CARBON MONOXIDE - THE FACTS

How is CO produced?
What does CO do?
Which people are affected by CO poisoning?
Diagnosing CO poisoning
Where should a CO alarm be fitted?
What should you do if the CO alarm goes off?

How is CO produced?
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal and wood) used in boilers, engines, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and even open fires. 

CO can leak from flues and poorly maintained or malfunctioning cooking and heating appliances. Inadequate ventilation or blocked flues are frequently to blame but even adverse weather conditions have been behind leaks that proved fatal. Modern insulation, such as double-glazing, can exaggerate the problem by creating an airtight environment. On boats, CO is not only produced by cooking and heating appliances but also by engines and generators. Boats in a marina can leak CO into surrounding vessels. 

What does CO do?
When we breathe in air, vital Oxygen is absorbed by the blood and transported around our body. Blood contains a special substance called Haemoglobin, which is used to carry the Oxygen.

Haemoglobin will carry Carbon Monoxide in preference to Oxygen. When we breathe in air containing Carbon Monoxide, the Carbon Monoxide replaces Oxygen and in effect, suffocates us from the inside.

CO can kill quickly when it leaks in large quantities or can build up over a period of time, initially causing symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dizziness. These are often incorrectly diagnosed by the medical profession as flu. Ultimately, if the brain does not get sufficient Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide will cause death.

ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) report around 200 deaths in the UK each year and investigations suggest that the real number is significantly higher with many more non-fatal incidents.

Varying physiological effects are caused at different exposure levels: 50 parts CO per million (ppm) of air is the safety level as specified by the Health & Safety Executive; 200ppm causes a slight headache within 2-3 hours; 400ppm gives a frontal headache within 1-2 hours, becoming widespread in 3 hours; 800ppm means dizziness, nausea, convulsions within 45 minutes and unconsciousness in 2 hours.

If you think you may be suffering from Carbon Monoxide poisoning, you should visit your local GP and ask for a Carboxyhaemoglobin Test.

The SF350EN CO alarm

The British Standard states that ideally, you should have one detector in every room that contains a heating or cooking appliance. Units should be positioned in the areas of greatest risk. If there is an appliance in a room that is used often, such as a lounge, or where people sleep, the detector should be placed in that room. If the appliance is in a room not normally used, such as a boiler room, the detector should be placed just outside that room so that the alarm will be heard more easily. On a small boat or caravan, one CO alarm is usually sufficient.

The SF340 CO alarm

For further information on Carbon Monoxide or to purchase the SF350EN or SF340 CO alarms, please contact us directly or fill in our enquiry form.