Gas Safe's new video highlights carbon monoxide as the silent killer

  • This week is Gas Safety Week (17-23 September)
  • Gas Safe Register is highlighting how to stay gas safe and raising awareness about the ‘silent killer’, carbon monoxide poisoning

This Gas Safety Week, Gas Safe Register has found that people are much more likely to own a smoke alarm (76%) than an audible carbon monoxide alarm (47%) despite the fact that carbon monoxide (CO) is known as the silent killer as you cannot see, taste or smell it.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur if a gas appliance is unsafe yet when more than 2,000 UK adults were polled, only one in five (19%) knew that you can’t tell if a gas appliance is leaking carbon monoxide compared to one in three (30%) who didn’t know, or thought you could see, taste or smell carbon monoxide.

To mark the eighth annual Gas Safety Week, Gas Safe Register has created a video to demonstrate how carbon monoxide can be missed from the home safety checks.

 

Jonathan Samuel, chief executive of Gas Safe Register said:

“Carbon monoxide poisoning is known as the silent killer because you can’t see it, taste it or smell it. Our research shows that lots of people aren’t aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning or how to know if their gas appliance isn’t working safely. This Gas Safety Week we’re helping people find out more about how to keep their homes gas safe and reminding everyone to not cut corners when it comes to getting their gas appliances checked on an annual basis.”

Gas Safe Register recommends that people get their gas appliances checked on an annual basis to ensure gas appliances are working safely and efficiently. However one in four (24%) of the 2,000 UK adults polled don’t follow this guidance and could be using illegal gas fitters as one in ten people (11%) said they don’t get their gas appliances checked and one in ten don’t know if their engineer is Gas Safe registered (8%).

Gas Safe Register recommends six simple steps to keep our families safe and warm in our homes:

  1. Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer.
  2. Double check both sides of your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card to know that they’re registered and qualified to work on your gas appliances.
  3. Have all gas appliances serviced and safety checked every year.
  4. Familiarise yourself with the six signs of CO poisoning; headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.
  5. Check appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly, e.g. black marks or stains on or around the appliance, lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones and condensation around the room.
  6. Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm for a second line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Show your support for Gas Safety Week 2018:

  • Follow @GasSafetyWeek and #GSW18

You can use the Gas Safe website to find and check a registered engineer or call 0800 408 5500. You can also find Gas Safe Register on social media @GasSafeRegister, visit the @GasSafetyWeek page or use the hashtag #GSW18.