Did you hear?… New portable heaters able to prevent loss of life due to CO poisoning

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing that there is a new generation of portable heaters with a safety device that can prevent the tragic loss of life due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The new heaters are equipped with an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) and are safer to use when camping. If oxygen levels start to fall, this sensing technology automatically shuts down the heater before it can produce serious levels of CO. Unlike earlier portable heaters that do not have an ODS and are intended for outdoor use only, the new ODS-equipped heaters are specifically designed for indoor use. They can be safely used inside tents, cabins, and campers, but it is essential that users comply with the manufacturers’ instructions to ensure that there is adequate ventilation. CPSC still recommends shutting off any camping heater or lantern before going to sleep. CPSC estimates that in 1998, the latest year for which data are available, 18 people died due to carbon monoxide poisoning associated with using camping heaters indoors. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if the victims had been using the new heaters. The new heaters can be identified by labels on the package that read in part, “Designed for Indoor Use,” “Low Oxygen Automatic Shut-Off System,” and “Oxygen Depletion Sensor” or by a star with the words “CSA 4.98.”