IT’S time to get brutal with the gas industry.
That is the message from Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman ahead of a campaign to emphasise the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Mr Sheerman is chairing a House of Lords event to raise awareness among ministers, doctors and consumers about the gas, dubbed “the silent killer.”
He said: “We are going to carry on relentlessly until we get the message across.
“Between 30 and 50 people a year die from CO poisoning. The gas industry is a multi-billion euro industry, but very little is put into raising awareness and advertising.
“If everyone who sold mortgages or insurance gave each customer a carbon monoxide detector, we could eradicate the problem.
“I’m committed to getting a bit more brutal with the gas companies, banks and insurers.
“My job is to make them a little more uncomfortable.”
The House of Lords event is part of the second annual Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, from October 15.
Householders are being urged to have appliances regularly checked by a registered engineer.
Mr Sheerman has campaigned for greater awareness about carbon monoxide since 10-year-old Dominic Rodgers died from fumes as he slept at his home in Spaines Road, Fartown, in 2004.
He has worked closely with Dominic’s mum Stacey on the issue.
“It has been a commitment of mine ever since Dominic died to get something done,” he said.
“Every year a substantial number of people are killed by this horrible silent killer and I promised Stacey I wouldn’t give up until we got a change in health and safety regulations and stricter controls from the gas industry and distributors.”
The campaign is supported by the National Association for Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT).
Chief executive John Andrews said: “Another winter is fast approaching, another set of statistics of deaths and poisonings due to carbon monoxide are on the way and still there is more talk than action.
“Sadly some of the calls for action that will be made this year are the same that were made last year.”
