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Reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning over winter

15 November 2010

To mark the start of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, the Health Protection Agency is today advising people to have their fossil fuel and wood burning appliances - such as boilers, heaters and cookers - checked by an appropriately registered engineer before the winter sets in.


At high levels Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning can cause sudden collapse, loss of consciousness and death. Other symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, chest pains nausea and vomiting.

Professor Robert Maynard of the Health Protection Agency said: "Figures show that in England and Wales around 50 people die from accidental exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide each year. Many of those deaths take place between November and February due to faulty fossil fuel and wood burning appliances or blocked flues. These deaths are preventable.

“To lower the risk, people should ensure that their fossil fuel and wood burning appliances are regularly checked by an appropriately registered engineer and that flues are checked for blockages. To minimise the risks, I recommend that people have these appliances and their flues checked before the start of winter.”

The HPA also recommends that people should fit a British Standards Kitemarked audible CO alarm in their homes. The installation of an alarm, which can be bought from most DIY retailers, should not, however, replace regular inspections by a registered engineer.

Press enquiries: please contact the HPA's Press Office on (01235) 822876, 822737, 822745 or email: pressoffice@hpa.org.uk

Notes to editors

  • Further information on carbon monoxide can be found at http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/ChemicalsAndPoisons/CompendiumOfChemicalHazards/CarbonMonoxide/
  • A video about carbon monoxide can be found on: www.nhs.uk
  • Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas which is therefore difficult to detect. However there are sometimes indicators that may suggest a fault with domestic boilers or flues. The signs of trouble are black sooty marks on the radiants (clay bars above the gas flames) of gas fires, sooty marks on the wall around stoves, boilers or fires, smoke accumulating in rooms due to faulty flues. Yellow instead of blue flames from gas appliances is another sign that there may be a fault with the appliance (although this does not apply to fuel-effect, living-flame or decorative-flame gas fires as they are designed to look like flames from a solid fuel appliance). If you see any of these signs, turn off the appliance, open your windows and have an appropriately registered engineer service the appliance as soon as possible.
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood and so starves vital organs of oxygen. As more carbon monoxide is breathed in, less oxygen can be carried in the blood and symptoms worsen. Reversal of symptoms experienced by those mildly poisoned occurs on breathing non-contaminated air or through the provision of 100% oxygen.

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Last reviewed: 15 November 2010