At a gas safety stakeholder forum on Monday 2 October, hosted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Lord Hunt of Kings Heath made it clear that complacency on gas related carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is not an option.
Research commissioned from University College London by HSE to inform its gas safety review highlights the dangers of CO poisoning in people’s homes, coupled with a lack of public awareness of the risks.
The early findings of the research include:
* 23% of homes had one or more defective gas appliance;
* 8% of homes were judged to be at risk of dangerous levels of CO;
* 45% of homes had received no information on the dangers of CO; and
* A higher prevalence of problem appliances was found in the homes of vulnerable people (young, old, those in receipt of benefits).
Opening the forum, Lord Hunt called on the 100 plus delegates to do what is necessary to raise awareness. He said:
“˜The early findings of this research show there is no room for complacency. It is simply not right for the current situation to continue. It is critical that people are made more aware of the risks of CO poisoning and how to avoid the dangers.
“˜It is essential that this lack of awareness is addressed. I call on gas safety stakeholders to work with HSE in this gas safety review to come up with a set a proposals that will put in place a modern and effective gas safety regime.’
Dr Ben Croxford, of University College London presented the emerging key findings from the “˜Gas Appliance Check Project’. Nearly 600 homes in South East England were visited and a large survey of gas appliances was carried out over the summer of 2006.
The problems were mainly associated with the way homeowners and occupiers used the appliances and how they used available ventilation. This is an area that falls outside the Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations 1998 that HSE enforces, and is why increasing CO awareness is so important. A problem gas appliance is a health risk that can be avoided with maintenance and awareness.
The Executive Summary from this research is attached to this release at Annex 1
The Forum also received a presentation from “˜Frontline’, the consultants appointed to liaise with stakeholders and to develop a range of options for modernising the domestic gas safety regime. The Forum will encourage a full discussion on the options with the aim of agreeing the top priorities for action. Next steps in this process will be for the Health and Safety Commission to consider the options and agree recommendations to Ministers in the New Year.
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