Fire & Safety Many assume
they’re not at risk because they don’t have a boiler, but any appliance that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide.
spaces (such as an integral garage) where a new or replacement fixed combustion appliance is installed, is welcome progress in the drive to reduce the number of preventable deaths and poisoning incidents from this deadly gas. At least one alarm is required in every space containing a fixed combustion appliance and where a flue passes through high risk accommodation, such as a bedroom or main living room. However, Part J of 2010’s Building
Regulations in England and Wales still only require CO alarms to be fitted in homes where new or replacement fixed solid fuel appliances are installed, leaving millions exposed to potential CO poisoning from faulty, neglected and older gas appliances. People living in rented accommodation can also be at greater risk, as cooking and heating appliances in these properties are often older, inefficient or misused and more prone to leaking carbon monoxide. By law, landlords must ensure all appliances in their properties are safety checked by a registered engineer every 12 months and provide tenants with a copy of their gas safety record to show that the property’s gas appliances are safe to use. Where boilers are located away from
external walls with flues hidden in ceiling and wall spaces, inspection hatches must now be fitted to enable heating engineers to check the flue is in good condition. If this has not been done, the engineer will classify the boiler as ‘At Risk’ and must shut it down with the occupier’s permission and formally advise them not to use it until inspection hatches have been fitted in the appropriate places. Where it is impractical to fit an inspection
hatch, a CO void monitoring safety shut-off system (COSSVM) may be considered which shuts down the faulty boiler as soon as any carbon monoxide is detected.
Positive opportunities The changes in legislation in Scotland and
Northern Ireland, together with the recent announcement that tougher rules could be introduced to protect tenants from faulty gas appliances as part of proposed changes to the
26 | electrical wholesaler February 2014
www.ewnews.co.uk
Energy Bill, all suggest that at last, carbon monoxide is being recognised for the real threat it poses to thousands every year. This progress also creates positive
opportunities for wholesalers who keep up to date with changing industry requirements and stock the right products to provide the best solutions. Knowledge of the latest legislation, new technology and options available helps to position wholesalers as trusted advisors, which in turn grows business. Coupled with Gas Safe Register’s findings of high numbers of homes with unsafe gas appliances, reports of contractors facing charges and even jail sentences over failed safety checks and incompetent repairs send out hard-hitting reminders of the consequences of failing in their duty of care.
Early warning Carbon monoxide is a deadly, but avoidable
threat. With no smell or taste, the gas is completely undetectable to the human senses and any symptoms can be mistaken for other ailments, such as flu or a hangover. Many assume they’re not at risk because they don’t have a boiler, but any appliance that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide. CO can also enter homes from adjoining properties or garages and the only way to detect its presence is with an audible carbon monoxide alarm. The FireAngel CO-9XT is ideal for providing
early warning of the presence of carbon monoxide. Based on the most advanced electrochemical sensors available for the domestic market and certified to the European Standard BS EN 50291-1: 2010, this battery- operated alarm is easy to install with a fast-fix single pin bracket. It is also simple to set up and features a tamper-proof internal power pack that has a guaranteed seven year life. It features a large, easy-to-use test button
with three LEDs showing power, fault and alarm, enabling an immediate visual check to identify if a CO leak has occurred. For management purposes, the CO-9XT also has a diagnostic capability that, in the event of the alarm going off, enables a report to be downloaded onto a PC giving the time, date and level of CO in the property at the time the alarm was triggered. In response to some confusion regarding the positioning of carbon monoxide alarms, Sprue Safety Products has produced an installation video for the FireAngel CO-9XT to clarify how to fix and locate a CO alarm correctly. This can be seen at:
http://youtu.be/6oUoon1GVNg.
www.sprue.com
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