ClO₂ Odour Bomb
Treatment

Procedure

1. 1

   **SHARED — Setup and PPE.** Confirm vehicle is parked outside or in an open-bay area with airflow. Confirm no people, animals or unattended items inside. Don half-face respirator + cartridges, nitrile gloves, sealed eye protection BEFORE handling the tablet.

   Hazards

   • ⚠ClO₂ gas exposure if PPE donned after handling
   • •Treating a vehicle with someone or something still inside
   • •Treating in a sealed indoor space — gas accumulation in adjacent areas

   Controls

   • ✓PPE on FIRST, every time, no exceptions
   • ✓Walk-around check: cabin, boot, footwells. Confirm empty before sealing.
   • •Vehicle outside or in well-ventilated open bay only — never a closed workshop
   • •Confirm gas/P2 cartridges are within service date
2. 2

   **SHARED — Bottle preparation.** Place a clean container with ~200 mL water in the vehicle (typically driver footwell, on a tray to catch drips). Open the ClO₂ tablet sachet, drop tablet into water. Gas release begins immediately.

   Hazards

   • ⚠Concentrated ClO₂ release at the moment tablet hits water — concentrated cloud at the bottle
   • •Solution splash on skin / eyes during pour

   Controls

   • ✓Step back from the bottle for 30 seconds after dropping the tablet
   • ✓Do NOT lean over the bottle
   • •Tray under bottle to catch any tip-over splashes
   • •Keep water at room temperature — hot water accelerates release dangerously
3. 3

   **SHARED — Vehicle setup.** Close all doors, windows up. Set HVAC to RECIRCULATE (not fresh air) to keep gas in the cabin. Lock the vehicle. Affix the **DO NOT ENTER** door warning sign visibly to the driver door window with treatment start time and estimated completion time.

   Hazards

   • ⚠Unauthorised re-entry — colleague, customer, vehicle owner
   • •HVAC on fresh-air setting flushes gas before treatment completes

   Controls

   • ✓Door warning sign with start + estimated completion time, signed/initialled by operator
   • ✓Vehicle keys in operator's pocket — not in lockbox / on hook accessible to others
   • ✓Notify any other workers on site that ClO₂ treatment is in progress, and on which vehicle
   • •Confirm HVAC is set to RECIRCULATE before locking
4. 4

   **METHOD A (Aerator) — Activate aerator.** Place battery-powered aerator unit with bubbling tube into the water container BEFORE locking. Confirm aerator is running, bubbles dispersing gas. Lock vehicle. Treatment time: 1–2 hours.

   Hazards

   • ⚠Aerator battery failure mid-treatment — operator may approach without PPE to check
   • •Aerator electrical fault inside ClO₂ atmosphere

   Controls

   • ✓Use only intrinsically-safe / sealed aerator units — confirm rated for use in oxidising atmospheres
   • ✓Confirm batteries are fresh / fully charged before starting; spare battery on hand
   • ✓If aerator stops mid-treatment: PPE FULLY ON before unlocking + investigating
   • •Set a timer for treatment duration so you don't check too early
5. 5

   **METHOD B (Static — overnight) — No aerator.** Same setup as steps 1–3. Confirm bottle is stable in footwell tray. No aerator. Treatment time: 10–12 hours, scheduled overnight. Operator off site, vehicle locked + signed.

   Hazards

   • ⚠Unattended vehicle — overnight period extends unauthorised re-entry window
   • ⚠Workshop opens next morning before operator returns to check vehicle

   Controls

   • ✓Door warning sign clearly displays "DO NOT ENTER" and a phone number to reach operator
   • ✓Notify any morning-shift staff that the vehicle is under treatment and not to be approached
   • ✓Vehicle parked away from public access; gates / yard secured
   • •Operator returns first thing in the morning to ventilate
6. 6

   **SHARED — Pre-opening assessment.** Before opening the vehicle, re-don full PPE (respirator, gloves, eye protection). Confirm treatment time has elapsed.

   Hazards

   • ⚠Opening vehicle without PPE — concentrated gas dose released

   Controls

   • ✓Re-don respirator + gloves + eye protection BEFORE touching the vehicle
   • ✓No exceptions — even "just to take a quick look" risks severe respiratory harm
7. 7

   **SHARED — Open and ventilate.** Approach vehicle, unlock and open all doors and windows from the outside (use door handles, not by climbing in). Step back. Allow vehicle to ventilate with doors open for at least 30 minutes before approaching cabin.

   Hazards

   • •Concentrated gas release at the moment doors open
   • •Operator entering cabin too soon to retrieve bottle

   Controls

   • ✓Step UPWIND when opening doors — don't face into the cabin
   • ✓Wait 30 minutes minimum before approaching cabin to retrieve bottle
   • •Use a long stick / hook to open the far door if needed without leaning in
8. 8

   **SHARED — Retrieve bottle and dispose.** With PPE still on, retrieve the bottle and tray. Dispose of solution to wastewater (sink, NOT stormwater drain). Rinse bottle and tray. Continue ventilating vehicle for total of 2+ hours from opening.

   Hazards

   • ⚠Solution to stormwater = environmental notifiable event
   • •Residual gas in cabin during retrieval

   Controls

   • ✓Wastewater disposal only — NEVER stormwater. Council trade-waste compliant.
   • •Bottle into nitrile-gloved hand only; do not touch solution directly
   • •Vehicle remains open for total 2+ hours before any worker / customer enters
9. 9

   **SHARED — Pre-handover check.** Before vehicle handover or interior work resumes: confirm no residual chlorine smell. If smell persists, extend ventilation. Remove door warning sign once cabin is confirmed clear.

   Hazards

   • •Handing over vehicle with residual gas — customer / next worker exposure

   Controls

   • ✓Sniff-check from outside cabin (not inside) — any persistent chlorine smell = extend ventilation
   • •Document treatment completion in job notes
   • •If unsure: extend ventilation for another hour. There is no penalty for over-ventilating.