BRANDED the silent killer,

carbon monoxide is a clear, odourless gas which kills 50 people in the UK every year.

Faulty gas, coal and oil-fuelled fires, lack of ventilation and blocked chimneys can all lead to the fumes building up to critical levels in the home and causing death.

It is a problem which Brighton and Hove Council is all too well aware of and will spend more than £500,000 during this financial year to

combat.

The authority is so concerned about the safety of its tenants, it even has its own carbon monoxide "tzar" to ensure the problem never rears its head in the area.

Ian Watson is the authority's repairs and maintenance services manager and oversees the checking of more than 14,000 gas fires, central heating boilers and water heaters every year.

Under Government legislation, landlords in the private sector are required to carry out checks on gas appliances at least once

a year to ensure they are safe.

Mr Watson said the council strictly adheres to the policy and often goes one step further.

"Every time a council property becomes empty, we would always go in and carry out a further check on the appliances. If it became empty three times a year, this would mean three checks."

Ensuring that appliances are safe involves stripping them down and giving them a thorough clean to ensure all parts are working correctly. This is followed by a test with a carbon monoxide detector.

When people use gas appliances in the home they should also make sure there is adequate ventilation and Mr Watson's team is always on the look-out to ensure there are ways for the gas to escape.

He said: "Especially in the cold weather, people see ventilation points like air bricks and block them up to prevent drafts getting into the home.

"In the private sector, people often like to replace old draughty windows with new plastic ones which fit nice and snugly in the frames and this can cause problems.

Campaign

"All of them should be fitted with vents in the frame, but if this isn't possible, there are other ways of ventilation, such as having grills on the bottom of doors."

The Government is so concerned about the problem of carbon monoxide poisoning it has launched a campaign to raise awareness.

It has highlighted three areas in the UK where death rates are particularly high: Wales, the Midlands and Northern Ireland.

Consumer Affairs Minister Kim Howells said: "Carbon monoxide poisoning can be caused by faulty heating appliances fuelled by coal, oil, as well as gas.

"Although completely avoidable, 50 people still lose their lives every year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

"A recent MORI poll revealed 60 per cent of people had no idea that coal fires can produce carbon monoxide and kill when chimneys are not swept.

"They thought carbon monoxide poisoning was an accident

that could not happen if you had a coal fire. It is these kinds of myths which carry a death sentence."

l If you suspect a gas leak or believe fumes are coming from an appliance in your home, call Transco on 0800 111999. Council tenants with concerns about possible carbon monoxide leaks in their homes should call 01273 293031, or 01273 699988 outside office hours.

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