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How is CO produced in the home? How is CO produced at work? What are the symptoms and dangers of CO poisoning? What should you do if you suspect a leak? How is CO poisoning treated? How to prevent CO poisoning in the home How to prevent CO poisoning at work Landlords legal requirements
What are the symptoms and dangers of CO poisoning?
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Inhaling excessive amounts of carbon monoxide reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen by mixing with the haemoglobin it contains. This starves the body of its fuel and causes cells and tissue to die.
Symptoms are similar to flu and for that reason CO poisoning can often be misdiagnosed by medical professionals. However, CO poisoning does not induce a high temperature as flu does. If several people in the same room or building develop flu like symptoms without a high temperature, act quickly and call the HSE Gas Safety advice line on 0800 300 363 for advice (freephone service).
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Mild carbon monoxide poisoning causes headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and poor coordination. Most people who develop mild carbon monoxide poisoning recover quickly when moved into fresh air.
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Moderate or severe carbon monoxide poisoning causes confusion, unconsciousness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and coma. Thus, most victims are not able to move themselves and must be rescued.
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Severe poisoning is often fatal. Rarely, weeks after apparent recovery from severe carbon monoxide poisoning, symptoms such as memory loss, poor coordination, and uncontrollable loss of urine (which are referred to as delayed neuropsychiatric symptoms) develop.
The longer someone breathes in carbon monoxide, the worse the symptoms will get. They may lose their balance, vision and memory, and eventually, they will lose consciousness. This can happen within two hours if there is a lot of CO in the air.
CO poisoning may occur sooner in those most susceptible: young children, elderly people, people with lung or heart disease, people at high altitudes, or those who already have elevated CO blood levels, such as smokers.
Carbon monoxide is dangerous because a person may not recognize drowsiness as a symptom of poisoning. Consequently, someone with mild poisoning can go to sleep and continue to breathe the carbon monoxide until severe poisoning or death occurs. Some people with long-standing, mild carbon monoxide poisoning caused by furnaces or heaters may mistake their symptoms for other conditions, such as the flu or other viral infections.
Symptoms can occur a few days or months after you have breathed in carbon monoxide. Symptoms that come on later include confusion, loss of memory and problems with coordination. People with mild symptoms usually make a full recovery, but between 10% and 50% of people with serious poisoning can have long-term problems if they survive at all.
It's very important to be aware of the dangers of CO poisoning and look out for the warning signs. As well as the effects described in this section, you should be alert for the following signs:
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other people in your house, flat or workplace have similar symptoms,
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your symptoms disappear when you go away on holiday and return when you come back,
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your pet suddenly becomes ill or dies unexpectedly (not due to old age or an existing condition)
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your symptoms tend to be seasonal. E.g. headaches during the winter when the central heating is used more often.
If you have the symptoms of CO poisoning, a blood sample will be taken to check the amount of carboxyhaemoglobin in your blood. An electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be carried out to see how well the heart is pumping blood around your body.
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