Improve Air Quality, Employee Health with Propane Forklifts
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Propane can provide a clean, low-emissions solution for businesses looking to improve their indoor air quality.
Did you know that the average person takes between 17,280 and 23,040 breaths a day? Indoor air quality is a critical health and safety issue and this statistic from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only reinforces that.
The air in warehouses and distribution centers plays an important role in employees’ health, their ability to work, and their productivity. Every day, crews working in warehouses are exposed to a variety of chemicals and pollutants. Fortunately, propane can provide a clean, sustainable solution for businesses looking to improve their indoor air quality.
Propane is a cleaner energy source compared with diesel, keeping crews and workspaces healthier with better air quality, which is why many businesses are finding propane to be a good fit for their sustainability plans. Well-maintained propane forklifts meet or exceed the nationwide indoor air quality standards, meaning they can be safely operated indoors and outdoors — unlike diesel models. Using diesel equipment indoors produces particulate matter and gases that require ventilation or open-air structures.
To help businesses better understand propane’s value proposition, the Propane Education & Research Council has emissions data that speaks for itself. The Gas Technology Institute (GTI) conducted a study that analyzed the comparative emissions of propane in key applications — including forklifts. The reports studied full-fuel-cycle energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, hydrocarbons, and criterial pollutant emissions (NOx and SOx). PERC has received emissions data from Nexight Group, too.
According to data from these sources, propane forklifts reduce SOx by 76 percent compared with electric. At high concentrations, SOx can react with other compounds to form particulate matter, which can be hazardous to human health when breathed in. In addition, propane produces 97 percent fewer NOx and hydrocarbons compared with diesel forklifts. According to the EPA, air with a high concentration of NOx emissions irritates respiratory health issues, like asthma. The combustion of hydrocarbons, like those from diesel fuel, can result in carbon monoxide pollution. Propane equipment, on the other hand, prevents employees from getting carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is the most predominant toxic gas, which can present significant risk factors to employees.
With propane equipment, businesses don’t have to sacrifice the long-term health of their crews. Instead, they can rely on the equipment for clean, versatile, and efficient operation. To learn more about the benefits of propane forklifts, visit Propane.com/Forklifts.