Page 25 - Gi flipbook September 2018

levy was never implemented. yet to yield any results. regard to CO is an improvement.
Lack of awareness is still a The second ‘no brainer’ is appliance However, CO may still be emitted
problem. We are very glad that the testing for CO by the gas emergency from neighbouring properties or solid
gas distribution networks (GDNs) service and our patron, Lord Hunt of fuel appliances. The gas emergency
have taken over our CO awareness Kings Heath, agrees. We would ask service generally does try to check
competition in primary schools. that if the source of CO cannot be neighbouring properties but we feel
However, so far no organisation has identified, how can anyone be made testing and monitoring with CO
taken up our idea of a national PR safe? We’ve shown the industry alarms would be best.
campaign warning of the dangers of examples in which suspected (but In 2000, the HSC recommended
CO, much to our disappointment. In ultimately safe) appliances have been that the gas emergency service carry
May this year, Audrey Gallacher, cut off, while clean-looking appliances CO testing equipment in order to
Director of Policy at Energy UK, have been left emitting CO. Since then, identify dangerous appliances.
attended a meeting between us and the gas emergency service generally Unfortunately, this advice has been
Npower, which was positive, but is cuts off entire households, which with ignored. These days, first call
operators (FCOs) wear personal alarm
monitors (PAMs) for CO, which
The prevention of deaths and injuries protect them. However, these do not
help customers who are always told
from unintentional carbon monoxide to turn off the appliance, open
windows and get out, meaning that by
and other gas dangers was, and the time the FCO enters, the CO will
still is, our top priority. As a barrister, nearly always have disappeared.
Proof is a huge problem for victims.
practicable legislative changes seem CO dissipates quickly in a live body
an obvious step to me and, without proof of poisoning,
medics often wrongly diagnose other

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