Every year, dozens of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. A frequent cause of death is improper use of buildings and heating appliances and systems. Firefighters remind us that contaminants must be removed from flue and exhaust ducts:

  • four times a year in homes heated with solid fuel (e.g. coal or wood)
  • twice a year in homes heated with liquid and gaseous fuel
  • at least once a month, unless local regulations provide otherwise, from the furnaces of mass catering and food service establishments

Contaminants must also be removed from ventilation ducts at least once a year. Moreover, owners and managers of apartment blocks and single-family homes are required—at least once a year—to inspect the technical condition of gas systems and chimney ducts (flue, exhaust and ventilation).

The silent killer

Why is carbon monoxide so dangerous? It is an odorless and colorless gas. It blocks the supply of oxygen to the body, causing death by suffocation. To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, you should:

  • carry out technical inspections, including checking the tightness of chimney ducts
  • do not seal or cover ventilation grilles
  • when replacing windows with new ones, check that the ventilation is working properly
  • regularly check the air draft, for example by holding a sheet of paper against an opening or ventilation grille (if the ventilation is working properly, the paper should adhere to it)
  • frequently air the rooms (especially kitchens and bathrooms equipped with gas water heaters), and preferably ensure—even if only slightly—that the windows are not completely airtight
  • do not disregard symptoms of shortness of breath, headaches and dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, weakness, accelerated heart rate and breathing. They may indicate that we are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.

For your own safety, consider installing smoke and gas detectors at home.

In the event of carbon monoxide poisoning, you should:

  • provide access to fresh air
  • move the injured person to a safe place
  • call the emergency services
  • administer oxygen as soon as possible
  • if the injured person is not breathing and has no heartbeat, immediately perform artificial respiration and cardiac massage
  • do not panic.

Remember, following this advice may determine someone’s life and health.

(PSP information/ii)