CORGI safety message after carbon monoxide poisoning in Oldham
Thursday, 10th April 2008
CORGI, the UK’s gas safety watchdog, is urging people to be vigilant to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and calling for people to buy a carbon monoxide alarm, following the death of an elderly woman in Oldham, Manchester from the poison.
Known as the ‘silent killer’, carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous substance that you cannot see, smell or taste. Carbon monoxide is potentially fatal, and even low levels of the poison can leave you with lasting damage to your health. It is produced when a carbon-based fuel (gas, wood, oil or coal) is burnt without an adequate oxygen supply.
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the ‘flu’, and can include: headaches, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, stomach and chest pains. If you feel ill whilst using an appliance, but feel better once you are in fresh air, you could be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.
CORGI’s head of safety promotion Dan Caesar, said:
“Cases like this really highlight how vulnerable as a group, the elderly can be. CORGI encourages people to be vigilant to the safety of their elderly relatives or neighbours who could be vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. Ensuring that they have an audible carbon monoxide detector, is one of the most efficient and effective ways to help keep your elderly relatives safe and costing around £25 – it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
“Each year around 30 people die and many hundreds more are seriously injured from carbon monoxide poisoning. The most devastating part of these tragedies is that carbon monoxide poisoning can be avoided if you follow CORGI’s simple safety steps - these will help to keep you and your family safe”.
CORGI’s tips for staying safe from carbon monoxide poisoning are:
You must get your gas appliances serviced and safety checked annually by a CORGI registered installer – like a MOT on your car, it will ensure your appliance is working correctly
By law, you have to be CORGI registered to work on gas. Do not use an illegal gas worker to install, fix or service your appliances – CORGI registered installers are gas experts. If they’re not CORGI, they’re not legal
Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm. These can be bought from most good DIY stores and some supermarkets and cost around £20. Do not use the ‘black spot’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present – these will not alert you if you are out of the room, asleep or overcome by carbon monoxide fumes
Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you feel ill when using a fuel-burning appliance then shut it off immediately, open all the doors and windows and call the gas safety hotline: 0800 111 999
If you notice excessive condensation in the room where an appliance is installed, sooting or staining on or around the appliance, or a lazy orange pilot flame, these are signs that your appliance could be emitting carbon monoxide
Do not block ventilation, flues or chimneys for fuel-burning appliances
For further information on carbon monoxide visit: www.trustcorgi.com or www.becarbonmonoxideaware.com or call CORGI on 0800 915 0480.
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