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Signs and symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. What you need to know in our new interview!

Gas Sage Register

Gas Sage Register

40 people have been killed or injured by CO poisoning while staying in a tent, caravan, holiday cottage or boat in Britain in the past two years[i].  As 29.5[ii] million Brits are expected to holiday in the UK this year, Gas Safe Register – the UK’s official gas safety body – and the All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG) are issuing urgent advice on how holidaymakers can keep themselves safe.

New research, carried out by Gas Safe Register, found that many Brits do not understand the dangers of CO on holiday.  More than one in two Brits (53 per cent) do not recognise a smoking charcoal barbeque in a tent, caravan, motor home or room can result in CO poisoning. More than one in three (38 per cent) do not realise that using a portable gas camping stove inside can result in poisoning and over one in five (22 per cent) people are unaware that CO can build up in a poorly ventilated space with working gas appliances in it, such as a caravan[iii].

Should Britain suffer the return of a cold spell this summer the threat of CO poisoning could be greater. Almost one in 10 people (eight per cent) say it is likely they would bring a charcoal barbeque into a tent or caravan to keep warm.  Carbon monoxide is a highly dangerous andBBQ smoke - tent in background poisonous gas that is produced by the incomplete burning of gas, liquid gas, oil, coal and wood. CO cannot be seen, smelt or tasted, making it a silent killer

Gas Safe Register is urging people to know and understand the dangers of CO on holiday. Many of the tragic deaths and serious injuries over the past two years could have been avoided if the individuals had known the causes. Gas Safe Register is working with APPCOG to issue vital safety advice so that when it comes to CO people can identify and avoid risky situations and get help quickly should they suspect danger.

In a interview with Sara Hill of Gas Safe Register is interviewed by Feven of PatientTalk.


 

 

[ii] Accent carried out the survey for Gas Safe Register in June 2013.  650 people were surveyed in Britain. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the population of Britain is 61.4million (53 million people in England, 5.3 million in Scotland, 3.1 million in Wales) 48% of Britons surveyed are planning on taking a holiday or a short break in the UK this year, equating to 29.5million.

 

[iii] Accent carried out the survey for Gas Safe Register in June 2013.  650 people were surveyed in Britain. 47% knew a smoking charcoal barbeque inside a tent caravan, motor home or room could result in CO poisoning. 62% knew using a portable gas camping stove inside could result in CO poisoning. 78% knew a poorly ventilated space with working gas appliances in it can result in CO poisoning.  47% knew a warm but not visibly smoking charcoal barbeque inside a tent, caravan, motor home or room can result in CO poisoning.