Increasing your awareness of carbon monoxide and the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning will reduce the risk. Here are some additional resources about this silent killer to help you avoid becoming a victim.
Information and advice about carbon monoxide poisoning, its symptoms and how it can be prevented.
A national campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by carbon monoxide.
Information and advice about carbon monoxide poisoning, symptoms, causes, prevention and treatment.
The official list of gas engineers who are registered to work safely and legally on gas appliances.
The Gas Safety Trust (formerly The CORGI Trust) has become the UK's leading gas safety charity.
Headway, the charity that works to improve life after brain injury, provides useful information.
Reviewed: 12/07/2023 (doc:547 V1.1). Our articles are reviewed regularly. However, any changes made to standards or legislation following the review date will not have been considered. Please note that we provide abridged, easy-to-understand guidance. To make detailed decisions about your fire safety provisions, you might require further advice or need to consult the full standards and legislation.
Many people are unaware of the devastating effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon Monoxide has no colour, smell or taste and cannot be detected by the human senses. It is extremely dangerous, binding itself to the haemoglobin in red blood cells and preventing them from transporting oxygen around the body.
According to statistics released by the Office for National Statistics, throughout England and Wales, there are an average of over 60 deaths every year due to accidental exposure to carbon monoxide - up to 45% of which occur in the home.
Source: ONS, User Requested Data, Refs 006780, 007476 & 009122
Figures from the Department of Health and Social Care show that there are around 4000 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning treated in A&E Departments across England each year - even mild cases can exacerbate existing conditions such as respiratory illnesses, leading to fatalities.
According to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England, around 200 per year are hospitalised in England and Wales as a result of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
A study of more than 27,000 properties by the Liverpool John Moores University, supported by the Merseyside and West Midlands Fire Services, found that less than 10% of homes have a single carbon monoxide alarm to protect occupants from this deadly gas.
Source: Liverpool John Moores University