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Bathroom gas water heaters and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning

A number of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning accidents in bathrooms indicated the need to investigate the performance of the bathroom gas water heater and the behaviour of the bathroom user. This paper describes an exploratory study of these aspects in North-East Bristol involving members of the Health Education Council's Medical Research Division and staff of the South Western Gas Board. The results indicate that in the representative sample of 66 heaters a concentration of 1 % or more of carbon monoxide could be detected in the flue gases of 13% of the cases, and 12% produced toxic room atmospheres, i.e. CO ≥500 ppm. Prolonged exposure to these concentra tions of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere represent a danger to the bathroom user. The awareness of the bathroom user of the dangers asso ciated with gas water heaters in bathrooms, which are implicit in the recommendations laid down by the Gas Board for safe behaviour, is discussed. Results suggest that over one third of the users have a poor understanding of the relevant dangers.