Carbon monoxide precautions are a good idea, because it doesnsa国际传媒檛 take much CO to make a home unsafe.
This week, Nov. 1-7, is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week in B.C. and Technical Safety B.C., the provincial regulator of gas safety in British Columbia, is observing the occasion by trying to pass along information about the risks of carbon monoxide exposure.
The organization has been alerted to instances of people running generators inside their home during power outages, and using propane-fuelled appliances inside their homes, according to an e-mail to Black Press. Technical Safety B.C. is also concerned that people with carbon monoxide detectors sometimes ignore or even disconnect the device rather than heed its warnings.
sa国际传媒淐arbon monoxide sa国际传媒� is colourless, itsa国际传媒檚 odourless and it does not take a lot to be fatal,sa国际传媒� said Craig Helm, gas safety officer with Technical Safety B.C. sa国际传媒淥ne per cent of carbon monoxide in the air is actually fatal.sa国际传媒�
Helm has investigated several incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning over the years, including close calls in Port Alberni and other places and a fatality in North Vancouver.
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sa国际传媒淎 [person] who did pass away, basically walked into the house and just fell immediately. There were no flu symptoms, there were no headaches, no nothing,sa国际传媒� Helm said. sa国际传媒淗e just walked into a house full of carbon monoxide.sa国际传媒�
Technical Safety B.C. wants to get across the message that homeowners with gas furnaces, fireplaces and ranges should ensure that the appliances are serviced annually by licensed contractors.
sa国际传媒淲hen yousa国际传媒檙e heating a cold surface with hot temperatures, hot gases, yousa国际传媒檙e going to create carbon monoxide and itsa国际传媒檚 for a short time, but yousa国际传媒檙e still going to create it,sa国际传媒� Helm said. sa国际传媒淭he worst thing is when people bring in their portable appliances and bring them inside sa国际传媒� barbecues, heaters. The power goes out so they bring in a heater or something like that to heat up their house. Theysa国际传媒檙e not designed to be burned indoors.sa国际传媒�
Symptoms of CO poisoning, according to Technical Safety B.C.sa国际传媒檚 website, can include headaches and confusion, nausea and dizziness, and later, breathlessness and loss of consciousness. However, as Helm said, CO can be harmful in a short amount of time.
sa国际传媒淪o many places it can come from, thatsa国际传媒檚 why itsa国际传媒檚 so important to have a carbon monoxide detector,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚t can save your life.sa国际传媒�
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