Is the "Silent
Killer" Lurking in Your Home?
DEFEND YOURSELF
To protect against CO poisoning, the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission offers these suggestions:
- All home fuel-burning equipment should
be inspected yearly by an expert to keep it operating efficiently
and properly vented. Fuel-burning heaters used to warm the
house should be vented to the outside. If you must use an
unvented heater, be sure to leave a window open at least
one inch. Unvented heaters should always be turned off at
night.
-
Do not use a gas range or oven for heating
a room. Never use a charcoal grill or Hibachi inside, unless
it is in a well-ventilated fireplace. Burning charcoal -
whether it's glowing red or turning to gray ashes - gives
off large amounts of carbon monoxide. Never close a fireplace
vent until the fire is completely extinguished
- Internal
combustion engines; such as automobiles,
boats,lawnmowers and generators produce lethal amounts
of CO. Never run these engines in a closed or confined area;
such as indoors, in a garage or storage shed.
- Inspect chimneys, stove pipes, flues and
connectors to be sure they are clean and in good repair.
The home isn't the only place where the "silent killer"
lurks. The inside of a car can be equally deadly. In fact,
it is not uncommon to hear about CO leaking into a moving
car from the engine exhaust killing the children in the
back seat!
- To avoid CO poisoning from automobiles,
have your muffler and tail pipes checked.
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RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF DANGER
The early stages of CO exposure includes headaches,
dizziness and drowsiness. A conscious victim may look or act
intoxicated. Other symptoms include blurred vision, irritability
and an inability to concentrate. Severe cases cause nausea and
vomiting, shortness of breath, convulsions, unconsciousness
and eventually death. Considering these symptoms, it is easy
to see how readily CO poisoning could strike a sleeping victim.
While the best First-Aid for CO poisoning is lots of fresh air,
long-term exposure can result in brain damage. If the victim
is unconscious, place him or her on the side with the head resting
on an arm only after moving to an area with fresh air. If the
victim is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
and CPR if necessary. Keep the victim warm and quiet; give nothing
to eat or drink. Take a conscious victim immediately to the
hospital, even if exposure was minimal and recovery appears
complete.
| HOME HEATING SAFETY
CHECKLIST |
- Read labels and follow all warning and
lighting instructions.
- Keep clear space around heating equipment.
o If you smell a strong gas odor, turn off the pilot light
and do not operate electrical switches. Call the gas company
from another location.
- Turn off heating equipment if you smell
fumes, your eyes sting or you become dizzy or nauseous while
it is operating.
- Turn off heating if it has a fluttering
or yellow flame.
- Do not use a space heater if the ceramic
radiants are broken or out of place.
- Never store or use flammable liquids like
gasoline, cleaning fluid or paint thinners near heating
equipment. Never smoke while working with a gas-powered
equipment.
- If your heating equipment has a pilot light
and you have trouble keeping it lit or if the control valve
is hard to operate, the heater may need servicing. Don't
force it or tamper with it. Call the gas company to have
it serviced.
- Never operate heating equipment if instructions
are unavailable or you are unsure of its operation or condition.
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