
What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?īecause CO is odorless, colorless, and otherwise undetectable to the human senses, people may not know that they are being exposed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that several thousand people go to hospital emergency rooms every year to be treated for CO poisoning. Still others die from CO produced by non-consumer products, such as cars left running in attached garages. Forty-seven of these deaths were known to have occurred during power outages due to severe weather, including Hurricane Katrina. In 2005 alone, CPSC staff is aware of at least 94 generator-related CO poisoning deaths.
#Carbon monoxide portable#
These products include malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters engine-powered equipment such as portable generators fireplaces and charcoal that is burned in homes and other enclosed areas. On average, about 170 people in the United States die every year from CO produced by non-automotive consumer products. How many people are unintentionally poisoned by CO? Products and equipment powered by internal combustion engines such as portable generators, cars, lawn mowers, and power washers also produce CO.

It is produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels, including coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. What is carbon monoxide (CO) and how is it produced?Ĭarbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas.

