Portable Generators (Last Updated 11/15/2010)

CPSC staff participates as a non-voting member on Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standards Technical Panel (STP) for UL 2201 Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies, which UL issued as a standard in March 2009. Staff’s primary interest is to reduce the carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning hazard associated with this product. As of June 2010, the CPSC databases contain records of at least 542 deaths from CO poisoning associated with consumers’ use of generators in the period from 1999 through 2009.

Staff recommends that requirements be developed to address consumer exposure to unsafe CO emissions. Staff also advocates the establishment of requirements for safe outdoor use of generators in rain or other wet conditions, to reduce the potential risk of shock or electrocution and to help reduce the incidence of consumers improperly using generators in indoor locations. UL 2201 currently has requirements for rainproof enclosures, weather-resistant and weather-protected receptacles, and ground-fault circuit-interrupters on 125-volt AC output circuits.

Additional Information

Safety Alerts: CPSC Safety Alert: Portable Generator Hazards CPSC Health Alert: Carbon Monoxide Warning Carbon Monoxide Warning Returning Home Safely After Katrina

Press Releases: CPSC Chairman Calls for Comprehensive Safety Review of Portable Generators, October 13, 2005 Survival Tips After Hurricane Rita Strikes - CPSC Warns Gulf Coast Residents of Deadly Carbon Monoxide from Generators, September 22, 2005 Safety Tips for Hurricane Victims - CPSC Warns of Dangers at Home in the Aftermath of Hurricane Ophelia, September 15, 2005 CPSC Warns of New Dangers Among Gulf Coast Victims of Hurricane Katrina From Deadly CO Poisonings, September 13, 2005 Surviving the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina - CPSC Warns of Deadly Post-Storm Dangers with Portable Generators, Candles and Wet Appliances, August 31, 2005 Survivng the Aftermath of Hurricane Dennis - CPSC Warns of Post-Storm Hazards from Portable Generators, Candles, and Wet Appliances, July 8, 2005 CPSC warns of Post-Storm Hazards from Generators, Candles, and Wet Appliances, August 12, 2004 Safety Tips if Hurricane Knocks Out Electricity - CPSC Warns of Dangers from Generators and Candles, September 15, 2003 CPSC Warns of Dangers of Generators and Candles During Power Outage, August 15, 2003 CPSC and FEMA Warn: When A Storm Knocks Out Power, Don't Risk Carbon Monoxide Poisoning by Using Gasoline-Powered Generators Indoors, January 22, 2003 CPSC Warns Earthquake Victims: Do Not Use Gasoline-Powered Generators Indoors Because of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, February 28, 2001 CPSC Issues Warning to Hurricane Victims to Prevent CO Poisonings, Electrocutions, Explosions and Fires, August 23, 1999 CPSC Issues Warning to Hurricane Victims to Prevent CO Poisonings, Electrocutions, Explosions and Fires, August 28, 1998 Warning to Storm Victims: Do Not Use Gasoline-Powered Generators Indoors Because of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, January 13, 1998

Fact Sheets: CO – The Invisible Killer

Incident Data: Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999-2010, August 1, 2011 Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999-2009, December, 2010 Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999-2008, December, 2009 Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999-2007, October 7, 2008 Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999-2006, October 10, 2007 Non-fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools in 2002 through 2005, August 16, 2006 Non-fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools in 2004 and 2005, January 13, 2006 Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1990-2004, December 1, 2005 Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Carbon Monoxide and Engine-Driven Tools, 1990-2003, March 8, 2004

Regulatory Activities Portable Generators; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking; Comments CC 07-3-1 through CC 07-10 (as of February 15, 2007) Portable Generators; Final Rule; Labeling Requirements - CORRECTION, January 18, 2007; CPSC Federal Register Notice Portable Generators; Final Rule; Labeling Requirements, effective May 14, 2007, January 12, 2007; CPSC Federal Register Notice. See CORRECTION immediately above. Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Portable Generators; Request for Comments and Information, December 12, 2006 Final Rule: Labeling Requirements for Portable Generators, December 2006; CPSC Commission Briefing Package Portable Generators: Staff Briefing Package for ANPR, Staff Review of Portable Generator Safety, October 2006

Voluntary Standard and Code Activities Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories December 17, 2007. CPSC Staff Comments on Request for Comments and Ballot on Subject 2201, Portable Engine Generator Assemblies, dated November 2, 2007 Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories July 16, 2007. CPSC Staff Comments on Proposal for UL 2201 Edition 1, Portable Engine Generator Assemblies, dated May 11, 2007 Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories March 15, 2006. CPSC Staff Comments on UL’s Draft Outline of Investigation, 2201 Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories February 13, 2006. CPSC Staff Comments on UL’s Draft Outline of Investigation, 2201 Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories January 31, 2005. Re: Request for Comments on UL correspondence dated December 10, 2004 pertaining to Subject 2201 Portable Engine Generator Assemblies Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories September 14, 2004. Re: Request for Comments on UL correspondence dated May 21, 2004 pertaining to Subject 2201 Portable Engine Generator Assemblies Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories October 22, 2003. Re: Request for Comments on the Proposed 1st Edition of the Standard for Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies, UL 2201 (Ref: Comment resolution matrix for UL 2201, which provides the comments and dispositions, agreed upon by those attending the July 15-16 UL 2201 STP meeting) Correspondence to Underwriters Laboratories May 8, 2003. Re: Request for Comments on the Proposed 1st Edition of the Standard for Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies, UL 2201, and Ballot for ANSI Recognition

CPSC Staff Reports, Memoranda and Contracts: Laboratory Exhaust Emission testing for a Prototype Generator Engine Designed for Low Carbon Monoxide (CO) Emission Rates and EPA Phase 2 Emission Standards for Nonroad Small Spark-Ignition (SI) Nonhandheld Engines for CPSC by Intertek Carnot Emission Services, July 30, 2010 Portable Generator Vibration Measurements, CPSC Directorate for Engineering Sciences, January 2007 Engine-Drive Tools, Phase 1 Test Report for Portable Electric Generators, November 2006, CPSC Division of Mechanical Engineering, Directorate for Laboratory Sciences Staff Review of Portable Generator Safety, October 2006 Demonstration of a Remote Carbon Monoxide Sensing Automatic Shut Off Device for Portable Generators, August 2006 Product Labels for Generators to Address Carbon Monoxide Poisonings, May 2006 Request for Information: Techniques to Substantially Reduce Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Gasoline Powered Portable Generators Portable Generators: CPSC Economics Staff Report, August 2005 Proposed Warning Language to Accompany Generators, August 2003 Weatherproof Portable Engine-Generators CPSC staff presentations at 5-20-04 Public Forum on CO Poisoning Associated with Portable Generators Phase 1 Test Plan - Test program for engine-driven tools project Medium-Sized Combustion Chamber System Characterization Tests Health Hazard Assessment of CO Poisoning Associated with Emissions from a Portable, 5.5 Kilowatt, Gasoline-Powered Generator

Contact Underwriters Laboratories Inc. For further information concerning draft UL 2201 Standard for Portable Engine-Generator Assemblies, please contact Diana Pappas Jordan at Diana.Pappas.Jordan@us.ul.com

Contact CPSC For additional information or to comment, please contact cpsc-os@cpsc.gov Join a voluntary standards Email Subscription List