Carbon monoxide poisoning – NHS

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can make you seriously ill if you breathe it in. Carbon monoxide can be made by fires and appliances that burn gas, wood, oil or coal.

Check if you have carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide gas is colourless and does not smell, so you cannot tell if it is around you.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• headache
• dizziness
• feeling sick or being sick
• feeling weak
• confusion
• chest and muscle pain
• shortness of breath

The symptoms may come and go. They may get worse when you spend time in an affected room or building and get better when you leave or go outside.

Causes of carbon monoxide poisoning

Common household appliances used for heating and cooking can produce carbon monoxide if they are not installed properly, are faulty, or are poorly maintained.

Appliances that can cause carbon monoxide include:

• gas boilers
• gas cookers and clay ovens
• gas or paraffin heaters
• wood, gas and coal fires
• portable generators

Using barbeques or camping stoves inside, and turning on vehicle or lawn mower engines in your garage, can also cause a build-up of carbon monoxide.

What to do if you think you have carbon monoxide poisoning

If you think you might have carbon monoxide poisoning:

• stop using appliances you think might be making carbon monoxide (such as a boiler, cooker or heater) if you can
• open any windows and doors to let fresh air in
• go outside
• get medical advice as soon as possible – do not go back into the affected building until you have got advice

Information:

If you think a gas appliance is leaking carbon monoxide, call the free National Gas Helpline immediately on 0800 111 999.

The service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Urgent advice: Get help from NHS 111 if:

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• you are finding it hard to breathe
• you suddenly become confused
• someone loses consciousness

How to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

There are some things you can do to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Do

• get a carbon monoxide alarm for each room of your home that contains appliances that burn gas, oil, coal or wood

• get heating and cooking appliances properly installed and keep them well maintained

• make sure your boiler is serviced regularly by a qualified engineer

• keep chimneys and flues clean and well maintained

Treatments for carbon monoxide poisoning

You may need to be checked in hospital if you have carbon monoxide poisoning, especially if:

• you have symptoms of severe carbon monoxide poisoning (for example, you have difficulty breathing or you lost consciousness)
• you are pregnant
• you are a child or older person
• you have anaemia or a condition affecting your lungs, heart or blood vessels

While you are in hospital, you will usually have tests to check to level of carbon monoxide in your blood. If the level is high, you may be given oxygen through a mask.

Page last reviewed: 01 July 2022
Next review due: 01 July 2025

How to Detect Carbon Monoxide – Healthy Home Center

Carbon Monoxide and Your Health

When carbon monoxide gas contaminates the air, you breathe in more carbon monoxide than oxygen. Once it enters the body, carbon monoxide gets into the blood, where it takes the place of oxygen; this happens most notably in vital organs like the brain and heart, which then become oxygen-deprived.

The first symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Chest tightness or shortness of breath
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Headaches
• Dizziness

How carbon monoxide affects your health depends on the amount of carbon monoxide exposure and on how long the exposure lasts. Carbon monoxide poisoning may cause some of the immediate short-term effects noted above, but it can quickly turn serious, with nausea, vomiting, and loss of muscle coordination coming next. Inhaling high quantities of carbon monoxide can quickly lead to unconsciousness and suffocation.

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

A carbon monoxide detector is a must for any home and just as important as a smoke detector. CO detectors should be placed near all bedrooms; they’re the only way you will know if carbon monoxide is affecting the air quality in your home, and can help prevent serious illness and even death.

Follow all the manufacturer’s directions, including how often the unit needs replacing, and always make sure there’s a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification tag on the model you buy. Unfortunately, not all carbon monoxide detectors are 100 percent effective — some brands did well during independent testing, and others didn’t. Investigate models before you buy to choose one that rated highest in tests.

If you experience any carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, even if the detector alarm hasn’t sounded, get everyone out of your house into fresh air immediately.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, using a carbon monoxide detector is only a part of effective prevention. Also be sure all fuel-burning appliances get regular maintenance and are working properly. To reduce the risk of carbon monoxide in your home, follow these tips:

• Always open the flue when using a fireplace.
• Never leave your car turned on in the garage; for instance, if you warm it up before driving in the winter, do it outside.
• Be cautious using wood-burning stoves: Make sure they are certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and that the doors close tightly.
• Use appropriate fuel in kerosene heaters.
• Keep all gas appliances in your home working properly and inspect them often.
• Have your furnace and entire heating system inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.
• Never use gasoline-powered machines or charcoal grills indoors.
• Quickly repair any leaks in your central heating system.

It’s important to take these safety precautions to make sure that you keep carbon monoxide out of your home. Carbon monoxide monitors, used in conjunction with preventive safety tips, can help you keep you and your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.

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Carbon monoxide | THE INVISIBLE ENEMY

Sources of carbon monoxide

Typically, carbon monoxide is formed when there is not enough oxygen to burn. The reason for this situation is faulty ventilation or a clogged chimney, as a result of which flue gases do not exit through the chimney, but accumulate in the room, in turn reducing the level of oxygen necessary for combustion. Flue gases generated in gas equipment are odorless and colorless, so a person cannot feel when flue gases and carbon monoxide begin to penetrate from gas equipment into the room. Ordinary burning of food can also cause carbon monoxide and cause poisoning. But in everyday life, the most common cause of carbon monoxide formation is still the stove damper closed too early.

Carbon monoxide sensor

Since carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and tasteless, the smoke detector cannot detect it. It is worth knowing that the smoke detector is triggered by visible smoke. These are two completely different devices, the principles of which differ. The carbon monoxide sensor is the only device that detects carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide sensor sends an alarm signal when the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air begins to approach a level dangerous to human health. The carbon monoxide sensor does not detect natural gas leaks.

Install a carbon monoxide detector if you have one at home:

• Gas equipment – gas boiler or gas boiler
• Solid fuel stove/stove/fireplace

A carbon monoxide detector is not necessary if the only gas appliance you use in your home is a gas stove and there is no solid fuel combustion chamber.

How to install?

When to install a carbon monoxide detector

Since 2018, it has been mandatory in Estonia to install a carbon monoxide detector in all dwellings that have a gas appliance connected to a chimney. Such equipment is primarily a gas-fired boiler and boiler. Although today the installation of a carbon monoxide detector is mandatory for gas equipment connected to a chimney, in any case it is worth installing the detector if you have heating equipment at home, which can also cause the formation of dangerous carbon monoxide: wood stove, fireplace, stove, boiler etc.

The installation of a carbon monoxide detector is voluntary if the formation of carbon monoxide and its entry into the living quarters is prevented by technical aids. For example, in the event that the combustion air is taken into the gas device directly from the atmosphere and the gas released during combustion is also sent through the chimney provided for this directly into the atmosphere.

Acquisition of carbon monoxide sensor

Before you buy a carbon monoxide detector, consider where you want to install it. For example, a sensor installed in a bathroom should be suitable for wet rooms. Information about the moisture resistance of the sensor can be found in its instruction manual.

You can choose between sensors with and without a screen, there are also sensors with different power systems (battery or accumulator).

Be aware that the sensor must be accompanied by an instruction manual in Estonian, which will indicate the requirements for its installation.

The sensor alarm is generally triggered when the indoor carbon monoxide concentration exceeds 30 ppm for more than two hours or when the carbon monoxide concentration is 300 ppm or more. The alarm will stop working when the carbon monoxide concentration drops below 50 ppm. Digital display sensor alarm is triggered under the same conditions.

Ensure that the following information is indicated on the

sensor:

• CE mark – this mark indicates that the manufacturer or importer guarantees that the product meets all important health and safety requirements
• Manufacturer data
• Type of gas to be detected with device name and model
• Standard number, machine type (A or B)
• Serial number (or month-day of production)
• Rated voltage/frequency/power (in case of mains supply)
• Battery type (if battery powered)
• Recommended Maximum Device Life
• Warning “Read the instruction manual carefully before installation and use”

Carbon monoxide sensor installation

Carbon monoxide detectors vary, so when installing a detector, always refer to the instruction manual for the particular detector that should come with it.

The most appropriate location for the carbon monoxide detector depends on several factors: location of the combustion chamber, room layout, ventilation system, occupancy, etc.

The detector is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The sensor should not be located near ventilation systems or air ducts because carbon monoxide levels may be lower there than elsewhere.

If it is a house with several floors, then it is recommended to install a carbon monoxide detector on each floor and, if possible, in each bedroom.

Carbon monoxide detector must not be installed:

• above the sink or above the stove
• in a location where curtains or furniture may interfere with airflow to the sensor
• in a place where the temperature drops below 10°C or rises above 40°C
• in a place where the sensor could be hit or otherwise damaged
• in a location where dirt or dust can accumulate and interfere with the

sensor

• outside building
• in cabinet

Carbon monoxide detector recommended:

• in a room where there is a source of carbon monoxide
• in the bedroom
• on each floor
• in the nursery
• in the kitchen
• in garage

One carbon monoxide detector is intended for use in one room because the device only indicates the level of carbon monoxide that diffuses near the detector. Carbon monoxide detector does not detect natural gas leaks or smoke!

How to maintain the carbon monoxide detector?

• Check the working condition of the carbon monoxide sensor once a month. This is done by pressing the test button. An audible signal confirms the operating status of the device.
• The carbon monoxide sensor should be dusted regularly. You can use a rag for this.
• A carbon monoxide detector with a replaceable power supply will report a low battery with an intermittent beep or information on a digital display. This means that the battery should be changed as soon as possible.

What to do if the carbon monoxide sensor is triggered?

1. Quickly open windows and doors and ventilate the room well.
2. Remove potential casualties to fresh air. If someone shows symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting), then call an ambulance.
3. Turn off all fuel burning equipment or open damper.
4. Call a qualified technician to help solve the problem.

The carbon monoxide alarm will stop working after the carbon monoxide concentration drops.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning depend on the amount of carbon monoxide inhaled. A mild degree of poisoning is characterized by headache, dizziness, tinnitus, a feeling of lack of air, nausea, general weakness and apathy. With the aggravation of poisoning, a violation of motor functions occurs, and the person remains conscious, that is, he is aware of the seriousness of the threat that has arisen, he wants to leave the dangerous environment, but is unable to do so. Then comes the loss of consciousness. If help arrives quickly, then the symptoms of poisoning disappear and the person recovers completely. But if the action of the poisonous substance continues, the person falls into a coma, that is, into a deep unconscious state that poses a threat to life.

Carbon monoxide levels and associated symptoms

CO (ppm)

Exposure and symptoms over time

20 ppm

Low carbon monoxide concentration. Even 8 hours in such an environment may not cause any symptoms of poisoning. But it is still worth checking the heating equipment and monitoring the situation.

50 ppm

Weakness, with physical exertion there is a feeling of lack of air.

100 ppm

This concentration is safe for humans for 15 minutes. If this time is exceeded, then there is a throbbing headache in the temples, drowsiness and a feeling of lack of air during physical exertion.

200 ppm

Within 2-3 hours there is a throbbing headache, drowsiness, tiredness and excitement, nausea.

300 ppm

Vomiting, drowsiness, tachycardia, headache, fainting and agitation, visual disturbances appear within 1-2 hours.

400 ppm

Dangerous to life after three hours. Severe headache, agitation.

600 ppm

Dangerous to life after two hours. Vomiting, severe headache, fainting, visual disturbances.

The concentration of carbon monoxide is measured in ppm, that is, in parts per million. 1 ppm = 0.001‰ = 0.0001%

NB! Children, people suffering from respiratory and circulatory diseases, and the elderly are the most sensitive to carbon monoxide. Even a small dose of carbon monoxide can pose a huge threat to the embryo.

Quick reference

• Install a carbon monoxide detector – it will report a dangerous situation.
• Have your heating and gas appliances regularly serviced by competent persons!
• The chimney and chimney of heating equipment should be cleaned once a year. The chimney in an apartment building and the chimney of gas equipment can only be cleaned by a chimney sweeper who has a certificate of qualification.
• Do not modify heating systems, chimneys and ventilation unless you are a specialist. Consult with a competent person or order this work from a specialist.
• The presence of special competencies can be checked by the name of the company in the register of economic activities (https://mtr.mkm.ee/).
• The competence of a chimney sweep can be checked in the occupation register. You can choose the right chimney sweeper in your area at https://www.korsten.ee/

Do you see anything

?

• YES

• NO

Do you hear anything

?

• YES

• NO

Or maybe

you smell something?

• YES

• NO

IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW YOU ANSWER.

YOU STILL LOSE!

TO WIN,

YOU NEED A CO2 SENSOR.

Carbon monoxide is odorless,

color and sound dangerous.

Man is unable to recognize him.

What is carbon monoxide and why is it dangerous – News

Let’s try to understand and remember the knowledge of physics and chemistry.

Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide, or carbon monoxide, chemical formula CO) is a gaseous compound formed during combustion of any kind.

What happens when this substance enters the body?

After entering the respiratory tract, carbon monoxide molecules immediately appear in the blood and bind to hemoglobin molecules. A completely new substance is formed – carboxyhemoglobin, which prevents the transport of oxygen. For this reason, oxygen deficiency develops very quickly.

The most important danger is that carbon monoxide is invisible and in no way noticeable, it has neither smell nor color, that is, the cause of the ailment is not obvious, it is not always possible to detect it immediately. Carbon monoxide cannot be felt in any way, which is why its second name is silent killer.

Feeling fatigue, loss of strength and dizziness, a person makes a fatal mistake – he decides to lie down. And, even if he then understands the reason and the need to go out into the air, as a rule, he is not able to do anything. Many could be saved by knowledge of the symptoms of CO poisoning – knowing them, it is possible to suspect the cause of the ailment in time and take the necessary measures to save.

What are the symptoms and signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

The severity of the injury depends on several factors: Weakened, with chronic diseases, especially those accompanied by anemia, the elderly, pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the effects of CO;

– duration of exposure of the CO compound to the body;

– concentration of carbon monoxide in the inhaled air;

– physical activity during poisoning. The higher the activity, the faster the poisoning occurs.

Three degrees of severity of carbon monoxide poisoning by symptoms headaches, mainly in the frontal and temporal regions; knocking in the temples; noise in ears; dizziness; blurred vision – flickering, dots before the eyes; unproductive, i.e. dry cough; rapid breathing; shortness of breath, shortness of breath; lacrimation; nausea; hyperemia (redness) of the skin and mucous membranes; tachycardia; increase in blood pressure.

Symptoms moderate severity is the persistence of all symptoms of the previous stage and their more severe form: blurred consciousness, possible loss of consciousness for a short time; vomit; hallucinations, both visual and auditory; violation of the vestibular apparatus, uncoordinated movements; pressing chest pains.

A severe degree of poisoning is characterized by the following symptoms: paralysis; long-term loss of consciousness, coma; convulsions; pupil dilation; involuntary emptying of the bladder and intestines; increased heart rate up to 130 beats per minute, but at the same time it is weakly palpable; cyanosis (blue) of the skin and mucous membranes; breathing disorders – it becomes superficial and intermittent.

Atypical forms of carbon monoxide poisoning

There are two of them – fainting and euphoric.

Symptoms of fainting form: pallor of the skin and mucous membranes; lowering blood pressure; loss of consciousness.

Euphoric symptoms: psychomotor agitation; violation of mental functions: delirium, hallucinations, laughter, oddities in behavior; loss of consciousness; respiratory and heart failure.

How to give first aid to victims of carbon monoxide poisoning

It is very important to provide first aid promptly, as irreversible consequences occur very quickly.

First, remove the casualty to fresh air as soon as possible. In cases where this is difficult, then the victim should be put on a gas mask with a hopcalite cartridge as soon as possible, and given an oxygen cushion.

Secondly, you need to make breathing easier – clear the airways, if necessary, unfasten clothing, lay the victim on his side in order to prevent possible tongue sticking.

Third, stimulate breathing. Bring ammonia, rub the chest, warm the limbs. And most importantly – you need to call an ambulance. Even if a person at first glance is in a satisfactory condition, it is necessary that he be examined by a doctor, since it is not always possible to determine the true degree of poisoning only by symptoms. In addition, timely initiated therapeutic measures will reduce the risk of complications and mortality from carbon monoxide poisoning. If the victim is in a serious condition, it is necessary to carry out resuscitation measures before the arrival of doctors.

In which cases there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning

In our time, cases of poisoning occur a little less than in the days when residential heating was predominantly stove, but there are still sources of increased risk now. Potential sources of danger of carbon monoxide poisoning: houses with stove heating, fireplaces. Improper operation increases the risk of carbon monoxide penetration into the room, thus fading away in houses with entire families; baths, saunas, especially those that heat “on black”; garages; in industries using carbon monoxide; long stay near major roads; fire in a closed room (elevator, shaft, and other rooms that cannot be left without outside help).

Numbers only

• A mild degree of carbon monoxide poisoning occurs already at a carbon monoxide concentration of 0.08% – there is a headache, dizziness, suffocation, general weakness.
• An increase in CO concentration to 0.32% causes motor paralysis and fainting. Death occurs in about half an hour.

At a CO concentration of 1.2% or more, a lightning-fast form of poisoning develops – in a couple of breaths a person receives a lethal dose, a lethal outcome occurs after a maximum of 3 minutes.

Passenger car exhaust contains 1.5 to 3% carbon monoxide. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to get poisoned while the engine is running not only indoors, but also outdoors.

• About two and a half thousand people in Russia are annually hospitalized with varying degrees of severity of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Precautions

To minimize the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is sufficient to observe the following rules:

– operate stoves and fireplaces in accordance with the rules, regularly check the operation of the ventilation system and clean the chimney in a timely manner, and entrust the laying of stoves and fireplaces only to professionals;

– do not stay near busy roads for a long time;

– always turn off the engine of the car in a closed garage.