State implements new rules on carbon monoxide alarms

Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:10 PM CDT

The Safety and Buildings Division of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce has implemented new rules regarding the installation of carbon monoxide alarms.

Carbon monoxide alarms must now be installed in new commercial residential buildings that have fuel-burning appliances.

Most one- and two-family dwellings are not included in the regulations, although installing carbon monoxide alarms in those homes is recommended.

The residential types included in the new regulations are tourist rooming houses, bed and breakfast establishments and any public building used for sleeping or lodging, which includes hotels, motels, condominiums, apartment buildings, dormitories, convents, seminaries and community-based residential facilities. Hospitals and nursing homes are not included.

In the future, fire department inspectors will be checking the installation of carbon monoxide alarms during annual fire safety inspections.

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According to the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. The federal Centers for Disease Control estimates that carbon monoxide poisoning claims nearly 500 lives annually and causes more than 15,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms.

Carbon monoxide is produced by common household fuel-burning appliances. When not properly vented, carbon monoxide from these appliances can build up in a room or building and displace oxygen.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning such as headaches, nausea and fatigue are often mistaken for something other than carbon monoxide because the deadly gas goes undetected as it builds up in a building. Prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and death.

Anyone with questions regarding the new carbon monoxide alarm regulations should call the city's Building, Safety and Zoning office at 262-4060.