Gas Safety – Carbon Monoxide

In 2005/06 16 people died from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues which had not been properly installed or maintained.

Many others also suffered ill health. When gas does not burn properly, as with other fuels such as coal, wood or oil, excess CO is produced which is poisonous.

You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but CO can kill without warning in just a matter of hours.

Make sure your central heating boiler is maintained annually by British Gas or another CORGI-registered engineer. As a second line of defence, fit a British Standard approved carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm.

Any member of the family can be affected by carbon monoxide, even household pets. The symptoms, which can often be confused with other ailments like flu, are:

• persistent headaches
• dizziness
• extreme tiredness
• sickness

If these symptoms occur, particularly when using a gas heating or hot water appliance, stop using the appliance and get it checked by a British Gas engineer or another CORGI registered engineer. Alternatively, call Transco Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999.

It might also be a good idea to consult a doctor.

British Gas can supply carbon monoxide detectors – go to: www.house.co.uk/safety if you would like further information or would like to buy one. They are also available in hardware stores, but please make sure you get a British Standard approved detector with an audible alarm.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm £9.75

Candles – Fire Safety

Candles mark special occasions and create a special atmosphere. They also bring fire into your home. So treat them carefully. Here are some guidelines.

• Always put candles on a heat resistant surface.
• Be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic. TVs are not fire-resistant objects.
• Put them in a proper holder.
• Candles need to be held firmly upright by the holder so they won’t fall over. The holder needs to be stable too, so it won’t fall over either.
• Position them away from curtains.
• Don’t put candles near curtains or other fabrics – or furniture. And keep them out of draughts.
• Don’t put them under shelves.
• It’s easy to forget that there’s a lot of heat above a burning candle. If you put it under a shelf or other surface then it can burn the surface. Make sure there’s at least three feet (one metre) between a candle and any surface above it.
• Keep clothes and hair away.
• If there’s any chance you could lean across a candle and forget it’s there, put it somewhere else. You don’t want to set fire to your clothes or your hair.
• Keep children and pets away.
• Candles should be out of reach of children and pets.
• Keep candles apart.
• Leave at least four inches (10cm) between two burning candles.
• Take care with votive or scented candles.
• These kinds of candles turn to liquid to release their fragrance, so put them in a glass or metal holder.
• Don’t move them when they’re burning.
• Extinguish candles before moving them. Also, don’t let anything fall into the hot wax like match sticks.
• Don’t leave them burning.
• Extinguish candles before you leave a room. Never go to sleep with a candle still burning. And never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child’s bedroom.
• Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. It’s safer than blowing them, which can send sparks and hot wax flying.
• Double-check they’re out .
• Candles that have been put out can go on smouldering and start a fire. Make sure they’re completely out.

Electric Blankets

It is not advisable to buy or use a second hand electric blanket. You will not know its history and are unlikely to be able to judge its safety. When using an electric blanket ensure:

The blanket is laid flat on the bed as folds or creases can damage the internal wiring and cause overheating.

With underblankets, ensure the lead and controller switch are hanging freely and not caught up in the blanket or damaged in any way and any underblankets are securely tied to the bed if tie tapes are supplied.

The blanket is switched off or unplugged before you get into bed if it is marked as a pre-heating underblanket.

 

Cold Chisels – Safety Tips

Keep all chisels sharpened and in good order. Discard or treat any chisel with a cracked or chipped face. Never use a chisel that has a ‘mushroomed’ end from being struck by a hammer. Using a chisel like this will likely result in a metal fragment flying off. Always use a pair of goggles or other safety glasses to protect you. Never use a chisel when children are playing around your work area. Some chisels are sold with a plastic guard which also serves as a hand hold. These are the best to buy as however much practice you have had, one day without it you will hammer your own hand !

Car Axle Stands – Safety

Doing some work on your own car at home?

If you intend to work under a car do not forget to use the correct axle stands to support the car before working under it. Always ensure you have the correct rated stands for the gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. Ensure all the stands are placed on firm level ground and have all been correctly adjusted to support the weight of the vehicle.

Always use the safety devices that are available, including the secondary safety locking devices, which has not fitted in the above example.

Never jack up one side of a car and allow one driven wheel to rotate under the power of the engine. If the vehicle is fitted with a limited slip differential, it will not stay supported for long !

Garden – Water Butt Safety

With an ever increasing awareness to conserving water, please be careful with your garden bins and any water butts that you use. It has been the case that children have fallen into these types of bins. Children have drowned in containers with just inches of water in them.

Place your water butts on stands out of reach of children and don’t forget to place heavy weighted covers onto the top of the containers to prevent children from opening them.

Poor v’s Rich – Children’s Accidents

Two million children a year visit A&E because they have been hurt in an accident, and not enough has been done to tackle the problem, which is thought to cost the NHS £149m a year.

A report, produced with the Healthcare Commission, had found “shocking” inequalities in rates of accidents in children from poor families.

Injuries such as those caused by burns, falling down the stairs and poisoning are a leading cause of death and illness in those aged one to 14 years old. In recent years the number of deaths from accidents in children has fallen, according to the report.

However, inequalities between the poorest and more affluent families are widening. In 1999 the government set a target to reduce the death rates from accidents (in all age groups) by at least one fifth and to reduce the rate of serious injury from accidents by at least one tenth by 2010.

NHS Direct – Telephone Number

If you or a family member does have an accident that can’t be dealt with at home with basic first aid, always go to your local NHS walk-in centre, minor injuries unit, or accident and emergency department.

You call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for 24-hour advice

Call for an ambulance if necessary. If you’re not sure, you can call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for 24-hour advice.

Asbestos

In the UK, houses built between 1920 and the 1980s may incorporate asbestos. Artex containing some 3-5% asbestos was banned at this time. Asbestos was not totally banned until late in 1999.

What dangers does it pose? There are several asbestos-related cancers of the lungs and chest-lining. The risks to your health are limited provided that asbestos is not worked or crumbling; this will cause the dust which you can then inhale.

Where is it found? As well as in Artex, asbestos cement was used to make roof tiles, corrugated roofs, boiler flues and insulated panels. Some houses have gutters, drainpipes and soffits made from this material.

This form of asbestos, a white variety, is perhaps the least dangerous. Brown or blue asbestos is much more dangerous.

What should you do? Don’t drill, sand or cut any material which you suspect contains asbestos. If it is flaking, it can be sealed with a paint. If you do any major work to Artex, you should consider getting the Artex removed by a specialist. Do not try to remove the asbestos-containing material yourself. Seek advice from a surveyor or an asbestos removal company.

If you are still worried, contact your local authority and the building surveyors department; ask them for the name of a company that will test a sample for you.

The Asbestos Advisory Service (AAS) aims to provide independent, accurate information and best-practice guidance on matters related to work with asbestos. It is intended to be a single point of reference primarily for the householder seeking guidance on dealing with asbestos in the home.

Contact the AAS in Northern Ireland;

The Asbestos Advisory Service is based at 83 Ladas Drive, Belfast, BT6 9FR and can be reached on;

One-2-One Helpline:	0800 0320 121
Textphone:	028 9054 6896
Fax:	028 9023 5383
Email:	asbestos@detini.gov.uk

Old Plaster – Anthrax Spores

Plaster usually contains horsehair and, before controls were introduced in 1895, could contain anthrax spores. Although there are no recorded cases of infections from this source, when removing plaster you should take reasonable precautions.

English Heritage recommend that you should:

• cover all cuts, abrasions and other wounds with waterproof dressings to prevent infection
• keep hands and fingernails clean and avoid hand-to-mouth contact during work
• wear protective clothing (such as disposable gloves, overalls, eye protection, dust masks) appropriate to the task in hand. Dust masks should provide protection against infectious agents (FFP3 type, European Standard EN 149).
• not eat or drink in work areas and wash hands thoroughly before handling food
• keep first aid kits well-maintained and to hand, and ensure they contain waterproof dressings
• if removing old plaster, ensure that it is disposed of in accordance with local and statutory national controls, and that the generation of dust is minimised (e.g. by vacuum cleaning using a high-efficiency filter instead of dry-brush cleaning).
• keep surrounding areas clean and dust-free
• ensure that personal are informed of the risk and risk management strategy.