Training aims to combat carbon monoxide poisoning
Connaught Academy, part of Asset Management specialist Connaught Plc, has joined forces with safety experts to help reduce accidents and fatalities due to faulty gas installations.
Connaught Academy has linked with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and gas safety watchdog CORGI to raise awareness of dangers that lead to fatalities and injury due mainly to carbon monoxide poisoning, known as the ‘silent killer’.
The organisations have run three pilot programmes for Local Authorities, which have proved so successful that they are to be made available to business and industry as well as the public sector.
Huw Evans, Regional Training Manager for Connaught Academy, said, “Around 20 people are killed every year in the UK by carbon monoxide escaping from household gas appliances while hundreds more suffer poisoning by the fumes, and there are many fires and explosions caused by faulty equipment. There is an urgent need to raise awareness of the dangers, not only to householders but to landlords and people who manage offices and business premises."
“A recent HSE report indicated that a quarter of homes have one or more defective gas appliances. The problem is most prevalent in the homes of the most vulnerable people; those who are most likely to live in poorer quality housing, social housing or in rented accommodation. As almost half of people questioned said they had no information on the dangers of carbon monoxide dangers, there is an urgent need to raise awareness."
“Gas safety is a very important issue in workplaces too. Our pilot programmes, which were attended mainly by Local Authority Managers, received excellent feedback. Together with HSE and CORGI, we not only highlight the dangers; we focus strongly on prevention. For example, we know that around two thirds of fatal incidents would probably have been avoided if the appliance had been serviced by a competent CORGI registered installer in the previous year.”
Huw Evans added that Connaught Academy is working with CORGI and HSE in an innovative approach to provide practical solutions to raising awareness and could also help identify the legislative requirements that could help raise safety standards. “Our aim is to make more people aware of the dangers and what precautions could be made to avoid them, whilst helping to reduce the unnecessary fatalities and injuries that regularly occur.”
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