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The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers tips on how to safely use portable generators during power outages winter weatherwarning that 100 Americans die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning related to improper use of machinery.
CPSC issues warning urging consumers to use caution when using gas-powered generators if storm persists their electricitynoting that people can die from carbon monoxide poisoning within minutes.
A man starts a generator at his home after a power outage during a snowstorm in Marshfield, Massachusetts, on January 29, 2022. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
The commission says it is vital never to use generators indoors and that opening doors and windows for ventilation will not prevent the build-up of deadly levels of carbon monoxide – an odorless and colorless gas.
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Generators should only be used outside and at least 20 feet from the house, the warning said, adding that a generator should not be used on a porch or in a shed, warning: “It may be convenient, but it’s too close to the house and puts your family at risk of CO poisoning.”
A man hauls a generator back to his home after the power went out during a snowstorm in Marshfield, Massachusetts, on January 29, 2022. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
The commission recommends directing generator exhaust away from the home and other buildings where someone can enter, and closing windows and closing vents near or in the path of the generator’s exhaust.
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The CPSC also warns against ever burning charcoal indoors, because that too can produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide — even in a garage with the door open.
The CPSC warns never to burn charcoal indoors because it can lead to CO poisoning. (GHI/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The commission provides further safety tips on the proper use of indoor portable heaters and recommends keeping them at least three feet away from anything that can catch fire, such as furniture, clothing, curtains, and paper.
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According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 400 Americans die each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning unrelated to fires; more than 100,000 people go to emergency rooms due to exposure to carbon monoxide, which does not cause fire; and 14,000 hospitalized.
