Don’t risk your life by taking a barbecue into your tent!

Submitted by Heather on 10 August 2012 - 5:09pm
Heather Wheeler MP with President of CO Awarenss, Lynn Griffiths

I have joined up with the charity Carbon Monoxide Awareness to launch a national campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from barbecues.

 
The campaign, held in memory of 14 year old Wilmslow schoolgirl Hannah Thomas-Jones and others who lost their lives to carbon monoxide from barbecues or camping lamps, was launched last month in the House of Commons. The campaign is also supported by a number of major retailers including Tesco, Morrison’s, Homebase, B & Q and Dunelm Mill, who have pledged to put up point-of-sale notices in their stores for barbecue equipment.
 
Barbecues are designed solely for outdoor use and should not be used in enclosed spaces such as tents, caravans, campervans or home conservatories. Modern tents are designed as an integral structure with built-in groundsheets and carbon monoxide gases can rise to fatal levels in a matter of minutes if portable or disposable barbecues are used inside for heating purposes. 
 
Carbon monoxide (CO) is difficult to detect because it is colourless and has no taste or smell. People often don’t realise that they are being overcome by fumes until it is too late.
 
Exposure to the gas reduces the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen, thereby causing the vital organs to fail. Early symptoms are similar to flu or food poisoning, but these worsen as more of the gas is breathed in and CO concentrations in the blood increase. Anyone who suspects that they may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning should turn off all appliances, go outside and seek help from a qualified healthcare professional.
 
For more information visit www.covictim.org
 
General advice
 
  • A lit or smouldering barbecue should never be taken into a tent, caravan, campervan or home.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) powered appliances should be serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer who is qualified to work with LPG.
  • Solid fuel appliances should be serviced by a solid fuel HETAS registered engineer.
  • Oil fuelled appliances should be serviced by an OFTEC registered engineer.
  • For their personal safety, holiday-makers should buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm that meets British or European Standards (EN 50291)
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Please note that all content dated prior to 7th May 2010 is from before I was elected a Member of Parliament.
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