RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
December 5, 2006
HEALTH WORKERS NEED MORE HELP TO SPOT “SILENT KILLER”
Health professionals as well as the public need to be given more information about the “silent killer” carbon monoxide, RoSPA said today as CO Awareness Week got under way.
The deadly gas - which cannot be smelled, tasted seen or heard – claims about 30 lives in the UK each year as a result of faulty heating appliances. It can be given off by any fossil fuel - not just gas heating systems - and it is feared many doctors and health professionals miss symptoms which could save lives.
Dawn Dcaccia, Head of Home Safety UK at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said today: “There is still a great deal of ignorance about carbon monoxide poisoning and lives are being lost needlessly as a result.
“We want more publicity about its dangers so that people understand the importance of having heating appliances serviced annually – and that includes having chimneys swept.
“But we also want to see the Department of Health offering training to GPs and other health workers so that they can spot the early signs of CO poisoning and make the correct diagnosis.
“Symptoms can start with drowsiness, headaches, nausea or pains in the chest and these will often be mistaken for signs of ‘flu. As well as about 30 deaths, there are around 200 other serious incidents involving carbon monoxide and probably hundreds of other ‘near misses’ each year.
“Sometimes dangerous carbon monoxide levels have only been discovered when blood tests have been carried out on pets that have been taken ill.”
The recent tragedy in Greece where two British children died in a hotel brought the dangers back into the headlines and highlighted the need for more safety measures.
People need to look out for: boiler pilot light flames burning orange, instead of blue; sooty stains on or near appliances; excessive condensation in the room; coal or wood fires that burn slowly or go out; families suffering prolonged flu-like symptoms.
Carbon monoxide detectors are a good investment, but these alarms should never be seen as an alternative to regular servicing of heating systems.
“The winter has been relatively mild so far, but as the weather gets colder people will use their heating systems more,” Dawn Dcaccia said. “ If they have not had appliances serviced yet this year, they should make arrangements now to have the work done – it could save lives.”
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RoSPA is a registered charity: Registered Charity No: 207823 Patron: Her Majesty the Queen RoSPA Head Office: Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK |
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