We all know that carbon monoxide can kill.
But following the tragic deaths of Bobby and Christi Shepherd, the brother and sister who died in 2006 while on holiday in Corfu after a faulty boiler leaked deadly carbon monoxide into their hotel room as they slept, a campaign is building to promote carbon monoxide awareness and safety while families are on holiday.
Mary Creagh, who is the Shepherd’s family’s MP in Wakefield, has taken up the case and is actively campaigning for stronger EU legislation on hotels and holiday homes.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust, CAPT, says they understand that it’s natural to be more relaxed and off your guard on holiday. It is acknowledged that maintenance of fuel-burning appliances within holiday accommodation isn’t within parental control, but they are urging parents to do one simple thing to keep their family safe from this deadly poison: pack an audible carbon monoxide alarm in their luggage.
CAPT are also trying to educate people of the dangers of taking a barbecue (even one that has been extinguished), into a tent, awning, caravan, boat, shed, summerhouse, conservatory – in fact into any enclosed space.
CAPT explain that Carbon monoxide, or CO for short, is produced by any fuel-burning appliance, whether it’s used for heating water, heating rooms, cooking, or all three.
It’s known as the silent killer as it’s undetectable to humans and animals. And the symptoms can often be confused with headaches, a stomach upset or simple tiredness.
While still at home, you can easily take precautions – as a minimum you should purchase a carbon monoxide detector, and ensure that any fuel-burning appliance is regularly tested and serviced by a Gas Safe Register registered engineer.
Away from home, there’s only one way to know if it’s present, and that’s with an audible carbon monoxide alarm.
ITV’s Loose Women ran a campaign last month called “Say No to CO”. Over the course of two days, they interviewed Bobby and Christi Shepherd’s mother Sharon Wood, who has been raising awareness of the importance of carbon monoxide alarms over the past nine years.
They also interviewed Chris Bielby MBE, Chair of the Gas Safety Industry Group, who clearly stated:
“The one thing that will keep you safe is an audible CO alarm. I do not know of an incident or a fatality where there has been an audible alarm fitted.”
It was explained in the strongest possible terms:
“Although it’s very tempting, to try to warm up a tent, or keep a BBQ out of the rain or damp, NEVER take a lit, smouldering or extinguished barbecue into a tent, caravan, boat, motor home or any enclosed or partly enclosed space. It will produce carbon monoxide, even if it’s out, and you are putting you and your family at a very high risk of being fatally poisoned.”
It may seem to you that tents are well ventilated, but in fact they are not.
In recent years there have been multiple deaths and near misses from carbon monoxide poisoning in tents, caravans and boats.
The programme featured the case of a woman who died after she and her partner took an extinguished barbecue into the porch of a tent to protect it from the rain.
You should also make your Teenagers and even older children aware of this, especially if they are at the age when they may go to festivals.
I strongly urge you to order a carbon monoxide alarm – really it’s no bigger than a Salter magnetic kitchen timer, and could save your life.
Archive for August, 2015
Cultural differences and faux pas to avoid when travelling
An especially important question in the middle of holiday season – were you aware that gestures and customs from one country do not necessarily transfer well from one country to another? Or one Culture to another?
There are a number of customs and gestures that we in the UK use without a second thought. But please be aware that these could be disapproved of in other countries, and really you should make yourself aware of what is acceptable in the countries you plan to visit.
The following information originated in a Quora thread – it’s easy to see how we can cause offence to others without meaning to do so.
1) Tipping
This is difficult, because both over- and under-tipping can quickly make you the least popular person around. But in Japan and South Korea tipping is seen as an insult. In those countries, workers feel they are getting paid to do their job, and take pride in doing it well; they don’t need an added incentive.
2) Signing a “thumbs up”
In a lot of countries, especially in the Middle East, Latin America, Western Africa, Russia and Greece, a thumbs up basically has the same meaning as holding up a middle finger does for Americans.
3) Laughing with your mouth open
In Japan, laughter that exposes your teeth is considered horse-like and impolite – like noisy, open-mouthed eating is considered rude to Americans.
4) Having one hand in your pocket
This is considered arrogant in Turkey, as well as some Asian countries, like South Korea.
5) Using your left hand for anything
Not all cultures have or use toilet paper, and tend to use their left hand in lieu of it.
6) Opening a present immediately
Accepting gifts, eating or doing pretty much anything with your left hand in much of Africa, India, Sri Lanka and the Middle East is like a (disgusting) slap in the face.
In most Asian countries, most notably China and India, tearing into a gift in front of the gift giver is poor form. It looks greedy.
7) Wearing sweatpants, flip flops, wrinkly clothing, or baseball caps in public
While wearing stylish sportswear outside of the gym is a fashionable trend in the UK and the States, in Japan and some of Europe, this sort of casual appearance is considered disrespectful.
8) Altering your meal
In foodie cultures like France, Italy, Spain and Japan, asking for ketchup, hot sauce, soy sauce or salt to alter your meal may raise some eyebrows. Before you ask for a condiment, see if there are any on the tables – if not, you should probably refrain.
9) Showing the soles of your feet
In many Arab, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist countries, showing the soles of your feet is a sign of disrespect, as they’re considered the lowest, and dirtiest part of the body, since they touch the dirty ground. Men should cross their legs with caution.
10.) Keeping your shoes on
While you probably think you’re doing the world a favour by keeping your socks under wraps, in most Asian and Caribbean cultures it is expected that you take your shoes off when entering someone’s home.
11.) Eating anywhere that doesn’t serve food
In some cultures it is considered rude to eat anywhere that isn’t a restaurant, bar or hotel. Eating a banana on the bus? Ice cream outside? All no-nos. And remember that Singapore bans chewing gum altogether.
12) Touching
Some of us are very “touchy feely” by nature, but hugging and touching others, even if only on the arm, is offensive in places like China, Thailand, Korea, and the Middle East. Respect that personal space varies from country to country. Think of the Queen and royal family protocol!
13) Asking certain questions
Asking “what do you do” is a common American icebreaker, but is often considered insulting, especially in socialist countries, where people feel that it’s a way of pigeonholing them, and of being classist. You might as well just ask someone you just met what their salary is.
14) Polishing off your meal
To Americans, finishing a meal shows the host how much they enjoyed the meal. In other countries, like China, the Philippines, Thailand and Russia, it signifies that you’re still hungry, and that you have not been provided with sufficient food.
15) Blowing Your Nose
In countries like China, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia and even Turkey, blowing your nose in public is not only rude, but considered repulsive.
I hope that you have found this blog informative and interesting.
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Norma Lewis
Norma Lewis Nannies