Your MP Writes for the Chronicle Extra

February 2008

The news that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) plans to prosecute Gateshead Council in connection with a Carbon Monoxide incident at a Ryton school will be of interest to every parent.  Fortunately none of the children died but CO is a hidden killer. 

Around 26 die each year from CO poisoning.  CO is a highly toxic, colourless odourless gas produced by the combustion of fuel in poorly ventilated areas.  Many more people are the victims of non lethal CO poisoning, some disabled for life as a result of brain damage due to oxygen starvation.  The numbers may be even greater because many doctors do not routinely check victims for CO poisoning as happens in some countries.  Research suggests that as many as 1 home in 4 has a defective gas appliance.

CO poisoning is not spread evenly across society.  Around a half of victims are elderly or children.  More than half of incidents occur between November and February each year.  One precaution is to have a reliable CO detector.  Across the country 83% of households have a smoke alarm but only 21% have a CO detector.
I would urge anyone who is concerned and wants to find out more to contact CO Awareness at www.co-awareness.co.uk.

All the political parties in Parliament are concerned about this matter as a recent debate showed.  In a timely development my colleague Keith Hill MP has introduced a Private Members’ Bill which seeks to strengthen the law and increase penalties against those that fail to fit or maintain equipment properly.  Judges regularly complain in serious cases that they may only impose a fine because there is no imprisonment option.

Over the next few months I will be investigating this issue locally to see what more is needed to combat this silent killer.  I hope not only can we give people the protection they need in their homes and workplaces but through a robust system of penalties make sure those who fit and maintain heating systems do their job properly.