CO alarm activation=ring fire brigade..?

Gman0365

I dont know if all engineers are issued with them as the gas emergency service is run by the various gas networks throughout the country. I work in Scotland and all frontline engineers and management have them.

I agree that I cannot positively confirm the presence of CO in the atmosphere. However, I can turn off the appliance thought to by leaking CO and thus stop any further CO from being created. I can also ventillate the property. Remember as CO is not explosive and only causes a problem if inhaled as long as the property is well ventillated any CO present will disperse very quickly in a ventillated space. Granted I have no machine to check the presence of CO before I leave but the PAM I wear would activate while I was inside the property if there was any CO present in my breathing zone. Considering I may be there for 30mins or so it should be sufficient time for me to experience any risk to CO in the atmosphere. The HSE are aware that gas emergency service engineers are not equipped with CO detection machines and this has always been the case. I'm sure there are reasons behind this and they will not simply be down to cost as emergency engineers are already very well equiped to complete their jobs.

Firemen do not enter the property as they know it is not there job to deal with gas emergencies. They leave it to people that have been well trained in dealing with gas emergencies and can spot an unsafe situation. I wouldn't presume to know the job of a fireman!

moonrakerz

KatP wrote: »

OP you are overstating the danger from CO and misunderstanding how it behaves.

There is also confusion from some posters about CO and CO2. CO is carbon monoxide and very poisonous, this is what your alarm tests for. CO2 is carbon di oxide and present naturally in the atmostphere. It is generally not harmful to health and you breathe it in daily.

Ummm !

To be really pedantic.................. I think the quote above is somewhat simplistic.

Both CO and CO2 are toxic at certain levels. (As is Nitrogen which makes up 80% of the air we breathe!)
I don't think I have ever suffered from an excess of CO so I can't comment on that, but I have experienced higher than normal levels of CO2 in a confined atmosphere and it is surprising how much it affects you.

Both are always present in the air you breathe at very low levels.

C_Mababejive

RE post 25 ok Gman..thanks for that. Please note that I'm not questioning anyones professionalism.

Its good to hear that Scotia Gas Networks values and recognises the health and safety of its employees.

I would suggest that if a member of the public rings gas emergency to report a CO alarm,they expect a person to show up who can

a) confirm that the alarm is knackered/non functioning
b) that there is/is not CO in the atmosphere within their home.

At present we have a situation where (a) is possible but (b) isnt.

That means that the public's expectations are not being met.

This is an area in which the HSE and OFGEM have connived for some time to avoid a positive outcome. One can only wonder why. I suspect it is cost and politicing. Meanwhile the "gasman" is left in the dubious position of flying blind and using his skill and judgement rather than being assisted by proof positive as indicated by a calibrated and certifed instrument.

C_Mababejive

moonrakerz wrote: »

Ummm !

To be really pedantic.................. I think the quote above is somewhat simplistic.

Both CO and CO2 are toxic at certain levels. (As is Nitrogen which makes up 80% of the air we breathe!)
I don't think I have ever suffered from an excess of CO so I can't comment on that, but I have experienced higher than normal levels of CO2 in a confined atmosphere and it is surprising how much it affects you.

Both are always present in the air you breathe at very low levels.

Indeed..

see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_atmosphere

CO2 0.03%..almost negligible.

I have been in a pub cellar where cylinders have leaked and I certainly felt threatened by the atmosphere. Who is best placed to deal with that? The publican or someone wearing BA?

Biggles

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I have been in a pub cellar where cylinders have leaked and I certainly felt threatened by the atmosphere.

Do you also feel threatened by keg beer, lager etc?

amcluesent

CO is slightly lighter than the average molecules in air, so if the alarm goes off, just go downstairs as the CO will tend to float up into the top floor.

C_Mababejive

Biggles wrote: »

Do you also feel threatened by keg beer, lager etc?

I'm a Guinness man myself..also Murphys. Nitrogen gas,as used in some beer kegs,is a very efficient killer.

Steve2008

Hi all.

Just to clarify a couple of things. As a Firefighter, we would of course attend incidents involving CO alarms and would do a few of the things already mentioned.

We would advise (control operator) ventilating the room if possible and evacuating the property.

On our arrival we would enter and ventilate the property and isolate the gas supply at the meter. We would call Gas emergency service. We don't carry CO detection equipment on front line appliances.

We would check for signs and symptoms of CO poisoning and we do carry O2 equipment.

I'm not suggesting every able bodied, sound of mind person rings 999 at the first sound of a CO alarm, use common sense and do as other posters suggest. But elderly or housebound customers should of course do so without hesitation.

Hope this helps.

Fire_Fox

What exactly is the point of this thread, it's going round in circles??

lemontart

I agree we are getting dizzy - the op has all the advice that is given and details on what happens so nothing more to be said. All we can do is advise and inform,