Safety charity the CO Research Trust has welcomed the Government’s response to the “Domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms proposal to extend regulations”. Results of the eight-week consultation found strong support for the proposal to require private and social landlords to install CO alarms in rooms with fixed carbon-burning appliances.
Head of Charitable Operations, Adrian McConnell, said: “We are pleased that some progress has been made with this consultation. Given our starting point, these changes will undoubtedly bring improvements to CO safety and ultimately save lives.”
However, the Government’s response falls short of including gas cookers, stating that while any combustion appliance can potentially be the cause of CO poisoning, the data relating to CO poisoning and gas cookers is insufficient. It goes on to say that any new regulation must be proportionate and grounded in the available evidence.
The CO Research Trust is committed to continue gathering information and data that will provide the evidence to encourage the Government to extend regulatory requirements further.
The other area that the government’s response does not include is the requirement for CO alarms in private homes, which is due to be introduced in Scotland early next year.
Adrian McConnell said: “From February 2022, regulations introduced by the Scottish Government will require CO alarms in all homes where a carbon-burning appliance is present. Even with these welcome revisions to the English regulations we still find ourselves in a situation where, with regards to CO alarm requirements, the law offers greater protections to people living in Scotland than those living in England. We applaud the Scottish government for taking this sensible step and hope that similar regulation will follow shortly in the rest of the UK.”
