UK government advice on the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning when travelling
A Westminster Hall debate on 'UK government advice on the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning when travelling' is scheduled for Tuesday 11 February 2025, from 2:30pm to 4:00pm. The debate will be led by Dr Al Pinkerton MP.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas produced when a lack of oxygen leads to the incomplete combustion of fuels, such as gas, oil or coal. It can be made by faulty or badly installed household appliances, such as gas ovens and boilers, and wood, gas or coal fires.
The gas is difficult to detect as it is colourless and odourless. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) describes how exposure to CO can affect someone’s health:
When breathed in, carbon monoxide enters the blood through the lungs and attaches to the body’s oxygen carrier, haemoglobin. This reduces the amount of oxygen that can be carried round the body.
A brief exposure to small amounts of carbon monoxide may cause headache, flushing, nausea, dizziness, vertigo, muscle pain or personality changes. Exposure to higher amounts may cause movement problems, weakness, confusion, lung and heart problems, loss of consciousness and death.
Exposure to small amounts of carbon monoxide for a long time may lead to flu like symptoms with tiredness, headaches, nausea, dizziness, personality changes, memory problems, loss of vision and dementia. It can be hard to tell the difference between the effects of being exposed to carbon monoxide at low levels for a long time and other common illnesses.
UKHSA advice on reducing the risk of exposure to CO includes:
- Ensuring that all household appliances that use fossil fuels are installed correctly by suitably qualified installers and serviced regularly;
- Ensuring there is sufficient ventilation around appliances, such as checking chimneys are clean; and
- Installing a carbon monoxide detector which meets UK or EU standards in your home.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) provides advice on reducing the risk of CO poisoning. It highlights the risks when on holiday, including where people are staying in holiday accommodation. RoSPA says it would like all homes and holiday lets to be fitted with a carbon monoxide detector and advises travellers to take one away with them. The Safer Tourism Foundation, a charity which aims to “save lives and prevent serious harm and injury to UK travellers, at home and abroad” has an ongoing campaign, the ‘Pack Safe Appeal’ about the risks of CO poisoning when travelling abroad. It notes that:
There is no universal standard when it comes to carbon monoxide safety -– the laws, regulations and policies differ from one country to another, making it difficult to understand what controls are in place in each destination.
The campaign highlights the story of Hudson Foley, a 24-year-old man who died of CO poisoning whilst travelling in Ecuador. It calls for a number of actions:
- Travel guides and websites to feature carbon monoxide-related safety notices
- Accommodation providers to adopt safety measures, such as ensuring carbon monoxide alarms and gas safety checks in accommodation
- Travel providers to include carbon monoxide alarms in kit lists, and provide safety briefings to customers
- Government travel guidance to communicate carbon monoxide-related travel safety issues to travellers
The organisation also urges travellers to pack a CO monitor to help protect them whilst staying abroad.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel adviceThe Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides:
- guidance on support for British nationals abroad, outlining the type of help it can provide and offering general advice on staying safe overseas; and
- up to date travel advice and warnings for specific countries.
In response to a January 2025 parliamentary question from Dr Pinkerton about the inclusion of information about CO poisoning risks in FCDO travel advice, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the FCDO, Hamish Falconer, set out how the travel advice is produced:
We provide information and guidance in our Travel Advice on the issues most likely to be of relevance to British nationals visiting or living in each country/territory. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is currently covered in our Travel Advice pages for China and Nepal. In addition, two of our Travel Aware partners, RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) and the Safer Tourism Foundation, run campaigns and continue to develop messaging to alert travellers to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning around the world. We regularly review the work we do with all our Travel Aware partners ensuring that they are highlighting appropriate issues to British travellers.
Below is a selection of material that is relevant to this debate.
Press and media articles
Twelve die from carbon monoxide poisoning at Georgian ski resort
Independent
Rachel Hagan
16 December 2024
Parliamentarians Encouraged to Support Carbon Monoxide Safety Pledge
All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group
16 December 2024
Family urge travellers to pack carbon monoxide alarm year on from son's death
ITV News
27 August 2024
Family of CO Poisoning Victim Launch ‘Pack Safe Appeal’ to Save Lives
Charity Today
14 August 2024
Safer Tourism Foundation backs carbon monoxide travel campaign
Travel Weekly
Samantha Mayling
6 August 2024
UK couple on holiday in Egypt died of carbon monoxide poisoning, coroner rules
The Guardian
Josh Halliday
10 November 2023
Holiday couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning, inquest hears
BBC News Online
8 November 2023
Three tourists died of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in an Airbnb. How can you stay safe?
Euro News
Chevel Johnson Rodrigue
6 December 2022
PQs
British Nationals Abroad: Carbon Monoxide
03 Jan 2025 | 20900
Asked by: Dr Al Pinkerton
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning risks among British tourists overseas.
Answering member: Hamish Falconer | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
We provide information and guidance in our Travel Advice on the issues most likely to be of relevance to British nationals visiting or living in each country/territory. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is currently covered in our Travel Advice pages for China and Nepal. In addition, two of our Travel Aware partners, RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) and the Safer Tourism Foundation, run campaigns and continue to develop messaging to alert travellers to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning around the world. We regularly review the work we do with all our Travel Aware partners ensuring that they are highlighting appropriate issues to British travellers.
British Nationals Abroad: Carbon Monoxide
30 Dec 2024 | 20903
Asked by: Dr Al Pinkerton
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of integrating carbon monoxide risks into country-based travel advisories.
Answering member: Hamish Falconer | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The risks of carbon monoxide poisoning is currently covered in our Travel Advice pages for China and Nepal. We aim to include information in our travel advice on the issues most likely to be of relevance to British nationals visiting or living in each country/territory. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.
06 Mar 2019 | 226733
Asked by: Liz Twist
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will help to protect Britons holidaying overseas from carbon monoxide poisoning by establishing a programme advising them to take a portable carbon monoxide monitor on their trip.
Answering member: Harriett Baldwin | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The safety of British holidaymakers is of paramount concern to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). We provide travel advice for 225 countries and territories to help British nationals make informed decisions about foreign travel and plan for a safe trip. Our foreign travel checklist on GOV.UK and several country-specific travel advice pages contain information and advice on the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning, including a link to the Be Alarmed campaign website.
The FCO publishes annual data on consular assistance provided to British nationals worldwide, including hospitalisation cases. We also work closely with Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and UK tour operators to understand local issues that have affected British holidaymakers. We do not collate specific data for cases of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Further reading
Guidance: Carbon monoxide: general information
UK Health Security Agency
NHS
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
Pack Safe Appeal: Hudson Foley Memorial Campaign for Carbon Monoxide Travel Safety
Safer Tourism Foundation
Pack an alarm to stay safe whenever and wherever you travel
Safer Tourism Foundation