in the past few weeks. Scary.http://athleticbusiness.com/editors/blog/default.aspx?id=412 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goblue9280 33 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 I've been meaning to find someone with a CO meter willing to take some measurements of our local rink. The owners are awful when it comes to maintenance and upkeep so I wouldn't be surprised if the levels were high. Our zamboni is definitely a propane engine... at least I'm assuming it is based on the compressed gas tanks on the back of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooah4 12 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 I've been meaning to find someone with a CO meter willing to take some measurements of our local rink. The owners are awful when it comes to maintenance and upkeep so I wouldn't be surprised if the levels were high. Our zamboni is definitely a propane engine... at least I'm assuming it is based on the compressed gas tanks on the back of it.home depot is a quick and easy way to get a meter. you don't need to spend $$$. It shouldn't matter the size of the area, but the ppm is the big thing. If you have a headache, that's symptom #1. Lethargy, etc..gtf out of there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zebra_steve 11 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 I've been meaning to find someone with a CO meter willing to take some measurements of our local rink. The owners are awful when it comes to maintenance and upkeep so I wouldn't be surprised if the levels were high. Our zamboni is definitely a propane engine... at least I'm assuming it is based on the compressed gas tanks on the back of it.Contact the local fire department - but know that they will probably shut things down if it's an issue.... I had an EMT tell me that there was no issue with the haze from a zamboni exhaust because it was a "propane" zamboni! I reminded him that while propane may be a bit safer, when it's not tuned properly it still produces harmful exhaust.... That game got delayed about a half hour.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barts66 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQoP2KKjYPsESPN actually did a thing on hockey rinks and the harmful things that Zamboni's give off. It was done a couple years ago, too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rachael7 1 Report post Posted February 10, 2011 Plenty of gas and propane resurfacers around here, so it is certainly still a risk. But I'm sure I've also seen CO detectors at some of the rinks too, so it seems to be something people are aware of already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooah4 12 Report post Posted February 11, 2011 Contact the local fire department - but know that they will probably shut things down if it's an issue.... I had an EMT tell me that there was no issue with the haze from a zamboni exhaust because it was a "propane" zamboni! I reminded him that while propane may be a bit safer, when it's not tuned properly it still produces harmful exhaust.... That game got delayed about a half hour....propane is not safer. Hell, I've treated people for CO poisoning who put their gas grills in the garage so they can BBQ in winter. We also treated 28 patients who decided to have a christening pig roast in the basement in February. Luckily a family member showed up late and found the whole party unconscious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coryroth24 15 Report post Posted February 11, 2011 We also treated 28 patients who decided to have a christening pig roast in the basement in February. Luckily a family member showed up late and found the whole party unconscious.I'm actually speechless that someone was that stupid to think of doing that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooah4 12 Report post Posted February 11, 2011 I'm actually speechless that someone was that stupid to think of doing that...no one ever went broke underestimating human stupidity. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goblue9280 33 Report post Posted February 11, 2011 I sent our Rink GM/Owner an email asking them when they last did an air quality assessment of the rink due to receiving questions from concerned parents after seeing the Today Show report... here was the response we got:Yes, we keep the machine in a good state of tune and the Olympia runs on propane which puts out less NOx pollutants than a similar gas powered vehicle. In addition, we have large ventilation ducts and powered fans at each end of the rink which are activated during ice cuts in order to circulate fresh air.There's so much fail in this, I don't even know where to begin. First, "good state of tune"... they had to bring in a zam from a different rink just last week because theirs was broken down. Second, the propane is safer than a gas powered vehicle? Third, NOx pollutants? What about CO, the main pollutant mentioned in the news reports. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fsuhockeystar97 0 Report post Posted February 11, 2011 So do the natural gas powered Olympias put off CO like this as well? I know it says on their site that its "environmentally friendly", but it says that about the propane as well. Just curious cuz the rink I used to work at had one of these. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooah4 12 Report post Posted February 12, 2011 So do the natural gas powered Olympias put off CO like this as well? I know it says on their site that its "environmentally friendly", but it says that about the propane as well. Just curious cuz the rink I used to work at had one of these.they give off CO but not as much as a gasoline engine. If it is properly maintained etc..the risk will be lower. We get occasional forklift operators as well.Today at our game I found our local rink CO meter. It was @ 60 ppm after the ice cut. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Top Cheese 0 Report post Posted February 14, 2011 I'm happy that I live in RI where the rinks are tested. Mainly because there was a big problem at one of the rinks awhile ago. Our Home rink has an electric zamboni. However, I didn't like hearing that hardly any other states do. My team plays a lot of teams from CT, MA (who tests regularly), VT, NH, and ME. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnpucker 33 Report post Posted February 21, 2011 This is not going away. I have not heard of any problems in MInnesota. I know the state clamped down on Arena air quality a couple years ago.http://www.startribune.com/local/116598328.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chippa13 1844 Report post Posted February 21, 2011 I'm happy that I live in RI where the rinks are tested. Mainly because there was a big problem at one of the rinks awhile ago. Our Home rink has an electric zamboni. However, I didn't like hearing that hardly any other states do. My team plays a lot of teams from CT, MA (who tests regularly), VT, NH, and ME.Looks like RI might need to step up that testing.http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14063684 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wrangler 157 Report post Posted February 21, 2011 This is not going away. I have not heard of any problems in MInnesota. I know the state clamped down on Arena air quality a couple years ago.http://www.startribune.com/local/116598328.htmlInteresting, not CO, but N2O. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xuno 14 Report post Posted February 21, 2011 Looks like RI might need to step up that testing.http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14063684I have a good friend on that team. Crazy stuff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Top Cheese 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 Yeah, just shows how serious some of these rinks take it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rachael7 1 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 Seems this segment really pissed off FMC (company that runs a bunch of the rinks in MA):Link to PDF Response Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Top Cheese 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2011 I actually just heard that the RI 146 rink was not actually the problem, it was the other team's bus. Hence the reason why only the away team was poisoned. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
17D1998 1 Report post Posted March 5, 2011 So Rhode Island, Minnesota and Massachusetts in the States... what about Canada? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
