Landlords warned of their duties at start of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week 2010
Carbon Monoxide awareness week began yesterday
The Wrekin Housing Trust is advising everyone whether they are a tenant or not to ensure their heating appliances undergo an annual safety check. The plea comes at the start of the 5th Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, which aims to make people aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning; a silent killer that claims around thirty lives each year.
Fleur Whittingham, Gas Category Manager says, “At the Trust we carry out annual checks with letters automatically sent to residents informing them when an engineer will visit them. It’s really important there is someone at home to let the engineer in at the appointed time.”
However, many private homeowners simply don’t get their appliances checked or think its only old gas fires that could be at risk.
In fact gas, coal, oil and wood are all producers of carbon monoxide and all fuel-burning appliances should be safety checked annually by the relevant professional for your fuel type - a Gas Safe, HETAS or OFTEC registered installer.
While thirty people a year in the UK die as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, many more become chronically ill from its effects suffering symptoms such as headaches, nausea, tiredness, chest pains, stomach pains and drowsiness – some of which are often mistaken for flu.
One person at the Trust who has firsthand experience of just how ill carbon monoxide poisoning can make you feel is Sara Thorpe who works in the Communications and Marketing team. While at university she was unfortunate enough to live in a house that had a carbon monoxide leak, not an experience she has forgotten.
She says: “There was no indication whatsoever that there was something wrong with the gas heater. However, when both my flat mates and I started feeling unwell we were fortunate enough to suspect what was wrong and called an engineer immediately. He confirmed the leak and condemned the heating system in the whole of the building.”
Children are particularly vulnerable to a carbon monoxide leak as the toxic gas is easily absorbed into the body and the smaller the person the quicker the effects can take hold.
Fleur continued: “We have an annual campaign each year around Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week to remind tenants about the importance of the inspections and again I would reiterate that it’s vital our engineers are given access to properties. For the wider community it’s certainly worth reminding everyone about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.”
For more information about Carbon Monoxide and its effects please visit www.becarbonmonoxideaware.co.uk or www.covictim.org
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