About the campaign
Carbon Monoxide – Be Alarmed! is the national campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by carbon monoxide. The campaign was first launched in October 2008 and continues to be an important and effective campaign today.
The Carbon Monoxide – Be Alarmed! campaign is run by Energy UK on behalf of British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, npower, ScottishPower and SSE, in partnership with the Dominic Rodgers Trust. It is supported by a wide range of charities and other organisations.
Why do we need a campaign?
Too many people in the UK die needlessly or become seriously ill because of carbon monoxide poisoning each year. According to the Department of Health, 50 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning last year and another 4,000 were treated in hospital. However, the true number is likely to be much higher as the early symptoms can easily be mistaken for flu or tiredness.
The effects of carbon monoxide poisoning can be devastating, yet it is easily preventable. The easiest way to protect yourself and your family is by getting an alarm.
Research conducted for this campaign has found that almost two thirds of people in Great Britain are putting themselves at risk because they do not have an audible carbon monoxide alarm.
Key findings from our research:
- 65% of people in Great Britain don’t have an audible carbon monoxide alarm; that’s equivalent to 16.4 million households
- Of those who don’t have an audible alarm, almost a third of people (30%) just “haven’t got round to it yet”
- 13% of people say they don’t know where to get an alarm
- One in ten people don’t know an alarm is available to detect the poisonous gas
What needs to be done?
Internationally, there are examples of governments taking legislative action to promote the take-up of carbon monoxide alarms. For example, in many States in America, there are laws in place regarding the installation of carbon monoxide alarms. Closer to home, the Northern Ireland Executive has recently announced it will consider making it a legal requirement for alarms to be fitted in all new-builds.
As part of this campaign we are calling on the Government to make two key legislative changes:
- In order to receive a gas safety certificate, landlords should have to provide tenants with a carbon monoxide alarm.
This is a simple mechanism to ensure that many of the most vulnerable members of society are offered the protection of a carbon monoxide alarm. The existing legal requirement for a gas safety certificate means that an appropriately qualified and registered installer checks the safety of gas appliances. This would require an amendment to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 so that, in order for a gas safety certificate to be issued, landlords are required to provide an audible carbon monoxide alarm. - Every new home should be fitted with an audible carbon monoxide alarm.
To mirror the current requirement for a wired-in smoke alarm to be fitted in all new-build homes, Building Regulations should be amended to require an audible carbon monoxide alarm to be installed. This is a simple measure which will add no significant cost to homebuilders. Following a consultation exercise in 2008-9, the Government amended part J of the Building Regulations to require the provision of a carbon monoxide alarm when solid fuel appliances are installed. We believe this requirement should be extended, via the next review of the Building Regulations, to cover the installation of all fuel appliances.
Videos
How to install an alarm
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Dr Rob Hicks and Melissa Matthews
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