As part of their ongoing commitment to protecting the communities, Cleveland Fire Brigade is proud to support Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, which takes place from 20th November to 26th November.
The annual campaign aims to educate the public about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and the importance of having working CO alarms in homes and businesses.
Suspected CO poisoning
CO is a poisonous gas which is produced when fossil fuels burn inefficiently
CO is a poisonous gas which is produced when fossil fuels burn inefficiently. The most common sources are faulty boilers, gas fires and cookers. CO is known as the ‘Silent Killer’, due to its lack of colour, taste and smell, however it can be detected by CO alarms.
CO starves the body of oxygen. Making individuals feel unwell, and therefore is potentially mistaken as cold or flu. Symptoms can include dizziness, tiredness or confusion, headaches, difficulty breathing, stomach-ache or sickness.
High levels of CO can be fatal. Each year in the UK alone, over 200 people are hospitalised with suspected CO poisoning, which leads to around 60 deaths.
Maintaining good air circulation
Follow the tips for staying safe from CO at home:
DOs:
- Do use the extraction fan when cooking. If users don’t have one open a window;
- Do save the Gas Emergency Service Number on the phone: 0800 111 999;
- Do check any heating appliances are in good working order and not subject to a product recall by checking for Product Safety and Standards website for any alerts or recalls (Office for Product Safety and Standards);
- Do ensure users use the correct fuel for woodburning stoves and open fires – to reduce the risk of toxic fumes, chimney fires and CO poisoning;
- Look out for crisp blue flame rather than a floppy yellow flame on gas appliances.
DON’Ts:
- Don’t block flues or ventilation bricks and passages, these help to maintain good air circulation;
- Don’t put a generator or any other diesel or petrol fuelled appliance inside a building, or positioned where fumes can blow inside. The build-up of CO can be fatal within minutes;
- Don’t ignore it if a neighbor or friend tells them they feel unwell at home but better outside, make sure they know about CO so they can act.
Solid fuel-burning appliance
Robin Turnbull, Area Manager, Prevention, Protection and Engagement at Cleveland Fire Brigade said: “To help keep you, your family and your home safe we recommend installing a CO alarm – it’s the only way to detect this harmful, colorless, odorless gas which can be fatal. It’s so important to check alarms are working by pushing the test button at least once a month. It could save your life.”
All landlords of private residential rental properties in England are required by law to install a CO alarm in any room that contains a solid fuel burning appliance (e.g., coal or wood burning fires and stoves).
Sean Smith, Community Engagement Manager at Cleveland Fire Brigade said: “Where people are able to only heat one room and are using that for both living and sleeping, it’s important that they can clearly hear alarms so they can be alerted to dangerous levels of CO when asleep. We advise tenants to ensure their landlord is complying to help keep them safe.”