Prepare, Practice, Protect – Improving Carbon Monoxide Safety in Health and Care Services’
Zibiah Loakthar, our Cuimhne Coordinator writes:
Carbon monoxide (CO) safety is important for everyone in our community
A colourless, odourless gas that can be toxic to humans and in large concentrations, Carbon monoxide is known to be a “stealth killer”.
Confusion can be one of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Confusion can also be a symptom of dementia, meaning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning may be less quickly spotted in people already known to be living with dementia. There are also possible direct links between carbon monoxide and dementia.
“Carbon monoxide is linked to many health conditions and illnesses; from which individuals may never fully recover, such as acquired brain injury; neurological symptoms; low birth weight in babies; reduced mortality; sensory impairments; falls; and even personality change; in addition to cases of fatality.”
(Policy Connect, 2023)
Our Cuimhne team welcome the new CO Awareness report ‘Prepare, Practice, Protect – Improving CO Safety in Health and Care Services’.
Launched this July 2023 by Policy Connect and the CO Research Trust the report highlights existing levels of awareness of carbon monoxide safety. Drawing upon 100 interviews with front line and social care staff, the research has gained a snapshot picture of existing carbon monoxide awareness and on the basis of this makes a number of practical recommendations.
These are useful for community organisations, front line and social care staff, community workers and volunteers in our Irish in Britain network who may be based in community centres or making home visits, for instance as oral history volunteers. It is also useful for family carers.
A short summary highlighting the ‘top tips’ for for keeping ourselves and others safe can be read here.
Tips include
Learning the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, the potential sources of carbon monoxide in the home, and what to do if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or if we suspect carbon monoxide exposure has occurred.
Saving the Gas Emergency Number on to our phones so we are prepared: 0800 111 999.
Embedding carbon monoxide safety within existing fire safety practices and training
refreshing our training each year in carbon monoxide safety, for instance through workshops run by the Fire and Rescue Service or Think CO | Gas Safe Charity (gassafecharity.org.uk)
as frontline community organisations, seeking to connect with Home Improvement Agencies via the local authority, Fire and Rescue Services, and any other supportive or charitable housing improvement services. It may be very simple to invite a guest to a team meeting with staff, volunteers and trustees to introduce their services and referrals process.
The full report can be read here.
Our Cuimhne team highly recommend the e-learning and zoom workshops that are offered free of charge by the Gas Safety Charity.
People can enquire about these opportunities by emailing
e-learning@gassafecharity.org.uk or booking a Zoom workshop here.