A Tacoma woman died from asphyxiation and her daughter-in-law is in critical condition after riding in a car with containers of dry ice. Even at normal room temperatures, dry ice will warm and release carbon dioxide gas, which can displace the oxygen inside a small, enclosed space.
Dry ice is commonly used in UW research. Its properties allow for rapid cooling of materials, but also pose unique worker safety hazards.
- If you work with dry ice, review the guidelines on how to Work Safely with Dry Ice.
- If you ship packages with dry ice, take the Shipping Dry Ice online training course.
Contact the Environmental Health & Safety Department at 206.543.7262 or ehsdept@uw.edu with questions.