2023-06-23 14:37:09
Each year, in Argentina, approximately 40,000 cases and around 250 deaths from carbon monoxide (CO) are reported. In the province of Córdoba, there are already five deaths from poisoning of this type.
Meanwhile, gas and electric stoves, balanced draft, heaters and hot/cold air conditioners lead the sales ranking at this time of year. However, when choosing, people prioritize cost over security.
Focus more on safety than price, essential when buying heating products
Experts from the Argentine Institute for Standardization and Certification (IRAM), in charge of preparing technical standards for the safe use of various products, reviewed the security measures, practical recommendations and their advice to prevent accidents.
Controlling the installations of gas appliances and keeping the rooms ventilated are the main measures to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
When purchasing an appliance, it must be verified that it is approved by an official certification body accredited by the National Gas Regulatory Entity (Enargas), and must have the wafer with the rising sun that says Gas attached.
Other tips are:
Keep the rooms ventilated with the compensating grills, which must be free of obstructions and placed according to regulations. Check that the appliance burner flame is always blue and that its shape is stable, since if it is yellow, it means that carbon monoxide is being produced. Do not use the kitchen (neither stove nor oven) for heating. And for bathrooms and bedrooms, install balanced draft devices.
40 percent of fires are electrical in origin
Regarding electrical safety, a survey by the Association for the Promotion of Electrical Safety (APSE) found that in Argentina it is estimated that close to 40% of fires have an electrical origin.
Do not leave electric heating appliances plugged in and running when you are not at home. Do not hang clothes near them and avoid placing them in walkways and within the reach of children and pets. Do not plug this type of appliance into electric shoes but into a wall outlet, since, due to its high consumption, if it is plugged together Other electrical appliances can generate an overload, short circuit, and the beginning of a fire. Do not plug electrical appliances or electric heaters into outlets that are loose, have wires in poor condition, or are not consistent with the electrical load they must support.
Safety before cost
Products made according to standards are more suitable, safe, of good quality and have information to guide the consumer.
Users are not required to know what the heater safety standard says. It is the task of IRAM to disseminate and communicate through the media, in order to contribute to raising awareness and for them to acquire safe equipment.
Ideally, when purchasing a product, users verify that it has the electrical safety certification seal. However, it is not what usually happens, and the problem is that the lowest cost (such as a misunderstood economy) is prioritized over security, and this can result in irreparable damage.
The IRAM standards are voluntary, and only in cases where the State intervenes, can they become mandatory. A typical case is when standards are used to support public policies.
A public policy of the Argentine State, for example, is that all electrical appliances certify their safety conditions. Something similar happens with energy efficiency labels. For the State, in this case, it is a public policy to save energy and promote its efficient use, so it uses the IRAM standards to evaluate the consumption of this type of device.
What to do when signs of poisoning appear?
Open doors and windows to ventilateRemove the affected person from the contaminated place to breathe fresh airTake them quickly to the hospital or the nearest medical center even if they have regained consciousnessInform regarding the history of exposure to combustion gases
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