carbon monoxide warning posster

Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer

Not without good reason is Carbon Monoxide known as The Silent Killer

carbon monoxide symptoms poster

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odourless, colourless gas. It makes no noise when there is leakage and can build slowly over months or even years, causing sickness which is often misdiagnosed. Fatalities are, unfortunately, far too common.

According to the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) carbon monoxide is caused by the: “Incomplete combustion of propane, gasoline, natural gas, wood or heating oils.”

This, we are told, occurs when a fuel burning appliance is not properly and regularly maintained by a trained professional.

It is easy to imagine CO poisoning as commonly a result of a car engine running in an enclosed space, such as a garage.

More often than not, however, the problem originates with a gas fire, a boiler or even an oven where a blocked or damaged vent is present.

This can happen in the home, in a motorhome or even when out camping.

It is difficult to put an exact figure on the number of fatalities around the world which occur as a direct result of CO. Not only do ailments go misdiagnosed, so too do causes of death at post mortem stage.

What we do know is that as far back as 2004 the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that almost half a million people every year fell victim to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.

Symptoms

Part of the problem with diagnosing CO poisoning is the commonality of symptoms.

All too often the condition is mistaken for a cold or the onset of flu. Symptoms such as fever, chest pain, feeling overly tired, general aches, dizziness and impaired motor functions are often be misinterpreted by health care professionals.

Timothy M Egan, president and CEO at CGA said: “There are no obvious signs of carbon monoxide presence in a building, which is why without a working CO alarm it is hard to detect. Regular maintenance of appliances and proper installation and testing of CO alarms are important steps that all residential and building owners must take to prevent and detect carbon monoxide.”

Mr Egan went on to stress that “Awareness, prevention and detection is what we are reminding Canadians about this week.”

For this reason many countries around the world dedicate a week to raising awareness of The Silent Killer each year, and Canada is no exception.

Canada carbon monoxide poster

This year National CO Awareness Week in Canada runs from November 1 – November 7, during which various governmental and non-governmental organisations attempt to get the message out to an ever growing audience of concerned users.

Steps to take

While CO poisoning remains a killer across the world, ensuring that you and your family are safe is simple and not overly costly.

Even with regular checks and maintenance there is no reason not to invest in a CO Detector for the home. Very much like a smoke alarm, a CO detector will sound whenever Carbon Monoxide is present.

These can be purchased from around $25 and upward from any number of hardware outlets, including Home Depot.

For more information on the dangers of carbon monoxide there is a wealth of information to be found online. One particularly good resource can be found at the Best Heating UK blog or by visiting the Canadian Gas Association at http://www.cga.ca/

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