Thursday, April 4, 2024

Guidelines for municipalities to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning when using fuel-burning appliances

Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning

• Ensure that residences are equipped with battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms, or that residents wear personal detectors with audible and visual alarms when carrying out high-risk work.
• If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or a resident of a home experiences symptoms such as headache, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, dizziness or weakness, react quickly:
  • o   Go outside and leave the door open when leaving the premises, to ventilate the area completely.
  • o   Call 911 or the Quebec Poison Control Centre at 1-800-463-5060.
  • o   Wait for a firefighter's authorization before returning indoors, even for a few minutes.

As a municipality, if you notice a health threat on your territory, you must contact the Public Health Department of the CISSS de l'Outaouais at (819) 966-6200 and ask for the environmental health physician on call.

For more information on the prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning and the safe use of fuel-burning appliances, visit the following websites:

https://www.quebec.ca/en/public-safety-emergencies/emergency-situations-disasters-and-natural-hazards/what-to-do-before-during-after-emergency-disaster/use-your-equipment-safely

https://www.quebec.ca/sante/conseils-et-prevention/sante-et-environnement/prevenir-les-intoxications-au-monoxyde-de-carbone#c3972

https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/carbon-monoxide-poisoning