Intoxication by exposure to CO₂ is caused mainly during work carried out by professionals in wine vats. CO₂ is a dangerous, colourless, odourless gas that is heavier than air and is naturally present in cellars and vats in vineyards. Accidents happen because some winegrowers are in the habit of using the old “candle” method to check the level of CO₂ inside vats. However, this method is very unreliable. This is what we are demonstrating with a bespoke “in vitro” experiment.

The information meeting includes:

– A technical section using a CO₂ detection simulator developed by students at Briacé agricultural college,

– A medical section and an introduction to the alert-rescue mechanism run jointly by the chief doctor and SDIS training unit manager 44,

– An introduction by the MSA to the resources and systems available to prevent this risk,

– A legal risks awareness session run by the Fédération des Vins de Nantes,

– The screening of a very short film to raise awareness of this risk, produced by the Briacé students as part of their training course.

In support of their wine-growing members, Groupama local mutuals are partnering with this initiative and offering to provide support for annual maintenance work on the detectors.

Groupama Loire Bretagne and its local mutuals have been working alongside professionals for a number of years on prevention issues – and specifically in the agricultural sector, where its mutualist values of solidarity and close local support were originally forged.