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."

[CampaignStace10]

This is a great topic to Get awareness out to the public, In 2004 i lost my son Dominic aged 10, To carbon monoxide, The fumes came from next doors house into his bedroom, Please make sure you have a Audible carbon monoxide alarm, I didnt have one in my property , and will have to live the rest of my life with guilt x

[xkcdfangirl]

I bought a Carbon Monoxide detector for the first time quite recently after reading about yet another tragedy which could have been averted by one. It is now installed on the upstairs landing between our bedroom and the DC's. It's not Fire Angel, it's by a company called Kidde (B&Q had Fire Angel alarms too but they were significantly more expensive and there was no obvious reason to spend more).

It's didn't even occur to me to take it on holiday with me - we went away about a week or so after buying and installing it, but the idea just never crossed my mind.

I think that having a detector is a sensible precaution, but my perception of the danger is that if you are a home-owner or the tenant of a responsible and non-cheapskate landlord and have your gas system serviced regularly then your risk is minimal. You are probably at much greater risk if your landlord is rubbish or if you go on an ultra-budget holiday where the accomodation might be provided by someone with a lax attitude. I don't think I would do a specific check while on holiday - I couldn't imagine walking out of booked accommodation if I arrived to discover the gas safety certificate was out of date, thus ruining a holiday. But I might consider taking a portable one on hols in future.

I would never actually cook on a barbeque in a tent but until the recent news story about the tragic consequences I think it's entirely possible I could have chosen to bring a not-quite-cool-enough-to-carry-but-cool-enough-to-nudge-with-a-foot disposable barbeque into a tent to allow it to cool down tidily out of sight if I didn't want to carry it over to the waste disposal area of the campsite before bed. There but for the Grace of God go I etc. I'm glad I know better now.

I believe that the main symptom of CO poisoning is excessive drowsiness, but I'm not sure I would necessarily conclude that CO poisoning was a likely explanation if I or a family member suddenly exhibited this symptom - we spend 90% of our lives exhausted anyway!

[boredandrestless]

I am very aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning - I have a fireman relative who has always come straight round when I've moved and fits new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through the house.
Precautions I take are having, and testing, my CO2 alarm, and having an annual gas safety service done on all gas appliances.

I have not taken the same level of precautions on holidays.

Is there such a thing as a portable co2 detector/alarm? If there is someone point me in the right direction as I would like to buy one!

When we stay in hotels I check fire exits from rooms, and look for smoke alarms. When camping I do not allow cooking in the tent and we don't take any heater type equipment.

I think the signs are headaches, dizzyness, and feeling sick?

I do think there should be more awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, and the signs to look out for. An awareness campaign of leaflets to homes, and advertisements in the media would reach a wide audience.

[boredandrestless]

Just want to say to those who don't already have a carbon monoxide detector - check with your local fire service before parting with cash. In my area the fire safety team will come out and fit smoke and CO2 alarms, and advise on fire escape plans and general fire safety. Well worth checking if this service is available in your area too.

[abas]

I have already mentioned this before, but I lost my daughter in 2010, two months after her wedding. She died in 40 minutes after coming home from work. Just be CO aware. It is important to make sure you and your loved ones have an audible CO detector, that you have all combustible fuel appliances regularly checked - even gas cookers, have your chimneys swept. We know of hotels where a window was nailed closed because of the possibility of CO coming in through the window as it was close to a vent, when the hotel was sold, the window was opened up again. CO poisoning can come in to your house from adjoining properties. Make sure your neighbours have a CO detector. Take one on holiday with you or when staying overnight at a friend's house - some children in the US have died in sleepovers. Don't bring BBQs into your tent or let them die down in the tent porch and make sure camping heaters are properly put together. Finally, only let a Gas Safe registered Engineer inspect or repair any heating appliances. Katie Haines Memorial Trust.

[stealthsquiggle]

I am vaguely aware of it. The people who fitted our new woodburner left us with a CO alarm, but I am ashamed to say it has not been fitted. I shall stop waiting for DH to do it and sort it out myself, I promise. It has never occurred to me to worry about holiday accomodation, but we don't go self-catering, generally, so that would not apply as much.

The thing which has always worried me is the vagueness of the symptoms. Our house is far from airtight, which is reassuring, I guess, but not enough to rely on. A "quick check" reference card would be a good thing to have.

[missorinoco]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?

Aware it can happen, and that gas appliances should be ventilated correctly.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?

I ensure products are fitted correctly. Wouldn't cut corners on this side of it. That's it. No monitors.

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 would presume it had been done as part of the safety procedures to make a property fit for renting. I haven't stayed in a caravan before, or in a tent for years, although I wouldn't have thought about carbon monoide poisoning.

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


What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are?
Drowsiness, a flap of the hands, and cherry red lips. The former is vague, and the latter are late signs.

Would you be able to recognise these signs?
I would not think drowsiness in a family member was CO poisoning initially.

Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you?
No.


Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday? Yes
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?
Written information. A leaflet through the door would be great.

[EldonAve]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning? reasonably
Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home? we have a monitor/alarm
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

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? not sure
Would you be able to recognise these signs? probably if I knew what they were
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? no

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

[noo1985]

I have recently moved into a rented property that has gas appliances. Never before have i lived anywhere that had gas so to be honest I did not really understand any of the risks that are involved through carbon monoxide poisoning. You see on the news occasionally families that have died through staying in holiday homes which are not fitted with any alarm but it raises awareness for a short time until the headline is forgotten.

I never realised it was compulsory for a rented property to have an alarm but ours is yearly maintained as the man came out the other day to check it! Peace of mind for me with a little one of 7 months and another one on the way!

I believe maybe more should be done to make people aware of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning as it never even occurred to me that this would be given off by a BBQ. It's quite a scary thought that I could see many of us in our British weather taking the BBQ inside a shed to finish cooking which could end up causing carbon monoxide poisoning without any of us even realising!

I don't know if i am in the minority of not really thinking about the risks and what causes them but I can imagine there are a lot of people in homes that they own with gas appliances that don't even think to get an alarm! Most of us would never consider not having a smoke alarm would we? So why is this any different??

[RickGhastley]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
Reasonably

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
We have a carbon monoxide alarm and a new boiler -the old one was about 30 years old! We have no gas fires or anything like that.

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?
I would take care but would assume that the owner had had the necessary checks done and alarms fitted- this is naieve I know!

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are?
Drowsiness, headache when in the affected room/home

Would you be able to recognise these signs?
With difficulty, as they are also signs of other things- eg just being tired!

Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you?
We don't but prob should do.

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?
Yes

What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?
How to be safe - info at the holiday property and online

[whattodoo]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
vaguely aware.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
no, other than having boiler serviced regularly

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?
I'm ashamed to say I don't even think about it! Will do from now on - safety checks should be a first instinct

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? sleepiness?
Would you be able to recognise these signs? probably not
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? don't at present, will do in future

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? yes

What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?

should be in all welcome packs for holiday accom, perhaps also with booking confirmation.

[Slambang]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
I was complacent and thought I was aware but had no idea that it was a risk in tents. Feel very stupid but pleased to know now.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
Yes. CO alarms and boiler servicing.

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?
I have taken CO alarm on holiday but not every time because I forget.
No checklist. I had never considered taking one in a tent but will now.


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 and drowsiness.

Would you be able to recognise these signs?
We are usually drowsy in the evenings slobbing on the sofa and sometimes have hangovers headaches so wouldn't necessarily recognise the signs as anything special.

Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you?
yes do and will.

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?
Yes.


What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?
Non frightening info for kids because they're better at reminding us about safety messages than theuir feckless parents.

[hellymelociraptor]

Q 1. How aware are you of the dangers of CO2 poisoning?
A. I am aware, but I'm not sure to what degree. I would not have thought a barbecue in the porch of a tent was dangerous for instance, until the recent tragedy.
Q2.Do you take any precautions to prevent CO2 poisoning in your own home?
A. We have a CO2 alarm, in the room where the gas boiler is .We have gas appliances tested and have a vent near our woodburner. I don't know if all that is enough though?
Q3.How about on holiday, do you take the same level of care in tents/caravans/self-catering accommodation, as in your own home? do you have some kind of safety checklist?
A. No. It never occurred to me to do this. I am now concerned about risks when camping as i read that alarms don't work properly in a tent situation.
I also think I might take an alarm when we stay in other properties now.
Q4.What do you think the signs of CO2 poisoning are?
A. Headaches, nausea, lethargy, confusion, loss of consciousness, death.In that order.
Q5.Would you be able to recongnise these signs?
A. Possibly, if more than one person had headaches, or a child, then I might think of CO2. But I imagine its easy to confuse with other things, until it is too late.
Q6. Would you take a CO2 alarm on holiday with you?
A. I haven't yet, but I would, yes.
Q7. Would you like more info on how to prevent CO2 poisoning in your own home or when on holiday?
A. Yes, I really would, as i feel there are gaps in my knowledge.
Q8.What info would you like and how would you like this to be available?
A. I think all self-catering properties should have information to hand and visible , stating what precautions they take and what checks they have. I would like more information in the media. A checklist to go on the 'fridge, like my recycling one, would be handy. A well known web address to double check things and ask questions. (i have no idea who to ask about this).
Thankyou .

[hellymelociraptor]

I fell a complete idiot, as throughout my answers I referred to CO2 and not CO. (disclaimer, i am half asleep.)

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Think I am fairly aware of the dangers. We have an alarm and get the boiler serviced regularly, even though it's out in the garage. I am a bit cautious about the open fire too, the alarm is partly for this.

I'm now very aware about the dangers in tents, particularly after the most recent death. We never cook inside or close to the tent, DH used to use a gas lantern inside but I've made him buy a battery one now.

For other holidays I'm somewhat aware, though I do think it would be easier to forget to think about it in a holiday situation. We've not taken an alarm with us so far - but then a lot of holiday places we wouldn't have heating on anyway so less risk.

Main signs of poisoning I believe are headaches, feeling flu-ey, sleepy, and loss of consciousness if it is severe, also the feeling better when outside the house. However CO wouldn't be the first thing to spring to mind with these symptoms necessarily, unless I had had some concerns about the boiler or something already.

I definitely think there should be more education on this. I think campsites should give out information on CO risks in tents/caravans, and that there should be more on TV etc about it. I am reasonably clued up because I read lots (newspapers, websites etc), but it seems a lot of people still know very little about the dangers so it would be good to reach those people.

[AlmaMartyr]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
Fairly aware, we camp so I'm very conscious of the recent spate of CO deaths. I'm also aware of the dangers in the home, especially after knowing someone who nearly died with CO poisoning.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?
We have a CO detector that was installed for us by British Gas.

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?
We don't have a CO detector (although I do mean to get one). I never cook in the tent and always cook outside, a good distance from the tent and making sure that any breeze goes away from the tent. We never put the smouldering BBQ inside the tent.


What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? Nausea and fatigue I think.
Would you be able to recognise these signs? I hope so.
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? Yes, I would. I'm intending to get one.

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? Yes I would like more information.
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available? Leaflets or a good website would be great, or even just a MN checklist so I could look at precautions I could take.

[MilkNoSugarAndAShotofWhisky]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?

pretty aware...I know that it can kill and know that it comes from lack of ventilation from boilers..am aso aware of the risk regarding camping stoves in tents..but other then that, not much

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?

Boilr is regularly serviced (ha house) but our kitchen (Where boiler is) is upstairs so i'm not sure how this affects any leak in how it spreads...also have a patch that changes colour when leak is deteced but tbh I don't know how affctive they are

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?

don't camp/caravan hoiday...when slf catering we really dont even think about it

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

as above

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, nausea, excessive sleeping

Would you be able to recognise these signs? yes but wouldn't necessarily put it down to CO poisoning

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

if it was easy to transport then yes probably

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? yes

What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?

how to prevent it, signs/symptoms and risks and who to call if you suspect a leak...tv ads, leaflets

[HannahLI]

I am aware of CO poisoning and we have a detector in our home but I wouldn't say that I have ever thought about it in the context of holiday or that I know tabr much about it either in terms of symptoms and signs.
When we holiday I have never thought about CO poisoning and I think that maybe I shoul! However I would never bring a BBQ in the tent or close leave it close to it. I am thinking that I need to get myself more informed as I wouldn't now where to start.

Being honest I have no idea what the signs of CO poisoning are at all. I would like more info on it, I guess the best way should be a quick tips card which I could leave in a suitcase fr access on holidays too maybe with a small built in detector like a thermometer.

[Rosa]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?

Pretty much aware , I knew of somebody who died of it .

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?

Yes In my old flat I had an internal boiler had it checked yearly , and replaced. Now in my own home boiler is placed in a strore couboard, with an external vent in the wall below. It is a 100% sealed boiler that stops automatically with any loss of CO.
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 I travel with an ABTA tour operator I am confident that the place has been health and safety checked and in many self catering apts the boilers are placed outside or if internal a CO2 detector is placed in the apt. Plus they have to show certificates etc .

If so, what steps do you take towards protecting you and your family from CO poisoning?
When independant I try to choose a place with either an electric boiler or a complex without individual boilers. However many places abroad do not have the same 'concerns or awareness as in the UK'.

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? Tiredness, headaches, nausea.
Would you be able to recognise these signs?

If as a family we started feeling these signs then I would consider it . However I have an alarm as well which is tested regularly.

Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? Yes I would however try to find a place with one already installed.

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?

Yes I think it is essential especially as many foreign places think they can get away with it .
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?

Links off the web for apartment holidays, camping holidays , in travel agents say if you go in for a brochure, but also in common places like supermarkets to make people aware .

[FannyPriceless]

I am deliberately answering this without reading the thread first, which I hope will be the most helpful.

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning? Very aware.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home? Yes, but not enough. I am careful about ventilation when using any gas appliances. That's it.

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 assume that holiday cottages have a CO monitor.

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

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? Lack of consciousness
Would you be able to recognise these signs? I don't know whether or not I would suspect what was going on
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? I really should.

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? Yes, definitely!
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available? Mumsnet works for me. Or a nice little laminated card to put somewhere in the house, like the meningitis checklist card.

[duchesse]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning?
I am aware of it but probably not enough. We've always lived in draughty houses so I suppose I'm a bit blasé about whether or not the fires, boiler etc have enough oxygen.

Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home?

We don't have CO monitors fitted even though our GP friends assure us we should. Have just never got around to it although we do have smoke alarms. Oru GP friends have a CO monitor in their yurt (yurt has a wood stove) which is erected over decking with actual gaps between the boards (ie would let air in and CO out) so I'm not convinced they are the most balanced people to talk to about monitors.


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?

Must admit we usually camp in our own tent and don't burn anything inside them so not necessarily relevant. If I noticed an appliance burning with an orange flame or felt any of the symptoms I would certainly check but wouldn't be first of the things on my check list on arrival tbh.

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

At home our woodstoves have vents near them and quite a lot of draughts under the doors/through the floorboards. Also we open the windows as much as possible.

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, fuzzy memory, sleepiness

Would you be able to recognise these signs?

Not sure, depends on the person. Some people naturally have fuzzy memory and sleepiness.

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

Nope.


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?

Yes.

What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available?

A leaflet or a website would be fine. Or a DVD or online video.

[latrucha]

Interesting. Thanks. Mine's up high so it's out of reach of the little ones. I'll try and find it a new home.

[AWomanCalledHorse]

How aware are you of the dangers of CO poisoning? Very, we had a CO leak in my mums flat when I was 4/5.
Do you take any precautions to prevent CO poisoning in your own home? We live in a Electric only place so don't have to take any precautions.

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? I have never stayed in a place like the ones mentioned, PIL have a CO alarm in their house.

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

What do you think the signs of CO poisoning are? I think it's dizziness/feeling ill, headaches & passing out. But I also think that it can be symptomless.
Would you be able to recognise these signs? Hopefully
Would you/do you take a CO alarm on holiday with you? If we were to stay somewhere with gas, then yes.

Would you like more information on how to prevent CO poisoning in your own home or when on holiday? I think it would be a good idea to get people to remain vigilant about CO.
What information would you like and how would you like this information to be available? Websites, and possibly, some sort of Goverment information style adverts so people who don't use PCs are aware of it.

[Tinkerisdead]

I've deliberatley not looked at the links because i'd rather give a true reflection of my knowledge or lack of!

I know that carbon monoxide gives you flu like symptoms, dizziness, sleepiness, confusion etc and that it can be caused by poorly ventilated gas appliances. I have a wood burner in my lounge and i wasnt aware that solid fuel appliances could pose a risk. I'm in a rented property and we have no co2 detector. (is this something i could ask for from a private landlord?)

Weirdly on holiday i'm far more alert and aware of any risks. We stay in static caravans and i always check the co2 detector in the caravan and look at the appliance inspection inside the boiler cupboard. Thats shameful now that i dont do it at home.

It was only on another thread that i read a co2 detector should be located low down as carbon monoxide sinks. I'm scarily not really clued up on this esp as i'm in a rented house so i'm not responsible for the maintenance of appliances.

I'm off to swot up on it now.