Two women are reported to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning recently in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune.  The newspaper reports that a faulty boiler is suspected. Elsewhere, in Oxford, Conn., a man reportedly died due to high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) found in a home where he was housesitting. The dogs in the house died, too. (Connecticut Post, 1/30/13).

These reported deaths are just two of the regular, tragic reminders we see that carbon monoxide is a killer. In fact, CO is called the “invisible killer,” because you can’t see, smell or taste it. Don’t let this happen to you.

The best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home is to:

• Have fuel-burning home heating appliances – your furnace, chimney, water heater, etc. – checked by a professional every year to make sure they are working properly.

• Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and outside bedroom areas.

• If you use a generator when the power goes out, keep it outside, far from windows and doors. Do NOT use a generator in your garage.

Carbon-monoxide deaths are more common than you might think. According to a new CPSC report:

• There were an average of 169 unintentional, non-fire CO poisoning deaths each year between 2007 and 2009.

• 1/3 of the deaths were associated with carbon monoxide from heating systems, such as furnaces.

• More than 40% of carbon-monoxide deaths are from using generators, such as operating them in a garage or basement, which is extremely dangerous.

• Most CO deaths occur in the colder months of the year: November, December, January and February.

In addition to carbon monoxide risks, space heaters also need to be handled with extra care to prevent unintentional fires. Space heaters are associated with an average of 100 deaths each year between 2008 and 2010.

Just last week, local fire officials reportedly blamed space heaters for fires at homes in Portsmouth, Va. (via Fox 43-TV) and Bristol Township, Pa. (via PhillyBurbs.com).

• When you use a space heater, follow these safety tips:

• Turn the space heater off when you go to sleep or leave the room.

• Keep the space heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including curtains and furniture.

Have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside bedroom areas and inside each bedroom.

Look for additional life-saving information in CPSC’s Carbon Monoxide Information Center.

The aftermath of a storm can sometimes be a time when people take risks. Do not make your generator placement one of those risks. It can have deadly consequences for you and your family. Since Hurricane Sandy hit,  more than a dozen people in the Northeast have died from carbon monoxide, or CO, poisonings from generators, according to news accounts.

Generators need to be placed outside, away from windows and doors. They do not belong in garages or basements. Opening the garage or basement door does NOT provide enough ventilation to save you from the deadly gas.

Share this information with anyone you know in the affected areas. If you are in a storm-affected area and hear a generator running in your neighborhood, share this information with its owner.

If you’re running a generator, make sure you have a working CO alarm in your home. Even if you aren’t running a generator, install a CO alarm. This alarm can save your life. The initial symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness.

Here’s more information on carbon monoxide.

Each year, about 110 people die and about 87,000 people are treated in emergency rooms from injuries associated with power lawnmowers. This includes walk-behind mowers, riding mowers, lawn tractors and garden tractors.

If you’re buying dad a new walk-behind rotary lawn mower, consider these factors. Then remind him about safety:

• Fill the fuel tank before starting the engine. NEVER refuel when the mower is running or hot.
• Pick up twigs, rocks and other debris before you mow. The whole family can help with this. Just make sure that children clear the area before the actual mowing begins.
• Cut dry grass, not wet grass. Wet clippings could jam the rotary blade and shut down the engine. When you need to remove clippings from the discharge chute, STOP the mower.
• Push the mower forward. Don’t pull it backward.
• On lawn slopes, if you are using a walk-behind rotary mower, mow across the slope. If you drive a riding mower, drive up and down the slope, not across it.
• Check safety features often and repair or replace them if needed. Do not remove any safety devices from a mower.
• When using an electric mower, organize your work so you first cut the area closest to the electrical outlet and then gradually move away. This will minimize your chance of running over the power cord and getting electrocuted.

As for the grill, here’s a maintenance and safety checklist for gas grills. Give him these key points:

• Check the grill’s hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. The hose or tubing shouldn’t have any sharp bends.
• Hoses need to be as far from the hot surfaces as possible. Don’t let grease drip on them.
• Any time you reconnect a grill to the LP gas container, or if you smell gas, check for leaks. To do this, open the gas supply valve fully and apply a soapy solution (one part water, one part liquid detergent) with a brush at the connection points. If you see bubbles, there’s a leak. Turn off the gas, tighten the connection and test again. If you can’t stop the leak, replace the leaking parts.
• Do NOT light a grill if you detect a leak.

On average, about 3,600 people are treated in emergency rooms each year from injuries associated with gas, charcoal or propane grills. Of the 12 deaths each year associated with grills, about two-thirds are from carbon monoxide poisoning when a grill is used in an enclosed space like inside a house.

When grilling, always follow these safety tips:

• Only use a grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any building. Do not grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or under any surface that will burn.
• Never leave a grill unattended.
• Keep children away from the grill. The outside surface can burn when touched.
• Always follow the instructions that came with the grill.

All of this advice is meant to ensure that dad doesn’t spend Father’s Day in the emergency room. Have a happy and safe Father’s Day!

Occasionally, we tell you about deaths in homes without working alarms. We hear these tragic stories on the news regularly or see them posted online.

But, for Daylight Saving Time this year, we want to remind you of some positive stories. These are anecdotal, as they are told through the eyes of the media and we haven’t investigated any of the facts ourselves in these cases. But they show lifesaving information about having working smoke and CO alarms in your home.

The first story comes from KSAT in San Antonio, Texas. An apartment dweller told KSAT that she installed a carbon monoxide alarm at the advice of a friend. Because of the beep of that alarm, the residents of an entire apartment building were evacuated and saved from a building with high levels of carbon monoxide, a gas that you can’t see or smell, but which can kill you.

The second story comes from BayToday in North Bay, Canada. A mom reports that she and her daughter were feeling nauseous and thought they were getting sick. An alarm was beeping, and the mom asked her husband to go turn it off. Instead of turning the alarm off, the father looked at the alarm, saw the carbon monoxide levels and got the family out of the house. Another story about a tragedy that was prevented.

So remember, buy some new batteries and take a few minutes this weekend to install them in all of your smoke and CO alarms. Then, make sure to test the alarms every month to make sure they are working.

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this OnSafety blog do not reflect CPSC endorsement of any product.

In 2008 — the latest year for which we have complete data — there were about 190 unintentional non-fire CO-poisoning deaths associated with consumer products under our jurisdiction. The product associated with most of these deaths? Portable generators.

As more people use portable generators, the numbers of CO-related deaths have increased.  In 1999 there were seven generator-related CO deaths. In 2008 the number of deaths reached 86. That’s an increase of more than 1,000 percent.

Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer that strikes within minutes. You can protect yourself with a few simple safety rules:

• Install working CO alarms in your home. Make sure the alarm is battery-operated or has a battery-backup so it works during a power outage.
• Keep all generators outside of your home, away from doors and windows.
• Never use a generator in a garage, basement, crawl space, shed or on a porch.

Most CO-related deaths happen from November through February — the cold months. This makes sense, of course. In colder months, we use our furnaces and fuel-burning space heaters. When we lose power during storms, more and more of you power up your portable generators.

CO deaths also occur when charcoal is used indoors. Just like generators, keep burning charcoal outside, away from the house.

Let’s see if we can work together to drop the number of carbon monoxide-related deaths.

“Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives by alerting you to a fire or CO buildup. They can’t do their job if the batteries aren’t working,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “Protect your family by replacing smoke and CO alarm batteries at least once each year.”

Smoke alarms should be placed on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside each bedroom. About two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that don’t work.

CO alarms should be installed on each level of the home and outside sleeping areas. CO alarms should not be installed in attics or basements unless they include a sleeping area. Combination smoke and CO alarms are available to consumers.

November is also a good time of year to schedule an annual professional inspection of all fuel-burning appliances, including furnaces and chimneys. This inspection helps protect against CO poisoning. Home heating systems were associated with 70 deaths, or 38 percent of CO poisoning deaths, in 2007, the largest percentage of non-fire CO poisoning deaths.

And online news reports of carbon monoxide incidents due to generators have been popping up:

• Ellicott City, Md.: A 48-year-old man died from carbon monoxide poisoning. His wife and teenage son were hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning. The family reportedly had a generator running in their garage. The batteries were dead in the carbon monoxide alarm in the home. (Source: Baltimore Sun)

• Fairfield, Ct.: Six people – four adults and two children – were reportedly treated at a hospital for carbon monoxide exposure. A gasoline generator was running in the basement of their home. (Source: WTNH-TV 8)

• Washington Township, N.J.: A police sergeant and a firefighter were reportedly hospitalized after working for five hours in a room while a generator was running. (Source: Examiner)

• Kensington, Md.: Two people were reportedly taken to the hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning. The house had a generator running outside; however, the carbon monoxide drifted in through open windows. (Source: WTOP)

• Hanover, Va.: Two people were taken to the hospital. A gas-powered generator was reportedly outside an open window. High levels of CO were found inside. (Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch)

• Abington, Md.: A family of seven put their generator just inside the garage door. The garage door was reportedly raised about a foot to ventilate the fumes. But the fumes entered the house. The family survived. (Source: ABC-TV 2)

Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer. It’s odorless and colorless. Operating a generator inside your home is like running hundreds of cars in your home. The carbon monoxide can kill you and your family in minutes.

If you’re a first-time generator user – or even if you’ve used one before – make sure to read the owner’s manual and the warning label on your generator carefully. Use  a generator outside your home, far away from windows, doors and vents. DO NOT use it inside. And make sure your home has a working CO alarm.

In addition, there has been an increasing trend in unintentional non-fire CO deaths associated with consumer products since 1999. CPSC staff estimates that there were 184 CO poisoning deaths on average per year from from 2005-2007 compared with 122 deaths per year from 1999-2001. Since 1999, the majority of CO deaths have been associated with heating systems and portable generators.

CPSC, along with USFA, recommend that, in addition to having working smoke and CO alarms in your homes, you should follow these safety tips to prevent fires and CO poisoning:

Preventing Fires

• Place space heaters on a floor that is flat and level. Do not put space heaters on rugs or carpets. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture, and other flammable materials; and place space heaters out of the flow of foot traffic. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• To prevent the risk of fire, NEVER leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or place a space heater close to any sleeping person. Turn the heater off when you leave the area. See CPSC’s electric space heater safety alert for more space heater safety tips.
• Never use gasoline in a kerosene space heater. Even small amounts of gasoline mixed with kerosene can increase the risk of a fire.
• Have fireplace flues and chimneys inspected for leakage and blockage from creosote or debris every year.
• Open the fireplace damper before lighting a fire, and keep it open until the ashes are cool. An open damper may help prevent build-up of poisonous gases inside the home.
• Store fireplace ashes in a fire-resistant container, and cover the container with a lid. Keep the container outdoors and away from combustibles. Dispose of ashes carefully, keeping them away from dry leaves, trash or other combustible materials.

Preventing CO poisoning

• Schedule a yearly professional inspection of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents.
• NEVER operate a portable gasoline-powered generator in an enclosed space, such as a garage, shed, or crawlspace, or in the home.
• Keep portable generators as far away from your home and your neighbors’ homes as possible – away from open doors, windows or vents that could allow deadly carbon monoxide into the home.
• When purchasing a space heater, ask the salesperson whether the heater has been safety-certified. A certified heater will have a safety certification mark. These heaters will have the most up-to-date safety features. An unvented gas space heater that meets current safety standards will shut off if oxygen levels fall too low.
• Do not use portable propane space heaters indoors or in any confined space, unless they are designed specifically for indoor use. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper use.
• Never use gas or electric stoves to heat the home. They are not intended for that purpose and can pose a CO or fire hazard.

That’s how many entries we received from middle schoolers in our “Help Stop a Killer Contest.”

We sponsored this contest to help raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide, or CO, in the home. More than 180 people die every year from accidental, non-fire related CO poisoning associated with consumer products. In 2007, more than half of those deaths occurred from November through February.

Products like faulty or incorrectly vented fuel-burning appliances. Products like stoves improperly used to warm a home in the winter. Products like portable generators improperly used inside basements or near homes, garages, or sheds.

CO is a poisonous gas that you can’t see or smell. In addition to following these safety tips, you should take two main steps to prevent a CO tragedy in your house:

•  Have a professional inspect your fuel-burning appliances, such as your furnace and fireplace, every year, and
• Install a CO alarm on each level of your home and outside sleeping areas.
• Take these steps today. And look at the terrific posters that so many kids took the time to make. Learn from them. Share your favorites with friends.

  As for us, we’re starting the judging and will announce the contest winners at the end of February.

CPSC staff extends our condolences to the families, friends, and communities affected by the fire.

Sadly, this tragedy is also a reminder to anyone who uses space heaters to keep the following safety dos and don’ts in mind:

Do’s:

• Use a space heater that has been tested to the latest safety standards and has been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters have the most up-to-date safety features. Older space heaters may not meet newer safety standards. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper use.
• Place the heater on a level, hard, nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor.
• Keep the heater at least three feet away from bedding, drapes, furniture, and other flammable materials.
• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• Turn the heater off if you leave the area.

Don’ts:

• Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep.
• Don’t place a space heater close to any sleeping person.
• Never use gasoline in a kerosene space heater, as even small amounts of gasoline mixed with kerosene can increase the risk of fire.
• Don’t use portable propane space heaters indoors or in any confined space unless they are specifically designed for indoor use.

Also, be sure to place smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside of sleeping areas and inside each bedroom. Guard against carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings as well by installing carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Make sure that your batteries in all alarms are fresh and working.