SAFETY TIPS :: CARBON MONOXIDE :: DEFINITION

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide, known by the chemical formula "CO", is a poisonous gas that kills more than 250 people in the United States alone every year. You can’t hear, taste, see or smell it. It’s nicknamed the "silent killer" because it sneaks up on its victims and can take lives without warning.

What are the sources of CO?

CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion. CO sources can include malfunctioning appliances--including furnaces, stoves, ovens and water heaters--that operate by burning fossil fuels such as natural or liquefied petroleum (LP) gas, oil, wood or coal. When malfunctioning appliances aren’t adequately ventilated, the amount of CO in the air may rise to a level that cause illness or even death. Other CO sources include vehicle exhaust, blocked chimney flues, fuel-burning cooking appliances used for heating purposes, and charcoal grills used in the home, tent, camper, garage or other unventilated areas.

How does CO affect the human body?

When victims inhale CO, the toxic gas enters the bloodstream and replaces the oxygen molecules found on the critical blood component hemoglobin, depriving the heart and brain of the oxygen necessary to function correctly. Sensing the body’s need for more oxygen, the victim’s heart rate increases to pump more blood to the body’s organs. If a person continues to inhale CO, he or she faces the risk of breathing difficulty, cardiac trauma, brain damage, coma and even death.

What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?

CO poisoning victims may initially suffer flu-like symptoms including nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, confusion and breathing difficulty. Because CO poisoning often causes a victim’s blood pressure to rise, the victim’s skin may take on a pink or red cast.

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