Sussex residents are being urged to “take carbon monoxide safety seriously” as data shows one in three people do not have an alarm. Experts are urging residents to be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning heading into the colder months as central heating boilers, room heaters and gas cookers were named as some of the biggest culprits. Government statistics show that around 4,000 people are taken to A&E each year in the UK with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Philip Le Shirley, product safety adviser at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa), said: “Our research shows that one in three people polled don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm in their home which is extremely worrying, particularly as we move into some of the coldest months of the year. “If you are a tenant, your landlord should, by law, install a carbon monoxide alarm, but we would always advise checking there is one, and if it is in full working order. “If you are unsure about the risks of carbon monoxide, be sure to visit our carbon monoxide safety hub to keep yourself and loved ones safe.
” Dubbed a “silent killer”, carbon monoxide poisoning can be caused by a build-up of the colourless, odourless gas. The gas can be lethal if undetected, with Rospa urging residents to make sure they have carbon monoxide alarms installed. The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, dizziness and tiredness or confusion.
The symptoms have been liked to food poisoning or the flu..