NOW CLOSED How much do you know about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning? Talk to Sprue Safety Products - you could win a £150 voucher

[KatieBMumsnet]

The makers of FireAngel carbon monoxide alarms, (Sprue Safety Products), would like to find out how aware Mumsnetters are of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. It's a topic you may know a lot or a little about.

They say "With the Jubilee celebrations and half term break coming up, we expect that many families will be heading off to enjoy an extended bank holiday - either under canvas, in a caravan or in other self catering accommodation. The recent tragic death of a teenage girl on a campsite in Shropshire has raised the profile of carbon monoxide poisoning - but we are interested to know whether parents understand the potentially fatal dangers of bringing a barbecue inside a tent or the risks that a faulty boiler poses?"

Sprue Safety Products is hoping to raise awareness of this issue with this thread and to generate discussion about how parents treat holiday accommodation (and how aware you are of CO safety in your own home). So please have a read of the questions below and a think about this topic and share your thoughts, stories and experiences.


How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self catering accommodation as you do in your own home? Do you have some kind of safety checklist?
If so, what steps do you take towards protecting you and your family from CO poisoning?

They would also like to find out your level of knowledge about the effects of CO poisoning:

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are?
Would you be able to recognise these signs?
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you?

And also about education for families of this topic:
Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday?
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?


Everyone who adds their comments to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £150 Amazon voucher, and 5 runners up will receive a portable, 7 year life FireAngel CO-9X carbon monoxide alarm.

More information on the dangers of CO poisoning and how to prevent it can be found here.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw.

MNHQ


+++++++

(A message from Sprue Safety Products, added later in the thread and reposted here for clarity)

"Thank you all for taking part in this discussion and sharing your knowledge of carbon monoxide - and the alarming experiences some of you have had.

We would like to make it absolutely clear that in no way are we saying it is safe to burn anything inside a tent, as long as you have a carbon monoxide alarm. It is not. This discussion is designed to find out how aware mumsnetters are of the potentially fatal dangers of CO  in any accommodation.

A barbecue should NEVER be taken inside a tent, awning, caravan or motorhome. A warm, smouldering barbecue will give off poisonous CO, which can kill quickly and without warning, as it has no smell or taste. And NEVER place a lit barbecue near the sleeping area outside your tent/awning."

[lostinpants]

We had a friendly visit from the local fire brigade complete with fire truck, very exciting for the DC's - they come and chat about fire safety, install an alarm & talk about things like carbon monoxide poisoning, so we have an alarm and are aware. We signed up for the visit at a local summer fair - don't know if other areas do it?

I was vaguely aware of the dangers in tents etc as we are campers and would never seal a BBQ inside a tent, the latest tragic accident made me realise just how awful it can be.

I like the idea of a portable one at a good price.

[Slubberdegullion]

And here again is the advice from ukcampsite website, saying pretty much the same thing.

[lostinpants]

We had a friendly visit from the local fire brigade complete with fire truck, very exciting for the DC's - they come and chat about fire safety, install an alarm & talk about things like carbon monoxide poisoning, so we have an alarm and are aware. We signed up for the visit at a local summer fair - don't know if other areas do it?

I was vaguely aware of the dangers in tents etc as we are campers and would never seal a BBQ inside a tent, the latest tragic accident made me realise just how awful it can be.

I like the idea of a portable one at a good price.

[lostinpants]

what I meant to say was for hotels etc!

[Slubberdegullion]

Lostinpants it's not just about zipping yourself inside a tent with a BBQ for it to be dangerous. This link shows how a BBQ or a faulty stove used in the porch area of the tent with the doors open can still be potentally fatal.

If you have even a slight breeze blowing the fumes inside the tent, with your family sleeping in a sealed bedroom area you have a potentially dangerous situation.

[lostinpants]

Thanks, we always make sure the BBq is dowsed and away from people when its bedtime - my DP is very safety concious!

[EauRouge]

Thanks for the links Slubber, very useful. Shan't bother with a CO alarm when we go camping then :)

[EauRouge]

Oops, thank you Blu as well :)

[Jcee]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
I am aware of the dangers as heard about it when at university from the housing people when looking at rental accommodation. More recently as a result of the recent tragedies in the news and my friend had a scare in his flat, but thankfully he recognised the symptoms early and got his gas fire checked and sorted.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
We have a portable monitor in the room where our boiler is and we have our boiler regularly checked.

How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self catering accommodation as you do in your own home? Do you have some kind of safety checklist? No we don't. Strange really seeing as we take care at home but then don't consider it when away!

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? Headache, tiredness and flu like sympoms and breathing problems.

Would you be able to recognise these signs? I think so but the symptoms are so generic and with a small child (2.5) in the house, we seem to have a variety of viral bugs going round from time to time with similar symptoms

Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? Possibly.

And also about education for families of this topic
With the recent tragedies an information campaign is clearly long overdue. Maybe a leaflet with checklist of symptoms provided at key places eg when you get a gas appliance, with your gas bill, distributed at rental agencies, holiday cottages etc

[Slubberdegullion]

EauRouge, no need to buy one for tent camping much better to spend your money on a good tarp/gazebo/kitchen tent/ umbrella to cook safely under.

[Jux]

I've had 2 significant brushes with carbon monoxide.

When dd was not quite 6m (she's 12 now), dh went off for the w/e so I was alone in the flat with her. The boiler started making a strange noise and I couldn't turn it off (was very ill at the time) so I rang British Gas, who told me to open all the windows and they would send someone over immediately (that meant about 12hrs later). When the guy from Centrica came he said he could smell the CO (I thought you couldn't?) and got the boiler switched off and condemned.

The second time was 6 years ago when we moved in here. There was a gas fire in the sitting room, we moved in in December and there was snow, it was freezing. We would put the fire on in the evening and all fall asleep; fairly normal for dh and dd but not for me. Day after day, for the whole winter. I had to get a Corgi plumber in to check some gas appliances in the spring and he took one look at our sitting room fire and disconnected it. It had no vent, so was emitting CO all the time it was on, which just spread out through the room. The plumber thought that the fact that we have very high ceilings and draughty windows, and never shut the sitting room door was why we weren't dead.

Symptoms that I know of: headaches, cherry red lips, sleepiness.
I didn't notice us having cherry red lips, and in those days I had been suffering constant headaches for years so it wasn't special and I ignored it.

We go camping. I have only recently realised that barbecues give off CO and as it's a heavy gas you are more at risk in a tent, sleeping on the ground. Not sure exactly what we might do about that, but will discuss with dh.

I would like more information.

[NorkyButNice]

I'm very aware of the dangers of CO poisoning, having lived in some very dodgy student accommodation whilst at university.

When we moved into our current house the gas boiler was in the boys' bedroom which we wouldnt have been comfortable with in case of CO leaks. Luckily it was a complete refurb job so we've re-plumbed the whole house.

Symptoms - headaches, fluey feeling, flushed cheeks... All of which disappear when you get out of the room where the CO leak is.

We have CO alarms at home but it has never occurred to me to take them on holiday. We've never been camping or stayed in a caravan but it would make sense to take one to a self-catered cottage just in case.

Interesting thread!

[Slubberdegullion]

Jux CO is not a heavy gas. That link says it is of similar density to air. As CO from a BBQ/Stove would be released from combustion they would tend to rise.

[Pinot]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning? I think I am well educated about this.
Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home? Yes we have a CO monitor near the boiler.
How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self catering accommodation as you do in your own home? Do you have some kind of safety checklist? Yes we take a CO monitor with us.
If so, what steps do you take towards protecting you and your family from CO poisoning? Portable monitor.

They would also like to find out your level of knowledge about the effects of CO poisoning:

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? headaches, red skin.
Would you be able to recognise these signs? I would hope so.
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? Yes, as above.

And also about education for families of this topic:
Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday? No thanks.
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available? I am informed thank you.

[Jux]

You see, SSSSSSlubber, I need MN!!

[Jux]

Ooh, how did all those S's get there?! Sorry, didn't mean to turn you into Voldemort!

[KatieBMumsnet]

Thanks to everyone for your comments so far, Sprue Safety Products have asked us to post this statement:

"Thank you all for taking part in this discussion and sharing your knowledge of carbon monoxide - and the alarming experiences some of you have had.

We would like to make it absolutely clear that in no way are we saying it is safe to burn anything inside a tent, as long as you have a carbon monoxide alarm. It is not. This discussion is designed to find out how aware mumsnetters are of the potentially fatal dangers of CO ? in any accommodation.

A barbecue should NEVER be taken inside a tent, awning, caravan or motorhome. A warm, smouldering barbecue will give off poisonous CO, which can kill quickly and without warning, as it has no smell or taste. And NEVER place a lit barbecue near the sleeping area outside your tent/awning."

[Slubberdegullion]

Excellent MNHQ and Sprue Safety Products. Thank you so much for that statement. Is there anyway that that very important message can be added to the OP as, as we all know, people tend not to read the whole thread before commenting and it could get missed?

Many thanks again

[Slubberdegullion]

Jux.

[MakeTeaNotWar]

I have to plead total ignorance on this topic - while I know that there is such a thing as carbon monoxide poisoning, I don't know how it's prevented, what the symptoms are, how it's caused and we don't have any alarms This thread has made me think that we really ought to get an alarm now, I am shocked at some of things that I have read on this thread

[AvocadoAndFitch]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
Conscious of the risk

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
We have a monitor and check the battery when we check the fire alarms

How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self catering accommodation as you do in your own home? Do you have some kind of safety checklist. If so, what steps do you take towards protecting you and your family from CO poisoning?

No check list but we take our monitor with us and look out for symptoms

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are?
flu like symptoms, red mucus membranes, headaches, lethargy.
Would you be able to recognise these signs?
yes
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you?
yes we do but don't rely on it, we still look out for the signs.

Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday?
Yes, you can never be too informed about safety.
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available? fridge stickers of the symptoms, info in bounty packs etc

[AvocadoAndFitch]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
Conscious of the risk

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
We have a monitor and check the battery when we check the fire alarms

How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self catering accommodation as you do in your own home? Do you have some kind of safety checklist. If so, what steps do you take towards protecting you and your family from CO poisoning?

No check list but we take our monitor with us and look out for symptoms

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are?
flu like symptoms, red mucus membranes, headaches, lethargy.
Would you be able to recognise these signs?
yes
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you?
yes we do but don't rely on it, we still look out for the signs.

Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday?
Yes, you can never be too informed about safety.
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?
Fridge stickers of the symptoms, info in bounty packs etc

[iwantavuvezela]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?

Not aware at all, after reading some of these posts, i think I am aware on a superficial level, but have not really informed myself.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
I have a smoke alarm in my daugthers room
One downstairs
We had a wood burner installed recently and they installed an alarm
I have not checked the batteries though and should do this


How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self catering accommodation as you do in your own home? Do you have some kind of safety checklist?

No, i have never even thought about doing this on holiday.

If so, what steps do you take towards protecting you and your family from CO poisoning?


None!

They would also like to find out your level of knowledge about the effects of CO poisoning:

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? I dont know
Would you be able to recognise these signs? No
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? I havnt done ever before

And also about education for families of this topic:
Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday?

I am going to use this website to read up, and i have been reading this thread, and feel really ignorant around this subject, and something i should be better informed on.
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?
As above, will use link to website.

i will use this as a jolt to become better informed.

[BartletForAmerica]

Please add that statement to the OP. It is a really important message for people to hear.

[RowanMumsnet]

Hi all,

We've edited the OP now to add the extra safety message.

Thanks for all your input,
MNHQ