SAFETY SOLUTIONS: Carbon Monoxide Hazards

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and toxic gas, and is often referred to as the “silent killer.” When inhaled, it inhibits the blood’s capacity to transport oxygen throughout the body. It can poison the body quickly in high concentrations, or slowly over long periods of time.

What are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, burning eyes, confusion, drowsiness and even loss of consciousness. In severe cases, CO poisoning can cause brain damage and death. The elderly, children and people with heart or respiratory conditions may be particularly sensitive to CO.

How is carbon monoxide generated?

Carbon monoxide is a by-product of incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood. This incomplete combustion can occur in any device that depends on burning for energy or heat, such as furnaces, room heaters, fireplaces, hot water heaters, stoves or grills and any gas powered vehicle or engine. Automobiles left running in attached garages, gas barbecues operated inside the house, grills or kerosene heaters that are not properly vented, or chimneys or vents that are dirty or plugged may create unsafe levels of CO. When properly installed, maintained and vented, any CO produced by these devices will not stay inside the home.

What are some danger signs?

You or other members of your family or at your workplace have symptoms of CO exposure (see above). You notice a sharp, penetrating odor or smell of gas when your furnace or other fuel-burning equipment turns on.

The air is stale or stuffy.

The pilot light of your furnace or other fuel-burning equipment goes out. Chalky white powder forms on the chimney/exhaust vent pipe or soot build-up occurs around the exhaust vent.

How can unsafe levels of carbon monoxide be detected?

Carbon monoxide detectors monitor airborne concentration levels (parts per million) of carbon monoxide and sound an audible alarm when harmful CO levels are present. Be sure that your detector has been certified to the American National Standards Institute ANSI, UL Standard 2034 or, if you live in Canada CAN/CGA 6.19 standard. If you or anyone else in your home or workplace is experiencing the symptoms of CO poisoning, ensure that everyone leaves immediately, leaving the door open. Call your local fire department or 911. If your CO detector sounds, do NOT assume it to be a false alarm. Open all doors and windows to ventilate the area. If you cannot find the problem and the alarm continues, contact the fire department. If there is a strong smell of natural gas, evacuate immediately, leaving the door open and contact your local gas utility. If no symptoms are experienced, reset the detector and check to see if the alarm activates. If the detector sounds a second time, call the local fire department for their assistance. If the detector does not sound a second time, check for common conditions that may have caused a CO build-up or contact a qualified heating contractor to check your fuel-burning equipment.

Where should a carbon monoxide detector be located?

In the home, if only one detector is being installed, it should be located near the sleeping area. Where sleeping areas are located in separate parts of the home, a detector should be provided for each area. CO detectors should also be placed on each level of a residence or business in rooms where combustion devices are located (such as in a room that contains a solid fuelfired appliance, gas clothes dryer or natural gas furnace), or adjacent to potential sources of CO. Unlike smoke, which rises to the ceiling, CO mixes with air. Recognizing this, a CO detector should be located at knee-height. Due to the possibility of tampering or damage, it may be located up to chest height. To work properly, a detector should not be blocked to normal air flow. If a combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector is used, it should be located on the ceiling, to ensure that it will detect smoke effectively. Please refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for additional information regarding proper use and maintenance.

To keep safe, please remember:

You have a responsibility to know about the dangers of carbon monoxide. Your knowledge and actions may save lives. CO detectors are a good second line of defence, but do not eliminate the need for regular inspection, maintenance and safe use of fuel-burning equipment.

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