The cold has settled in France. With this drop in temperatures, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning through heaters increases. Public Health France recalls the good actions to adopt to avoid tragedies this winter.
- Every year, about 1,300 incidents related to accidental CO poisoning are recorded. They involve nearly 3,000 people on average.
- With a concentration of 0.1% CO in the air, the victim dies within 1 hour. With 1% CO in the air, it is asphyxiated in 15 minutes. With 10% CO in the air, it dies immediately.
Invisible, odorless and non-irritating, carbon monoxide (CO) is a particularly dangerous gas. Absorbed by the body, it binds to hemoglobin and can thus cause asphyxiation of the person in a few minutes.
This substance, undetectable by humans, generally results from a malfunction or misuse of heating or cooking appliances that run on gas, wood, coal, gasoline, fuel oil or even ethanol. . Simple actions can reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Heating by fuel: precautions to take
Santé Publique France has detailed the precautions to be taken with heating or lighting appliances running on fuel (gas, wood, gasoline, fuel oil, etc.) during the winter to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. It is recommended :
- have the heating and hot water production installations as well as the flues in your accommodation checked and maintained (mechanical sweeping) by a qualified professional before winter;
- ventilate your home for at least 10 minutes a day, even if it is cold;
- take care to keep the ventilation systems in good condition and not to obstruct the air inlets and outlets;
- follow the instructions for use of combustion appliances indicated by the manufacturer: use only the recommended fuel,
- do not operate the auxiliary heaters continuously: they must be used for a maximum of 2 hours in a row and in a well-ventilated room;
- it is essential to place the generating sets outside the buildings;
- never use as heating devices not intended for this purpose such as a stove, a brazier or a barbecue.
Carbon monoxide poisoning: you have to act quickly
Victims of carbon monoxide poisoning have headaches, a feeling of fatigue and nausea. These signs appear more or less quickly and can affect several people within the same household. “Severe poisoning can lead to coma and death, sometimes within minutes. So you have to act very quickly,” warns Public Health France in its press release of December 12, 2022.
If poisoning is suspected:
- ventilate immediately;
- if possible, shut down combustion appliances that are in operation;
- evacuate the premises;
- call the emergency services by dialing 15, 18 or 112 (and 114 for the hearing impaired).