Liverpool John Moores University - Long Term Exposure to Carbon Monoxide: National Study

In September 2011, the Department of Health published statistics indicating that over 4,000 people in England and Wales were diagnosed with Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning and in the same month, the CO Research Trust (formerly known as the Gas Safety Trust) published figures showing that there were 85 deaths in 2009 due to accidental exposure to CO. The Department of Health reports highlight that this figure is probably under represented as the symptoms are not identified and are assumed to be linked to other illnesses.

This research will explore the levels of understanding of the issues around Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and CO poisoning of the public in the United Kingdom, as well as monitoring the continuous exposure to the low levels of CO.

A research project will be set up with Merseyside Fire and Rescue, West Midlands Fire and Rescue, Coventry Council and Liverpool John Moores University. The first phase of this project will utilize the Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC), which the fire services had already conducted and extend this to include CO specific questions, and instantaneous CO reading within the house, taken while the fire personal are in the property.

The second phase of the project will place CO data loggers within the properties, and measure CO levels for 2 weeks to see if any trends could be identified.