Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month

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November is Northern Ireland’s Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month.

CO Awareness Month logo November is CO Awareness Month

Developed by members of the NI CO Safety Group, Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month aims to help protect the public from the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Throughout the month of November the NI public will be reminded that the best way to protect themselves and others is to make sure all their fuel burning appliances are serviced at least annually by a registered engineer.

And, that their chimneys and flues are inspected annually and swept, if required, by a registered technician.

As an additional precaution, you should also install an audible carbon monoxide alarm. Remember, CO alarms have a limited life span, so if you’ve had one for a while, please check to see if it’s working properly

The campaign also urges people to recognise the symptoms of CO poisoning.

Protect yourself and others 

CO Awareness Month aims to remind people to stay safe by:

  • making sure that their boilers and fuel-burning appliances are serviced annually by a registered engineer
  • getting their chimneys inspected annually and swept if required by a registered technician
  • checking for warning signs if appliances aren’t working correctly – for example, lazy yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room
  • learning about the six signs of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.
  • installing an audible carbon monoxide alarm as a back-up safety measure to alert them if carbon monoxide is in their home

A range of information leaflets and promotional material are available in support of carbon monoxide awareness raising activity.

If you would like to support CO Awareness Month or require more general information on carbon monoxide please contact HSENI as follows:

CO Safety Group 

Members of the NI CO safety Group include:

  • Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA)
  • Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS)
  • General Consumer Council (GCC)
  • Public Health Agency NI (PHA)
  • Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
  • Southern Health and Social Care Trust
  • The Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC)
  • Queens University Belfast (QUB)
  • University of Ulster (UU)
  • Age NI
  • The Northern Ireland Association of Chimney Sweeps (NIACS)
  • Gas Safe Register (GSR)
  • Phoenix Energy Services
  • Firmus Energy
  • Calor
  • Flogas
  • NI Home Safety Check Scheme
  • local councils