Key Points

Fire

• Flammable gas
• May react violently with other substances
• In the event of a fire involving carbon monoxide, use fine water spray with normal fire-fighting clothing and breathing apparatus

Health

• Toxic when inhaled
• Following short-term exposure symptoms such as headache, dizziness, confusion, disorientation, memory loss, fainting, coma and death may arise
• Effects such as fast heart rate and breathing, low blood pressure and cardiac arrest may also occur
• Long-term effects may occur such as behavioural changes
• Long-term exposure to low concentrations of carbon monoxide may cause tiredness, headaches, sickness, dizziness, personality changes, memory problems, visual and hearing loss
• Carbon monoxide may cause harm to the unborn child

Environment

• Unlikely to pose a significant risk to the environment

Information on CO awareness and press releases on CO

All sections are available to download in PDF format.

 

• Carbon monoxide - Full Document (PDF, 150 KB)
  HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards Carbon monoxide, version 3, 2011. This document will be reviewed not later than 3 years or sooner if substantive evidence becomes available.
  Added/updated: 13 January 2012
  
• General Information - Carbon monxide (PDF, 54 KB)
  Carbon Monoxide General Information.
  Added/updated: 21 March 2011
  
• Incident Management (PDF, 73 KB)
  Carbon monoxide Incident management
  Added/updated: 13 January 2012