Just a small leak in a car's exhaust system can lead to an increase in CO inside the car. Have a mechanic check the exhaust system every year.There are steps people can take in their automobiles and other motorized equipment to prevent CO poisoning. Chimneys should be checked and cleaned every year to be sure they are not blocked by debris.This helps prevent CO or other gases from leaking if the joints or pipes aren't fitted tightly. Indoor vent pipes should go up slightly as they go toward outdoors. Appropriate venting of gas appliances in a home, cabin, or camper can help avoid CO build-up.When purchasing gas equipment, people should only buy equipment carrying the seal of a national testing agency, such as the American Gas Association or Underwriters' Laboratories.That could mean there is a defect in the cooling unit which could be giving off CO. Service experts should be called if an odor from a gas refrigerator's cooling unit is detected.Heating systems, water heaters, and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances should be serviced by a qualified technician every year.How can I reduce my exposure to CO poisoning? Who is likely to be affected by exposure to CO poisoning ?Ī person(s) suffering from heart or respiratory health problems, infants and small children, unborn children, expectant mothers, and pets can be affected by CO poisoning faster than others and may be the first to show symptoms. Except for space heaters, none of these devices should ever be used inside the home, basement, garage, camper, tent, or outside near an open window. CO poisoning also occurs most often after a power outage, when loss of electrical power leads to increased use of gasoline-powered generators, kerosene space heaters, charcoal and hibachi grills, propane stoves, and charcoal briquettes for both cooking and heating indoors. In the northern region of the US most CO poisoning cases occur during the winter heating season. The leading source of non-fire, unintentional CO poisoning is from indoor home heating sources such as furnaces, water heaters, space heaters, lanterns, stoves, and similar appliances. Tracking the occurrence of CO poisonings can also provide information on unrecognized exposures such as spikes in CO poisoning after disasters and storms due to emergency generator use. The EPHT program has identified the need for surveillance for unintentional CO poisonings to support public health prevention and intervention activities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with EPHT state partners to develop nationally consistent data measures (NCDM) for environmental and health data. Why is the Massachusetts Department of Public Health tracking CO as a public health issue in the state? Pulmonary/respiratory distress might include pulmonary edema, tachypnea or respiratory arrest. Cardiovascular involvement may result in hypotension, arrhythmias and even myocardial ischemia or infarction. In addition to headache and subjective trouble thinking, patients may show confusion, slowed thought processing, irritability, ataxia, seizures, or loss of consciousness. Any organ can be affected by CO poisoning. Severe CO poisoning is less difficult to diagnose. If a patient complains of those symptoms, but does not have a fever, CO poisoning should be considered and a focused history with exposure to CO sources should be taken. However, these symptoms can also point to other illnesses. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, trouble thinking, diarrhea, weakness, and shortness of breath. Products powered by internal combustion engine such as portable generators, automobiles, lawn mowers, and power washers produce CO. It is produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels, including gasoline, coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas.
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