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Carbon monoxide – the silent killer
What is carbon monoxide?
Many people are killed each year, and many more suffer ill health from carbon monoxide
(CO) poisoning. CO is an invisible, odourless, tasteless and extremely toxic gas. It is produced by
appliances and vehicles burning fuels, such as coal, oil, natural/bottled gas, paraffin, wood, pet-
rol, diesel, charcoal etc. CO is absorbed by red blood cells in the lungs in preference to oxygen
- this results in rapid damage to the heart and brain from oxygen starvation.
High levels of CO in a house can be caused by:
Incorrectly or poorly installed fuel-burning appliances.
Blocked or cracked chimneys/flues.
Blocked vents or draught-proofing which makes areas with fuel burning appliances or
fireplaces airtight.
Engines of cars, lawnmowers etc. left running in confined spaces.
Portable paraffin or gas heaters in badly ventilated rooms.
What happens when your CO alarm detects carbon monoxide?
When the CO alarm detects potentially dangerous levels of CO, it blinks the red alarm
light immediately and then sounds a loud alarm if the CO persists. The
Signal pattern
ta-
ble on page 28 shows how the CO alarm reacts to different levels of CO gas and exposure
time. At higher levels of CO, the alarm turns on sooner. The rate of blinking of the red LED
indicates the level of CO. If your CO alarm sounds, follow the instructions in the section
What to do when the alarm sounds
.
NEVER IGNORE THE ALARM!
Symptoms of CO poisoning
Approximate inhalation time
and symptoms developed
The maximum allowable concentration for continuous exposure in any 8 h
period according to OSHA*.
Slight headache after 1.5 h.
Slight headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea after 2 – 3 h.
Frontal headaches within 1 – 2 hours, life threatening after 3 h, also
maximum parts per million in flue gas (on an air free basis) according
to US Environmental Protection Agency.
Dizziness, nausea and convulsions within 45 min.
Unconsciousness within 2 hours. Death within 2 – 3 h.
Headache, dizziness and nausea within 20 min. Death within 1 h.
Headache, dizziness and nausea within 5 – 10 min. Death within 25 – 30 min.
Headache, dizziness and nausea within 1 – 2 min. Death within 10 – 15 min.
Death within 1 – 3 min.
CO (ppm*)
concentration
35
150
200
400
800
1600
3200
6400
12800
* ppm = parts per million
** OSHA = Occupational Safety & Health Association
Summary of Contents for BE1555
Page 1: ...BE1555 VISIT CO DETECTOR...
