Health Risks Stemming from Dry Ice Blasting

How Air Cleaning Eliminates Emissions

The concept of using dry ice to clean large industrial objects dates back to 1945, when the US Navy experimented with carbon dioxide (CO2) for degreasing and surface preparation. It wasn’t until the 1980s that dry ice blasting became a widely adopted method for removing dirt, paint, and corrosion due to its ability to treat without damaging the underlying surface of an object. While the positives of its use outweigh the negatives, the method is not without concern, as it poses an occupational risk to workers if strict safety measures are not in place.

Dry Ice Blasting, Defined

Dry ice blasting is a cleaning method by which high-powered pressurized air blasts solid CO2, in the form of dry ice pellets, on a surface to clean, smooth, or remove contaminants.

When aimed at an object and then pressurized, dry ice undergoes sublimation (turns into a gas from a solid upon impact), dislodging unwanted substances. It is during this part of the process that potentially harmful emissions can enter the atmosphere and create unhealthy occupational exposure for blasting technicians.

Dry Ice Blasting Applications

Using dry ice for cleaning and removing coatings and corrosion is a common practice throughout many industries. Whether removing smoke stains from the walls of a 150-year-old historic property or cleaning fragile electrical components, solid carbon dioxide pellets provide a superior non-abrasive method for blasting without a high risk of damage. Countless manufacturing sectors use it every day, including those listed below.

• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Biotech
• Electronics
• Food & Beverage
• Medical
• Petrochemical
• Pharmaceutical

IAQ and Occupational Risk

To understand how air quality becomes compromised, one should know the ingredients in dry ice and how the blasting method works.

The only ingredient in dry ice is carbon dioxide. CO2 is produced both by human activity and forms organically within nature. The difference is that dry ice is an inert, solid, highly concentrated form of CO2, and its emissions can make someone sick – or worse – cause suffocation.

Health Problems: Whatever is blasted from an object – grease, mold, paint, adhesives – can become airborne. These floating contaminants – in the form of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), toxic gases, particulate matter (PM), and dust – can be inhaled and cause headaches, nausea, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, or worse.

Asphyxiation: Because CO2 is heavier than air, it can accumulate, potentially displacing oxygen in an enclosed workspace. In some cases, the lack of air can cause suffocation.

Mitigation Strategies

While dry ice blasting is generally safe, if carbon dioxide gas accumulates to unsafe levels, nearby workers can be exposed to significant occupational risk. To combat this, the following mitigation strategies should be employed:

• Proper workspace ventilation
• Installation of CO2 monitors
• Ensure safe storage of dry ice products
• PPE requirements – employees should wear personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, and facemasks
• Routine equipment inspections
• Install air cleaning units to remove toxic emissions at their source

Air cleaners (also known as air purifiers, fume extractors, and filtration systems) can help improve IAQ by removing potentially hazardous emissions before they can enter a worker’s breathing space. Our Extract-All® products, such as our SP-800 and SP987-2 fume extractor models, used for source-capture air filtration, can help.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our clean air specialists to learn which air cleaning product is right for your company.