Keep Yourself Safe when Using Dry Ice
Following these tips will ensure that you stay safe when handling dry ice.
Dry ice is a fun way to make holidays and other occasions more memorable. It is also very useful for commercial purposes and for shipping items that need to stay cold. Dry ice, however, is very dangerous if not handled properly. Knowing a thing or two about dry ice and proper handling procedures will ensure that you can keep yourself safe.
Dry Ice is as Cold as Antarctica
Dry ice temperatures will measure around -109°F (-78.5°C). For comparison purposes, the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -128°F (-89°C) in Antarctica! You might imagine the risk of frostbite and other skin injuries with temperatures that cold, but these risks are very real indeed with dry ice. Always wear protective gloves or use a protective cloth barrier when handling dry ice. Dry ice burns are treated in the same manner as heat burns.
Keep Dry Ice Well-Ventilated
Dry ice sublimates, meaning it turns from a solid to a gas. This property is what gives it some of its most fun uses! However, it is important to know that dry ice can suffocate you if it is not used in a place with good ventilation. Since dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, the gas emitted when it sublimates can increase the carbon dioxide levels in your breathable air. A .47% increase in carbon dioxide levels is enough to suffocate you. So make sure you’re using dry ice in rooms with good air flow.
Storage Tips
Dry ice will sublimate everywhere (except perhaps Antarctica!) but you can slow the sublimation process by storing it in a thickly insulated container. Do not use any airtight containers, however, as these can possibly explode with the build-up of gasses. Also, storing dry ice in a freezer is not ideal unless it has broken down and you’re using it to keep your foods cold. If the freezer operates, dry ice will cause the thermometer to shut down and it will be used up faster.
Dry Ice Corp: A Dry Ice Supplier in Maryland
Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice products and customized delivery services in the Northeastern United States, from Virginia all the way up to Maine. And because our dry ice is supplied by manufacturing plants located right here in the Northeast, we can guarantee freshness. Other suppliers, meanwhile, get their dry ice from manufacturing plants as much as 1,000 miles away, which has a direct impact on product freshness. Dry Ice Corp provides the highest levels of service and freshest dry ice products.
Contact Dry Ice Corp for a FREE Quote!
If you have any questions about how to use dry Ice safely, please contact Dry Ice Corp by calling 201.767.3200. You can also connect with Dry Ice Corp on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.
