RoSPA: Bring a CO detector on holiday

Are you planning to head out on holiday? You might take sunscreen, loose clothing, medicines, and a range of other items to avoid suffering any injuries while you're away, but have you considered taking a carbon monoxide detector?

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is urging holidaymakers to take a CO detector on their trips so they can avoid preventable tragedies and keep themselves and their families safe.

Poorly-serviced or broken-down gas appliances, boilers and other fuel-burning appliances can emit carbon monoxide - a colourless, odourless gas that can lead to fatal poisoning. Many people do not even realise they are afflicted with carbon monoxide poisoning until it is too late - gas appliances can leak the gas overnight, potentially killing people while they sleep.

In October 2006, Christianna Shepherd (7) and her brother Robert (6), from West Yorkshire, lost their lives while staying in a hotel bungalow in Corfu when a boiler leaked carbon monoxide, while Kelly Webster (36) and her daughter Laura Thornton (10) died after sleeping on a motor cruiser on Lake Windermere and inhaling the deadly gas. Later investigations found that a generator's silencer and exhaust system had become detached, causing fumes to seep into the cabin.

Accordingly, RoSPA issued the following safety advice for holidaymakers:

• Buy a portable CO detector and take this on holiday with you to check for any signs of CO
• Do not use barbecues inside
• Make sure your property is well-ventilated
• Know the sympoms of carbon-monoxide poisoning (headaches, breathlessness, dizziness and nausea)
• Know the signs of a faulty appliance that may be leaking carbon monoxide (orange pilot lights, excessive condensation, sooty staining)