title: Environmental gas displacement: three accidental deaths in the workplace.
abstract: The authors describe three accidental deaths resulting from occupational hazards involving environmental gas alterations. One involved the displacement of oxygen caused by leakage of liquid nitrogen during the installation of a magnetic resonance imaging system. Two involved elevated environmental carbon dioxide concentrations: dry ice sublimation in a walk-in refrigerator in a research laboratory, and activation of a carbon dioxide fire alarm-extinguisher system by a woman locked in a bank vault. The autopsy findings, scene investigations, and certifications of these deaths, as related to the mechanisms of death, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York, New York 10016, USA. Alzanolomb@aol.com
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Susan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ely
authors.forename: Zhongxue
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hua
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000506:poisoning*; D004367:Dry Ice; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005388:Fire Extinguishing Systems; D005739:Gas Poisoning / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000506:poisoning*
chemical_list: D004367:Dry Ice; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009584:Nitrogen