How to avoid the silent killer
According to the Health and Safety Executive, "Every year about 14 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues which have not been properly installed or maintained. Many others also suffer ill health."
Carbon monoxide is often called the 'silent killer': it is a colourless, odourless, highly poisonous gas.
If you're a hotelier or a landlord with holiday accommodation, it is your legal responsibility to:
"ensure gas fittings and flues are maintained in a safe condition. Gas appliances should be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If these are not available it is recommended that they are serviced annually unless advised otherwise by a Gas Safe registered engineer;
ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance/flue. Before any new lease starts, you must make sure that these checks have been carried out within one year before the start of the lease date, unless the appliances in the property have been installed for less than 12 months, in which case they should be checked within 12 months of their installation date;
have all installation, maintenance and safety checks carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer;
keep a record of each safety check for at least two years;
issue a copy of the latest safety check record to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being completed, or to any new tenant before they move in (in certain cases there is an option to display the record). The Regulations specify the gas safety matters to be covered. You should not assume that an annual service inspection meets the safety check requirement, or that a safety check will, on its own, be sufficient to provide effective maintenance. Ask the advice of a Gas Safe registered engineer where necessary." (Landlords: A guide to landlords’ duties: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, Health and Safety Executive)
What happens if you don’t maintain the gas appliances at your property?
The most serious result of failing to mainait gas appliances, could be the loss of life. If this were to happen in your property, you could be prosecuted, resulting in you facing imprisonment or a fine of up to £20 000, or both, for each offence. If the case is referred to the Crown Court, the maximum penalty you face is imprisonment, or an unlimited fine, or both.
We all want to avoid tragedies such as the deaths of Bobby and Christi Shepherd and regular safety checks of appliances, coupled with appropriate carbon monoxide alarms is the way to prevent further such tragedies.
However, standard, audible carbon monoxide alarms fail to take into account the needs of Deaf people and people with hearing loss. So, in order for you to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and the The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, we recommend the installation of carbon monoxide alarms which link to strobes. (There are also some which link to vibrating pillow pads.)
