Chubb Security launches device to detect poisonous Carbon Monoxide (CO) gases
Chubb Security has launched a detector that warns home and business owners of the presence of carbon monoxide (CO) gases that could help prevent deaths and injuries caused by CO poisoning.
CO is colourless, odourless and invisible. The only safe way to detect this silent killer is with a CO detector linked to an alarm. A by-product of combustion, this lethal gas is emitted from any flame-fuelled (i.e. not electric) device, including ovens, clothes/tumble dryers, furnaces, fireplaces, grills, space heaters, water heaters and vehicles. When one of these devices malfunctions or does not receive adequate ventilation, CO can quickly build up inside a business or home, causing injury or death. If a hazardous level of CO is detected, the detector sounds the alarm, giving people in the area a chance to either ventilate the area or safely leave the building.
Symptoms of CO poisoning mimic the flu, such as nausea, headaches and dizziness. Medical experts state that regardless of the level of exposure, it only takes one CO incident for someone to develop long-term health effects that will last a lifetime.
Adhering to the following rules could save your life, or the life of someone else.
• Install a CO detector on each level of your pub or restaurant if you have multiple levels/floors.
• Check the flame colour of your appliances; if it is orange you have a problem.
• Get your appliances checked annually.
• Check the flue, is it blocked? Do you have creeping plants growing up your walls or do you have birds nesting in your flue? Completely remove these obstructions from the flue area and fit a guard to stop any birds nesting inside.
• Is there adequate ventilation? Check your air bricks or vents to ensure they are not blocked, which could cause CO to build up in your restaurant or pub.
• Do you suffer from unexplained illnesses, fatigue, muscle pains, upset stomach, lethargy, dizziness and headache? Do your symptoms seem worse when in the restaurant or pub, and better when you are in fresh air or somewhere else? Visit your doctor and ask for a CarboxyHemoglobin (CohB) test.
How Do Carbon Monoxide Detectors Work?
Carbon monoxide detectors trigger an alarm based on an accumulation of CO in an area over time. CO can harm you if you are exposed to high levels in a short period of time, or to lower levels over a long period of time. CO detectors require a continuous power supply, so if the power cuts off then the alarm becomes ineffective. Models are available that offer back-up battery power.
Detectors should either be placed on a wall about one metre above the floor or on the ceiling. Do not place them right next to or over a fireplace or flame-producing appliance. Keep them out of the way of children and ensure each level of the pub or restaurant has a separate detector.
What to do if the CO alarm sounds
Don’t ignore the alarm! Silence the alarm, get all members of the public and staff to fresh air, and ask whether anyone is experiencing any symptoms of CO poisoning. If so, call the fire department and ambulance service immediately. If no one has symptoms, ventilate the building, identify and remedy the source of the CO before returning inside, and have appliances or chimneys checked by a professional as soon as possible.
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