STUDENTS ADVISED TO GET ALARMED
Around now hundreds of thousands of students will be heading to UK universities renting flats and houses, many never having lived away from home before, preparing for their first year of college. Roderick Pettigrew, Chief Executive of B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association, who operate the free consumer advice service the Carbon Monoxide Helpline (www.cohelpline.org), has some timely and potentially lifesaving safety advice for students.
9 September 2014 – Around now hundreds of thousands of students will be heading to UK universities renting flats and houses, many never having lived away from home before, preparing for their first year of college. Roderick Pettigrew, Chief Executive of B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association, who operate the free consumer advice service the Carbon Monoxide Helpline, has some timely and potentially lifesaving safety advice for students: “Gas appliances in all rented accommodation should be serviced annually in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions by a Gas Safe registered installer in addition to having annual gas safety checks carried out on them – that is the law.
“Students can ask the landlord or letting agent to see a copy of the gas safety certificate issued following the annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer and they should not hesitate to contact the Health & Safety Executive (T: 0300 003 1747) if the landlord cannot provide this.
“All fuel burning appliances, if they are defective, faulty or used incorrectly, can leak carbon monoxide fumes and each year around 40 people die, with hundreds more made seriously ill from ‘the silent killer’; and it’s called that for good reason because you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide yet it can be lethal.
“Fitting a European Standard certified audible carbon monoxide alarm is potentially a lifesaving defence. Most responsible landlords will now have one fitted but, if not, we strongly recommend that student tenants do so at their own expense. Most are portable types and do not need to be fixed into walls. CO alarms cost as little as £15 and can be purchased from a variety of stores.”
For more advice you can call the Carbon Monoxide Helpline on 0800 810 8464 (anytime) or visit the website at http://www.cohelpline.org, which has lots of really useful safety advice and where you can also download a free booklet covering everything you need to know about CO poisoning.
Ends
Issued on behalf of the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) by Next Step Marketing Ltd
Media enquiries to: Heather Lambert. Tel: 44(0)1256 472020;
Fax: 44(0)1256 471010; E-mail: heather@nextstepmarketing.co.uk
Notes to editors
Since its formation in 1904, B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association (formerly the HVCA) has represented the interests of companies engaged in a wide range of building and engineering services including domestic heating and renewable technologies.
B&ES members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability, carried out by an independent certification body at least every three years.
B&ES members who undertake gas installations are registered with Gas Safe – the gas safety watchdog body – and are also members of TrustMark, the Government-endorsed scheme designed to direct customers towards reliable tradespeople.
B&ES operates the Carbon Monoxide Helpline (http://www.cohelpline.org) to provide consumers with advice about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and how to keep out of harm’s way from this “silent killer”.
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