If you have breathed in ozone and have trouble breathing, chest pain or feel faint: get to fresh air now and call 911, or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Short answer: ozone should go into the water or oil you're treating, not into the air you breathe. Run your generator in a well-ventilated room, never in a closed space, and keep oxygen equipment away from oil, grease and flames.
Why ozone needs care
The same reactivity that makes ozone useful makes it irritate the lungs. Breathing it can cause coughing, throat irritation, chest tightness and shortness of breath. The EPA explains this in Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners.
For workplaces, OSHA's limit is 0.1 ppm averaged over 8 hours, with a 15-minute limit of 0.3 ppm (OSHA chemical data). In practice: if you can smell ozone in the room, there is too much. Ventilate. Don't trust your nose over a long session, because it stops noticing the smell.
Ventilation
- Work in a well-ventilated room, with a window open or a fan pulling air out.
- Never run a generator in a closet, a small closed bathroom, a car or anywhere people or pets sleep.
- Don't lean over the container to look or smell while it's running.
- Keep children and pets out of the room while it runs.
- Let the room air out after you finish. Ozone takes a while to break down.
Oxygen has its own hazards
Oxygen-rich air makes things burn faster and hotter.
- Keep oxygen fittings and regulators free of oil and grease. Never lubricate them.
- No flames, smoking, heaters or sparks near the setup.
- Keep cylinders upright and secured so they can't fall.
- Use an oxygen-rated regulator, such as the CGA-540 regulator, and close the cylinder valve when you're done.
Equipment
- Keep the generator dry.
- Check the tubing before each use. Hard, cracked or discolored tubing leaks ozone into the room. Replace it with ozone-resistant silicone tubing. See ozone-safe materials.
- Don't modify the generator. Store it out of children's reach.
If something goes wrong
- You breathed ozone: get to fresh air. If coughing, chest pain or breathlessness doesn't settle, get medical help.
- A leak: close the oxygen cylinder, switch off the generator, air out the room, then check the tubing and fittings.
- A fire near oxygen: leave, call 911 and tell them oxygen is involved.
Questions about your setup? Call or write to us.
Equipment safety information only, not medical advice. Synergy generators are sold as water purification systems and have not been assessed by the FDA.