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Carbon Monoxide Alarms. Safety Warning.

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I recently suffered from mild carbon monoxide exposure. It caused typical symptoms. There were two separate incidents, so I know the cause in both cases. When the source of the carbon monoxide was removed all symptoms went away.

In the area of carbon monoxide build up there are three separate battery operated carbon monoxide alarms. None sounded a warning. Maybe the level of detection is set higher. Maybe I am ultra-sensitive. Who knows.

I will now not rely on carbon monoxide alarms to give a 100 per cent reliable early warning.

Quote. “The symptoms of exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can be similar to those of food poisoning and flu.” 

Be warned.

Z.

 

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    Signs and symptoms[edit]

    On average, exposures at 100 ppm or greater is dangerous to human health.[30] In the United States, the OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels to less than 50 ppm averaged over an 8-hour period;[31][32] in addition, employees are to be removed from any confined space if an upper limit ("ceiling") of 100 ppm is reached.[33]

    ConcentrationSymptoms
    35 ppm (0.0035%), (0.035‰)Headache and dizziness within six to eight hours of constant exposure
    100 ppm (0.01%), (0.1‰)Slight headache in two to three hours
    200 ppm (0.02%), (0.2‰)Slight headache within two to three hours; loss of judgment
    400 ppm (0.04%), (0.4‰)Frontal headache within one to two hours
    800 ppm (0.08%), (0.8‰)Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 min; insensible within 2 hours
    1,600 ppm (0.16%), (1.6‰)Headache, increased heart rate, dizziness, and nausea within 20 min; death in less than 2 hours
    3,200 ppm (0.32%), (3.2‰)Headache, dizziness and nausea in five to ten minutes. Death within 30 minutes.
    6,400 ppm (0.64%), (6.4‰)Headache and dizziness in one to two minutes. Convulsions, respiratory arrest, and death in less than 20 minutes.
    12,800 ppm (1.28%), (12.8‰)Unconsciousness after 2–3 breaths. Death in less than three minutes.
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    The problem with CO detectors in the UK is that the level is set so high that you are already suffering the effects of CO poisoning before the alarm goes off.

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    The problem is that if carbon monoxide alarms were made more sensitive, then many false alarms would result and people would learn to to ignore or disable the alarms.

    A relatively high level is harmless if the exposure is only brief, but dangerous if prolonged. No cheap and simple alarm is capable of “understanding” this.

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    yep. and if folk have the option of a cheap and simple or more suitable expensive one then which do they pick? Fleabay ones !

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    You can buy as cheap or expensive as you like, but they all have to conform to the same British Standard.  It's that standard that defines the sensitivity.  Manufacturers aren't allowed to sell more sentitive CO alarms in the UK.

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    AFAIK, more sensitive carbon monoxide alarms are allowed for specialist applications including yachts and boats.

    These give a lower volume “beep beep” at low levels that present no short term danger. A higher level produces a much louder alarm.

    Low level alarm=open the doors or portholes.

    High level alarm=Evacuate to the open deck, or ashore if moored.

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    you can get an alarm that also has an LCD display of level. Perhaps that would re-assure you.

    Mike.

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