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Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations 

Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide 

from Engine-Driven Generators and Other 

Engine-Driven Tools, 1999–2012

Matthew V. Hnatov

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Directorate for Epidemiology

Division of Hazard Analysis

4330 East West Highway

Bethesda, MD 20814

August 2013

This analysis was prepared by the CPSC staff and it has not been reviewed or approved by, and may not necessarily 

reflect the views of, the Commission.
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Table of Contents

Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 7

I. Reported Numbers of Fatalities by Engine-Driven Tool (EDT) Product Type ........................ 9

Table 1: Number of Reported Fatal Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Exposure Incidents and Deaths 

Associated with Engine-Driven Tools, 1999–2012 ............................................................................. 10

Table 2: Number of Reported Fatal Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Exposure Incidents and Deaths 

Associated with Engine-Driven Tools by Number of Deaths per Incident, 1999–2012.................. 11

Table 3: Number of Reported Fatal Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Exposure Incidents and Deaths 

Associated with Engine-Driven Tools by Year, 1999–2012............................................................... 12

Figure 1: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with EngineDriven Tools, 1999–2012 ...................................................................................................................... 13

II. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Victims and EDT Use Patterns.................................. 14

Table 4: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Engine-Driven 

Tools by Age of Victim, 1999–2012 ..................................................................................................... 14

Table 5: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Engine-Driven 

Tools by Gender of Victim, 1999–2012............................................................................................... 15

Table 6: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Engine-Driven 

Tools by Race/Ethnicity of Victim, 1999–2012................................................................................... 16

Table 7: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Incidents and Fatalities Associated with 

Engine-Driven Tools by Season, 1999–2012....................................................................................... 17

Table 8: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Incidents and Fatalities Associated with 

Engine-Driven Tools by Location, 1999–2012 .................................................................................... 19

Table 9: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Engine-Driven 

Tools by Population Density of Place of Death, 1999–2012 .............................................................. 21

III. Alarm Usage.................................................................................................................................. 22

Table 10: Carbon Monoxide Alarm Usage Associated with Engine-Driven Tools Non-Fire Carbon 

Monoxide Poisoning Deaths, 1999–2012............................................................................................. 23

IV. Hazard Patterns Associated with Generators............................................................................ 24

Table 11: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Generators 

by Reason for Use, 1999–2012 ............................................................................................................. 25

Table 12: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Generators 

by Reason for Power Outage, 1999–2012 ........................................................................................... 26

Table 13: Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Deaths in the Fixed-structure Home Location by 

Location of the Generator,2 1999–2012 .............................................................................................. 28

Table 14: Non-Fire CO Fatalities in the Fixed-structure Home Reported to CPSC Staff and 

Associated with Generators2 Categorized by Status of Ventilation, 1999–2012 ............................. 29
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Table 15: Non-Fire CO Fatalities in the Fixed-structure Home Reported to CPSC Staff and 

Associated with Generators Categorized by Size of Home, 1999–2012........................................... 31

Table 16: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with Generators 

Categorized by Generator Wattage Rating, 1999–2012.................................................................... 32

Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................. 33

References.............................................................................................................................................. 34

Appendix A: Epidemiology Data Retrieval Specifics........................................................................ 35

Appendix B: Carboxyhemoglobin Levels Present In CO Fatalities................................................ 36

Table B-1: Carboxyhemoglobin Levels Associated with Engine-Driven Tools Non-Fire Carbon 

Monoxide Poisoning Deaths, 1999–2012............................................................................................. 37
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Executive Summary

This report summarizes non-fire carbon monoxide (CO) incidents associated with engine-driven 

generators and other engine-driven tools that occurred between 1999 and 2012, and were reported to 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff as of April 23, 2013. It should be noted 

that due to incident reporting delays, statistics for the most recent years should be considered 

incomplete. In this report, the two most recent years, 2011 and 2012, are identified as being 

incomplete because these figures most likely will change in future reports. Throughout this report, 

the number of deaths represents a count of the fatalities reported to CPSC staff associated with 

generators and other engine-driven tools, such as power lawn mowers, garden tractors, portable 

pumps, power sprayers and washers, snow blowers, and concrete saws. Also included in this report 

are summaries of fatal, non-fire CO incidents, where an engine-driven tool (EDT) and one or more 

other fuel-burning consumer products1 also may have been involved and the EDT was believed to 

be, at least, a contributing factor to the fatal levels of CO. These fatalities are characterized in the 

“Multiple Product” category. This report also provides a more detailed summary of fatal, non-fire 

CO poisoning incidents associated with engine-driven tools, with particular emphasis on cases 

involving generator use, based on information found in the CPSC’s In-Depth Investigation (INDP) 

File.

Some of the findings of this report are provided below:

CO Fatalities Associated with All EDTs and by EDT Product Type:

• The total number of fatalities for 1999 through 2012 increased by 50 from the 881 fatalities 

summarized in the July 2012 report, which reported fatalities for the period 1999 through 

2011, as of April 20, 2012. 

• From 1999 through 2012, 931 fatalities from 725 incidents were associated with the use of 

engine-driven tools, or engine-driven tools used in conjunction with another potentially COemitting consumer product.

• As of April 23, 2013, there were 37 reported non-fire CO fatalities in 2012, from a total of 

32 incidents. Thirty-three of these deaths (28 incidents) involved only a generator and no 

other product; three deaths (three incidents) were associated with a non-generator other 

engine-driven tool (OEDT); and one death (one incident) was associated with multiple fuelburning consumer products, one of which was a generator.

• From 1999 to 2012, of the 931 fatalities from 725 incidents, 739 (79%) (552 incidents) were 

associated with generators; 126 fatalities (14%) from 123 incidents involved other enginedriven tools; and 66 fatalities (7%) from 50 incidents involved multiple fuel-burning 

consumer products where one product was either a generator (60 of 66 deaths) or an OEDT 

(five of 66 deaths) and the other product was a non-EDT, or where one product was a 

generator and one was an OEDT (1 of 60 deaths). 

• Of the 50 incidents that involved multiple consumer products, all but two incidents involved 

a heating or cooking product, most commonly a portable LP- or kerosene-fueled portable 

 1 Combustion consumer products produce heat or energy by burning a fuel source. It should be noted that all fuel-burning consumer 

products may produce gases that contain CO because CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion.
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heater. One incident involved a generator and an OEDT (a lawnmower), and another 

incident involved two gasoline-fueled OEDTs (a lawnmower and trimmer).

• Twenty-five percent of generator-related, non-fire CO incidents caused multiple fatalities, 

while only three of the OEDT-related incidents (2%) involved multiple fatalities. Twentysix percent of multiple product-related, non-fire CO incidents caused multiple fatalities.

• Nearly three-fourths (598 of 800) of generator-related fatalities detailed in this report 

(including fatalities involving multiple products where one product was a generator) 

occurred between 2005 and 2012. Seventy-two percent of all engine-driven, tool-related CO 

poisoning deaths reported to CPSC since 1999 occurred in the most recent eight years.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Victims and EDT-Use Patterns:

• Eighty-three percent of generator-related victims (including multiple product incidents 

where a generator was involved) were known to be 25 years old or older. By contrast, 99

percent of OEDT-related victims (all but one) were 25 years old or older.

• Nearly three-quarters of the generator-related, non-fire CO victims were male, while 97 

percent (all but four) of the OEDT-related fatalities were male. 

• Twenty-three percent of generator-related, non-fire CO fatalities were non-Hispanic Black 

or African American, nearly double the non-Hispanic Black or African American proportion 

of the U.S. population. Eighty-nine percent of other engine-driven tool-related, non-fire CO 

fatalities were non-Hispanic White, much higher than the non-Hispanic White proportion 

(67%) of the U.S. population. 

• Half of generator-related, non-fire CO fatalities (402 of 800, including multiple product 

incidents) occurred in the four cold months of the year (November through February), while 

CO fatalities associated with OEDTs were only slightly more prevalent in the cold months 

(40%) than in the transitional and warm months (33% and 27%, respectively).

• Seventy-four percent of the generator-related fatalities (including incidents involving 

multiple products, where one was a generator) occurred in fixed-structure homes, while 60

percent of OEDT fatalities occurred in fixed-structure homes.

• Fifty-six percent of the EDT-related fatalities are known to have occurred in urban areas. 

Seventeen percent occurred in small rural and isolated areas, nearly double the proportion of 

the U.S. population that lives in such areas.

CO Alarm Usage:

• A CO alarm was reported to have been present in only 21 of 279 incidents where alarm 

presence was known, which accounted for 30 of 385 (8%) EDT-related CO fatalities. In 

eleven of the incidents (18 deaths), the alarm was inoperable due to no batteries, batteries 

inserted incorrectly, probable drained batteries, or no electric current. The alarm sounded in 

six incidents (six deaths), but the signal was either misunderstood or the alarm sounded 

inside the house while the fatality occurred inside an attached garage (presumably, the death 

occurred in the garage before CO levels increased inside the house sufficient to set off the 

CO alarm). Additionally, there were four incidents (six deaths) in which the presence of a 

CO alarm was noted, but it is unknown if the alarm sounded during the event.

Hazard Patterns Associated with Generators:
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• Thirty percent of all generator-related, non-fire CO deaths (236 of 800) from 1999 through 

2012 were associated with power outages, mostly due to weather-related issues. The two 

most common causes of fatal incidents due to weather-related outages were ice/snow storms 

(77 incidents, 107 deaths) and hurricanes/tropical storms (49 incidents, 71 deaths). The 

second most common reason for generator usage in the reported CO fatalities was due to 

power shut-off, accounting for 19 percent (153 deaths) of the all reported fatalities.

• Five hundred eighty-eight non-fire CO fatalities (439 incidents) that occurred in fixedstructure homes were associated with a generator or a generator in use with another COgenerating consumer product. Sixty-nine percent (407 deaths, 295 incidents) occurred when 

the generator was placed inside the living area of the home, including the basement, closets, 

and doorways, but excluding the attached garage, enclosed carport, or attached barn.

• In recent years, the most common location of generators associated with CO fatalities has 

shifted from the basement to the non-basement living space of the home. From 2004 

through 2012, 36 percent of fatal CO incidents (38% of deaths) in the home occurred with a 

generator placed in the non-basement living space of the home. From 1999 through 2003, 

26 percent of fatal incidents (21% of deaths) occurred in non-basement living space 

scenarios.

• More than two-thirds of generator-related, non-fire fatal CO incidents in fixed-structure

homes (for which information on ventilation of the generator was available) occurred when 

no ventilation of the generator was attempted. 

• Fifty-nine percent of the generator-related, non-fire fatal CO incidents (61% of deaths) in 

fixed-structure homes, where the size of the home was known and the generator was not 

located in an external structure, occurred in houses less than 1,500 square feet in size; 85

percent (85% of deaths) occurred in houses less than 2,000 square feet in size.

• Nearly two-thirds (174 of 266) of fatal CO incidents, where the size of the generator was 

known, were associated with generators in the 3500 to 6499 watt range, and nearly half 

(46%; 122 of 266) were associated with generators in the 5000 to 6499 watt range.

Carboxyhemoglobin Levels in CO Fatality Victims:

• Of the CO fatality victims associated with engine-driven tools, 81 percent had 

carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels at or above the 50 percent level when the COHb level 

was known.

2

Note: Throughout this report, the years 2011 and 2012 are italicized in table headings, indicating 

that incident and death counts may change as additional information is received. Incident and 

death counts may change for other years but to a much smaller extent.

 2 As levels rise above 40 percent COHb, death is possible in healthy individuals and becomes increasingly likely with prolonged

exposures that maintain levels in the 40 percent to 60 percent range.
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Introduction

The following U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) databases were searched to 

prepare the statistics recorded in this report: the In-Depth Investigation (INDP) File, the Injury or 

Potential Injury Incident (IPII) File, and the Death Certificate (DTHS) File. See Appendix A for the 

codes and keywords used in the database searches. The data records were combined and collated to 

develop the most complete records possible in a single database. At this stage, each record was 

reviewed to determine whether the incident was in scope for this report and to correct any 

discrepancies between information from the different sources. (See Appendix A for the specifics of 

scope determination.) It should be noted that reporting may not be complete, and this report reflects 

only those incidents reported and entered into CPSC databases on or before April 23, 2013. All 

fatal, unintentional, non-fire carbon monoxide (CO) incidents associated with engine-driven tools 

(EDTs) found during the database search that were determined to be in scope were included.

CPSC records contain information on 931 non-fire CO fatalities associated with EDTs during the 

years 1999 through 2012. Since the last report in 2012, there have been 55 new CO fatalities 

reported to CPSC. Additionally, five reported fatalities have been removed from the report 

summaries (see below for details). This is a net increase of 50 fatalities from the 881 fatalities 

reported in the July 2012 report on non-fire CO fatalities associated with EDTs, which included 

data entered into CPSC databases as of April 20, 2012.

3

 

Changes to previous report:

• 2006 – one two-fatality incident was removed. An incident involving two deaths was found 

to have been double counted due to differences in reported incident date. Further 

information retrieved from an Internet search revealed information linking these two 

incidents.

• 2007 – one new one-fatality incident added.

• 2008 – one new one-fatality incident added.

• 2009 – one one-fatality incident removed. A fatal incident was found to have been double 

counted due to differences in reported incident date. Additional information retrieved from 

an Internet search revealed information linking incidents.

• 2010 – Two new one-fatality incidents added.

• 2011 – Thirteen new incidents added, accounting for 14 deaths. Two one-fatality incidents

removed–new information revealed that two CO poisonings were due to products not under 

CPSC jurisdiction.

• 2012 – Thirty-two new incidents added, accounting for 37 deaths.

Thirty-six of the 37 fatalities reported to CPSC that occurred in 2012, were associated with 

generators or other engine-driven tools (OEDT) as the only known sources of the CO. One

additional fatality was associated with the use of a generator and a portable LP heater. Incidents 

associated with generators that were specifically reported as integral parts of recreational vehicles 

 3 Hnatov, M. V. Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven 

Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999–2011. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. July 2012.
Page 8

(RVs), motor homes, or boats are not within the jurisdiction of the CPSC; and thus, these incidents 

were considered out of scope and were not included. For example, generators that were reportedly

mounted to an RV were not included, nor were boat generators that were installed by the boat 

manufacturer. Because incidents in recreational vehicles and boats can be associated with a 

portable generator or an integral generator, those incidents in which the type of generator could not 

be determined were also excluded from the analysis.

Any incident that was determined to be other than unintentional in nature was considered to be out 

of scope, as were work-related incidents, which are not within the jurisdiction of the CPSC.

This report is divided into four sections: 

I. Reported Numbers of Fatalities by EDT Product Type. This presents an overall picture 

of CO fatalities associated with engine-driven tools.

II. Socio-demographics of Victims and EDT Use Patterns. This presents various sociodemographic summaries helpful in identifying specific characteristics of CO fatality 

victims and usage patterns, such as when and where fatalities occurred.

III. Alarm Usage. This presents information on CO alarm usage during fatal CO events.

IV. Hazard Patterns Associated with Generators. This presents data specific to generator 

usage patterns that may lead to fatal CO poisoning events.

Additionally, Appendix B presents summary findings on carboxyhemoglobin levels in the blood of 

victims of CO poisoning involving EDT use, which are helpful in assessing the hazard presented by 

the product and the speed of onset of harm.
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I. Reported Numbers of Fatalities by Engine-Driven Tool (EDT) Product 

Type

As of April 23, 2013, CPSC staff had records indicating that there were 32 fatal, non-fire carbon 

monoxide (CO) exposure incidents involving engine-driven tools between January 1, 2012 and 

December 31, 2012. Thirty-seven deaths occurred in these 32 fatal CO incidents. Table 1 presents 

the reported fatal incidents and the number of deaths in 2012, along with a summary of CO 

incidents and fatalities associated with engine-driven tools for the 14-year period from 1999 through 

2012. The table records the number of incidents and deaths by the broad categories of 

“Generators,” “Other Engine-Driven Tools,” and “Multiple Products.” Multiple product incidents 

are fatal CO poisonings that involved multiple fuel-burning consumer products that generate CO, at 

least one being an EDT, or in which investigating authorities could not determine which of multiple 

consumer products in use at the time of the incident was the source of the CO. CPSC staff is aware 

of 66 fatalities associated with multiple consumer products, occurring between 1999 and 2012; one 

of these fatalities occurred in 2012. Multiple product incidents, where one of the sources of CO is 

not under the CPSC’s jurisdiction, such as automobiles, boats, or recreational vehicles, were 

determined to be out of scope and are not included in this report. 

Within each broad category, the frequency of reports is summarized by product type. Staff is aware 

of 725 incidents with a total of 931 deaths due to non-fire CO exposure that occurred between 1999 

and 2012, involving engine-driven tools. 

In Table 1, the product type “welder” appears in both the “Generator” and “Other Engine-Driven

Tool” categories. Some welding equipment is designed to be used as a welder or as an electric 

generator. Two of the fatal, non-fire CO incidents associated with the use of welding equipment

that occurred between 1999 and 2012, involved the use of the welder as a generator during a power 

outage. Each of these two incidents involved a single death. There were six fatal, non-fire CO 

incidents between 1999 and 2012, which were associated with the use of welder equipment, where 

it was not specifically identified as being used as a generator. Of these six incidents, one incident 

(involving two deaths) occurred when the welder was being used as a source of heat, and, in the 

other five incidents (six deaths: four single-fatality incidents and one two-fatality incident), the 

welder was being used for welding purposes or the method of usage could not be ascertained. 

These latter five incidents were included in the “Other Engine-Driven Tools” category because 

there was no evidence indicating that the welders were being used as generators.

All but two of the 66 non-fire, CO fatalities in the “Multiple Products” category for 1999–2012

involved a heating- or cooking-related consumer product other than an EDT. One incident involved 

a generator and a lawn tractor being run in a closed garage. The other incident involved a gasolinefueled, walk-behind mower and a gasoline-fueled trimmer, also running in a closed garage.
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Table 1: Number of Reported Fatal Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Exposure Incidents and 

Deaths Associated with Engine-Driven Tools, 1999–2012

Product

2011 2012 Total: 1999–2012

Number of 

Incidents

Number of 

Deaths

Number of 

Incidents

Number of 

Deaths

Number of 

Incidents

Number of 

Deaths

Total Engine-Driven Tools 73 100 32 37 725 931

Generators 59 84 28 33 552 739

 Generator, portable 56 79 28 33 547 732

 Generator, fixed 3 5 0 0 3 5

 Welder (used as a generator)1 0 0 0 0 2 2

Other Engine-Driven Tools (OEDT) 9 9 3 3 123 126

 Lawn mowers 5 5 2 2 73 73

 Riding lawn mower/Garden tractor 5 5 2 2 65 65

 Push lawn mower 0 0 0 0 3 3

 Powered lawn mower, unspecified type 0 0 0 0 5 5

 Power washer/sprayer 2 2 0 0 10 10

 Snow blower 1 1 0 0 11 11

 All-terrain vehicle 0 0 1 1 8 9

 Welder (used as welder or other reason)1 0 0 0 0 6 8

 Water pump 0 0 0 0 4 4

 Concrete saw 0 0 0 0 3 3

 Air compressor 0 0 0 0 2 2

 Paint sprayer 0 0 0 0 1 1

 Snowmobile 0 0 0 0 1 1

 Go-cart 0 0 0 0 1 1

 Tiller 0 0 0 0 1 1

 Small engine (unknown use) 0 0 0 0 1 1

 Edger 1 1 0 0 1 1

Multiple Products2 5 7 1 1 50 66

 Generator + Other Consumer Product3 5 7 1 1 45 61

 OEDT + Other Consumer Product4 0 0 0 0 5 5

1 Some welding equipment is designed to be used as either a welder or a generator.

2 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other combustion fuel-burning consumer products. 

“Other Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and an OEDT (lawn 

tractor) in operation.

3 This category includes one incident involving one fatality where a generator and an OEDT were being used concurrently.

4 The incidents associated with an OEDT and another consumer product include the following engine-driven tools: two incidents 

involving lawn mowers, one incident involving a log splitter, one involving a snow blower, and one involving a tiller. 

Note: Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

Five hundred and fifty-two of the 725 incidents reported to CPSC staff during the 1999-2012 period

were associated with a generator and accounted for 739 of the 931 CO deaths (79%). Additionally, 

61 other CO fatalities from 45 incidents were associated with the use of a generator and another 

combustion consumer product—most commonly an LP- or kerosene-fueled heater. One of these 

fatalities involved a generator and another engine-driven tool (lawn tractor). For the rest of this 

report, this incident will be included in the tables and discussions in the category, Multiple 

Products, involving a generator. Throughout the remainder of this report, incidents associated with 
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all non-generator engine-driven tools are reported as a group. In addition, because the majority of 

incidents were associated with generators, characteristics of these incidents are reported separately 

in Section IV. More than half of the non-fire, non-generator CO fatalities (75 of 131, 57%) 

involved a garden tractor or other powered lawn mower (including multiple product incidents). 

Deaths associated with powered lawn mowers were often associated with an individual repairing or 

working on the product in an enclosed space. 

CPSC staff examined the number of deaths associated with each fatal incident (Table 2). Of the 

725 fatal incidents, 79 percent involved a single fatality. Seventy-five percent (413 of 552) of the 

fatal generator-related incidents involved a single fatality. One incident involving a generator 

resulted in the deaths of six individuals, and two others involved five fatalities. Of the 123 fatal 

incidents in the “Other Engine-Driven Tools” category, three incidents resulted in more than one 

fatality. Twenty-six percent of multiple-product, fatal CO incidents resulted in multiple fatalities.

Table 2: Number of Reported Fatal Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Exposure Incidents and 

Deaths Associated with Engine-Driven Tools by Number of Deaths per Incident, 1999–2012

Number of Deaths 

Reported in 

Incident1

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generator Other Engine-Driven 

Tools (OEDTs) Multiple Products2,3

All Incidents 725 100% 552 100% 123 100% 50 (45) 100%

1 570 79% 413 75% 120 98% 37 (32) 74%

2 118 16% 105 19% 3 2% 10 (10) 20%

3 26 4% 23 4% 0 0% 3 (3) 6%

4 8 1% 8 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

5 2 < 1% 2 < 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

6 1 < 1% 1 < 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

1 SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT COUNTS IN THIS TABLE ONLY: One incident included in this table involved an in-scope, 

generator-related death and an out-of-scope death (work related). Because two fatalities were involved in the incident, this 

incident is included as a two-fatality incident. The out-of-scope fatality is not included elsewhere in the report. Therefore, in 

this table only, there is one additional fatality reported. The in-scope fatality was a generator-related fatality, so it is included in 

the “Generator” and “Total” columns.

2 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other combustion fuel-burning consumer products. 

“Other Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, 

camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool 

(lawn tractor) in operation.

3 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including a case where a generator and an 

OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

CPSC staff summarized the number of reported deaths associated with engine-driven tools by year 

of death (Table 3). It should be noted that the values in Table 3 represent the number of deaths 

reported to CPSC staff as of April 23, 2013. Some deaths are reported to CPSC staff shortly after 

an incident occurs, while other deaths are reported to CPSC staff months or even years after an 

incident occurs. Therefore, counts for more recent years may not be as complete as counts for 

earlier years and may change in the future. Thirty-three percent (18 of 55) of the reported fatalities

new to the report were for years prior to 2012. For the 14 years covered by this report, 72 percent
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(679 of 931) of the deaths were reported as having occurred in the most recent eight years (2005

through 2012).

The average number of non-fire CO fatalities associated with both generators and other enginedriven tools for years 2008 through 2010 is also presented in Table 3. These three years represent 

the most recent years for which CPSC staff believe reporting is substantially complete. Due to 

reporting delays, these averages may change slightly in the future when data are complete. Figure 1

illustrates the trend in engine-driven, tool-related, non-fire CO fatalities since 1999. 

Table 3: Number of Reported Fatal Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Exposure Incidents and 

Deaths Associated with Engine-Driven Tools by Year, 1999–2012

Year All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators Other Engine-Driven Tools (OEDTs) Multiple Products1,2

Incidents Deaths Incidents Deaths Incidents Deaths Incidents Deaths

Total 725 931 552 739 123 126 50 (45) 66 (61)

1999 12 12 6 6 5 5 1 (0) 1 (0)

2000 22 28 14 20 7 7 1 (1) 1 (1)

2001 19 25 14 17 2 2 3 (3) 6 (6)

2002 47 58 34 42 8 9 5 (4) 7 (6)

2003 51 67 38 52 9 9 4 (3) 6 (5)

2004 50 62 34 46 14 14 2 (1) 2 (1)

2005 93 116 73 94 13 13 7 (7) 9 (9)

2006 79 109 59 87 16 16 4 (4) 6 (6)

2007 69 82 54 66 11 11 4 (4) 5 (5)

2008 77 102 64 88 6 6 7 (6) 8 (7)

2009 55 76 43 64 10 10 2 (2) 2 (2)

2010 46 57 32 40 10 12 4 (4) 5 (5)

2011 73 100 59 84 9 9 5 (5) 7 (7)

2012 32 37 28 33 3 3 1 (1) 1 (1)

Average:

2008–2010 59 78 46 64 9 9 4 (4) 5 (5)

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products. “Other 

Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp 

stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool 

(lawn tractor) in operation.

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and 

an OEDT (lawn tractor) were used concurrently. 

Notes: Detail averages may not sum to total average due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.
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Figure 1: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with 

Engine-Driven Tools, 1999–2012

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Number of Reported CO Fatalities

Year

Generators Generators (reporting incomplete)

OEDT OEDT (reporting incomplete)

Multiple Products Multiple Products (reporting incomplete)
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II. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Victims and EDT Use Patterns 

This section presents socio-demographic information about the victims of reported fatal CO 

incidents associated with engine-driven tools (EDTs). Tables 4, 5, and 6 present summaries of 

socio-demographic characteristics of the victims. Table 4 presents the distribution of ages of the 

victims. Victims age 25 years or older accounted for about 86 percent (791 of 925) of reported 

non-fire, CO poisoning deaths associated with all engine-driven tools, where the victim’s age is 

known. Victims with a reported age of 25 years or older accounted for about 83 percent (661 of the 

794 victims where the age was known) of non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with generators 

(including multiple product related deaths where one product was a generator) and accounted for 

nearly all of the deaths associated with other engine-driven tools. Eighty-four percent of the nonfire CO fatalities associated with non-generator, engine-driven tools (110 of 131) involved victims 

age 45 or older, with only one reported fatality of an individual younger than 25. 

Table 4: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with EngineDriven Tools by Age of Victim, 1999–2012

Age

Number of Deaths Reported to CPSC

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators Other Engine-Driven 

Tools (OEDTS) Multiple Products1,2

Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage

Total 931 100% 739 100% 126 100% 66 (61) 100%

Under 5 15 2% 15 2% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

5–14 31 3% 31 4% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

15–24 88 9% 79 11% 1 1% 8 (8) 12%

25–44 276 30% 239 32% 20 16% 17 (17) 26%

45–64 348 37% 253 34% 63 50% 32 (29) 48%

65 and over 167 18% 116 16% 42 33% 9 (7) 14%

Adult, age 

unknown 6 1% 6 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products. “Other 

Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp 

stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool 

(lawn mower) in operation. 

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and 

an OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.
Page 15

Table 5 presents the distribution of the gender of the victims. Male victims accounted for 77

percent of the deaths associated with all engine-driven tools when the gender of the victim is 

known. Male victims comprised 73 percent of the deaths associated with generators and 97 percent 

of non-generator, engine-driven tool fatalities.

Table 5: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with EngineDriven Tools by Gender of Victim, 1999–2012

Gender

Number of Deaths Reported to CPSC

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators All Other Engine-Driven 

Tools (OEDTs) Multiple Products1,2

Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage

Total 931 100% 739 100% 126 100% 66 (61) 100%

Male 720 77% 542 73% 122 97% 56 (51) 85%

Female 209 22% 195 26% 4 3% 10 (10) 15%

Unknown 2 < 1% 2 < 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products. “Other 

Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp 

stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool 

(lawn mower) in operation.

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and

an OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.
Page 16

Table 6 presents a summary of the race/ethnicity of the reported CO fatalities associated with 

engine-driven tools. The percentage of generator-related CO fatalities identified as “Black/African 

American” (23% of deaths) was nearly double the proportion classified by the U.S. Census Bureau 

as “Black/African Americans” in the U.S. population (an estimated 12%). The percentage of the 

non-generator, engine drive tools-related CO fatalities identified as “White” (89% of deaths) was 

much higher than proportion classified as “White” by of the U.S. Census Bureau (an estimated 67% 

of the U.S. population). 

Table 6: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with EngineDriven Tools by Race/Ethnicity of Victim, 1999–2012

Race / Ethnicity

Percentage of 

Average 

Estimated U.S. 

Resident 

Population3

Number of Deaths Reported to CPSC

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators

All Other EngineDriven Tools

(OEDTs)

Multiple Products1,2

Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage Deaths Percentage

Total 931 100% 739 100% 126 100% 66 (61) 100%

White 67% 591 63% 433 59% 112 89% 46 (41) 70%

Black/African 

American 12% 185 20% 171 23% 3 2% 11 (11) 17%

Hispanic

(any race) 14% 93 10% 88 12% 1 1% 4 (4) 6%

Asian 4% 15 2% 13 2% 1 1% 1 (1) 2%

Native American 1% 9 1% 9 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

Other / Unknown - 38 4% 25 3% 9 7% 4 (4) 6%

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products. “Other 

Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp 

stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool 

(lawn mower) in operation.

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and

an OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

3 This percentage represents the average percentage over the 10-year period 2000 through 2009. All categories, with the 

exception of “Hispanic (any race)” are non-Hispanic averages.

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Sources: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

U. S. Census Department, The 2012 Statistical Abstract - The National Data Book, Table 6.

Staff examined reported deaths associated with engine-driven tools by the time of year that the 

incident occurred (Table 7). The non-fire CO fatalities were classified into one of three categories,

depending on the month in which the incident occurred: Cold months, Warm months, and 

Transitional months. “Cold months” are defined as November, December, January, and February; 

“Warm months” as May, June, July, and August; and “Transitional months” as March, April, 

September, and October. 
Page 17

Half (48%, or 50% when multiple product incidents where a generator was involved are taken into 

account) of the non-fire CO deaths associated with generators occurred in the cold months of 

November through February. Many of the fatalities can be directly associated with the use of 

generators during power outages due to weather conditions, such as ice or snow storms. Thirty 

percent of the generator-related CO deaths occurred in the transitional months of March, April, 

September, and October. A large portion of the non-fire CO fatalities in the transitional months can 

be directly associated with the use of generators during power outages, due to hurricanes and 

tropical storms, many of which occurred in September and, to a lesser extent, October. Additional

details on this issue are presented in Section IV of this report. 

For OEDTs, CO fatalities were only slightly more prevalent in the cold months (40%) than the 

transitional months (33%) and warm months (27%). The Multiple Products category had a very 

large proportion of fatalities in the cold months (76%), with 21 percent in the transitional months 

and three percent occurring in the warm months. This large percentage of fatalities in the cold 

months can be explained by examining the other fuel-burning consumer products in use at the time 

of the deaths. Of the 66 CO fatalities that involved multiple consumer products, 61 involved the use 

of a generator, and all but two involved a heating or cooking product, most commonly a portable 

LP- or kerosene-fueled portable heater. Heaters are used almost exclusively in the cold and 

transitional months.

Table 7: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Incidents and Fatalities Associated 

with Engine-Driven Tools by Season, 1999–2012

Season Incident Occurred

Number of Incidents and Deaths Reported to CPSC

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators

Other EngineDriven Tools

(OEDTs)

Multiple Products1,2

Total

Incidents 725 100% 552 100% 123 100% 50 (45) 100%

Deaths 931 100% 739 100% 126 100% 66 (61) 100%

Cold months

Incidents 354 49% 267 48% 49 40% 38 (36) 76%

Deaths 454 49% 354 48% 50 40% 50 (48) 76%

Transitional 

months

Incidents 212 29% 162 29% 40 33% 10 (8) 20%

Deaths 280 30% 224 30% 42 33% 14 (12) 21%

Warm months

Incidents 159 22% 123 22% 34 28% 2 (1) 4%

Deaths 197 21% 161 22% 34 27% 2 (1) 3%

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products. “Other 

Consumer Products” includes one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp 

stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool 

(lawn mower) in operation.

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and 

an OEDT (lawn mower) were being used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.
Page 18

Incidents involving deaths are further summarized in Table 8 by the location where the death 

occurred. The majority of non-fire, CO poisoning deaths (782 of 931, or 84%) reported to CPSC 

staff associated with engine-driven tools occurred at home locations. Seventy-two percent of the 

deaths occurred at fixed-structure used as a residence, which include houses, mobile homes, 

apartments, townhouses, and structures attached to the house, such as an attached garage. Another 

10 percent occurred in external structures at home locations, such as detached garages or sheds. 

And another two percent occurred in nontraditional homes, such as travel trailers, houseboats, or 

storage sheds used as permanent residences. The “Temporary shelter” category includes incidents 

in which victims died from CO poisoning from portable generators or other engine-driven tools,

while the victims were temporarily occupying trailers, horse trailers, recreational vehicles (RVs), 

cabins (used as a temporary shelter), tents, and campers. Incidents that occurred in a temporary 

shelter, where the generator was an integral part of the temporary shelter, such as built-in generators 

or generators built specifically for use in an RV are not within the purview of the CPSC and thus, 

out of scope for this report and were excluded from the analyses. The “Boat/Vehicle” category only 

includes incidents in which a generator or other engine-driven tool was not an integral part of the 

boat—but was brought onto the boat—and incidents where an EDT was brought into a vehicle, such 

as a van. As with temporary shelters, incidents involving generators that were built-in or 

specifically designed for a boat are not within the purview of CPSC and are not included in this 

report. The “Other” category includes incidents that occurred in the following locations: office 

buildings, utility buildings, and storage sheds (offsite from home).
Page 19

Table 8: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Incidents and Fatalities 

Associated with Engine-Driven Tools by Location, 1999–2012

Location

Number of Incidents and Deaths Reported to CPSC

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators Other Engine-Driven Tools (OEDTs) Multiple Products1,2

Total

Incidents 725 100% 552 100% 123 100% 50 (45) 100%

Deaths 931 100% 739 100% 126 100% 66 (61) 100%

Home, fixed

Structure3

Incidents 516 71% 404 73% 75 61% 37 (35) 74%

Deaths 666 72% 542 73% 76 60% 48 (46) 73%

Home, 

detached

Structure4

Incidents 90 12% 48 9% 38 31% 4 (1) 8%

Deaths 94 10% 51 7% 39 31% 4 (1) 6%

Home, nonhouse5

Incidents 19 3% 13 2% 4 3% 2 (2) 4%

Deaths 22 2% 16 2% 4 3% 2 (2) 3%

Temporary 

shelter

Incidents 65 9% 58 11% 2 2% 5 (5) 10%

Deaths 99 11% 88 12% 2 2% 9 (9) 14%

Boat/Vehicle

Incidents 19 3% 16 3% 1 1% 2 (2) 4%

Deaths 26 3% 21 3% 2 2% 3 (3) 5%

Other

Incidents 12 2% 10 2% 2 2% 0 (0) 0%

Deaths 15 2% 13 2% 2 2% 0 (0) 0%

Not reported

Incidents 4 1% 3 1% 1 1% 0 (0) 0%

Deaths 9 1% 8 1% 1 1% 0 (0) 0%

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products, such as 

(or including) one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, 

outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool (lawn mower) in 

operation.

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and

an OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

3 This refers to a fixed-structure used as a residence, including: houses, mobile homes, apartments, townhouses, and structures 

attached to the house, such as an attached garage.

4 This refers to detached structures at home locations, including detached garages and sheds.

5 This refers to non-fixed location residences, including travel trailers and houseboats.

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.
Page 20

Table 9 presents the number of non-fire, CO poisoning deaths reported to CPSC staff and associated 

with EDTs, categorized by the population density of the place of death. All fatal incidents were 

assigned to one of four rural/urban categories, based on the Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) 

codes developed by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA). Recently, the four urban/rural categories were changed to delineate further the large 

urban category. Formerly, the four broad categories were: “Urban,” “Large Rural,” “Small Rural,”

and “Isolated.” In the newer categorization, the “Urban” category was divided into “Urban Core” 

and “Sub-Urban.” Additionally, the “Small Rural” and “Isolated” categories are now combined into 

the “Small Rural/Isolated” category. Details on the process of determining population density or 

rurality can be found at the USDA website at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/Rurality/. 

Additional information regarding the cross-referencing of zip codes to RUCA codes can be obtained 

from the University of Washington, WWAMI4 Rural Health Research Center website at: 

http://depts.washington.edu/uwruca/.

Fifty-six percent (518 of 931) of CO fatalities associated with the use of engine-driven tools

reported to CPSC staff occurred in urban areas, while the estimated proportion of the U.S. 

population living in urban core areas is 71 percent. Forty-four percent (413 of 931) of CO fatalities 

occurred in non-urban core areas (sub-urban, large rural, and small rural/isolated areas), where an 

estimated 29 percent of the U.S. population lives. There appears to be an unusually high proportion 

of fatalities in small rural/isolated areas. Seventeen percent (157 of 931) of the CO fatalities known 

to CPSC staff to be associated with EDTs occurred in small rural and isolated areas, where only an 

estimated nine percent of the U.S. population lives. The high proportion of fatalities in small 

rural/isolated areas can be explained partly by the fact that 22 percent (35 of 157) of these occurred 

in temporary or boat/vehicle locations and not at home locations.

 4 The WWAMI name is derived from the first letter of each of the five cooperating states in a partnership between the University of 

Washington School of Medicine and the states Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.
Page 21

Table 9: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with EngineDriven Tools by Population Density of Place of Death, 1999–2012

Population Density

Estimated 

Percentage 

of U.S. 

Population1

Number of Deaths Reported to CPSC

All Engine-Driven 

Tools (EDTs) Generators

Other EngineDriven Tools

(OEDTs)

Multiple Products2,3

Total

Incident

100%

725 100% 552 100% 123 100% 50 (45) 100%

Deaths 931 100% 739 100% 126 100% 66 (61) 100%

Urban Core

Incident

71%

399 55% 318 58% 62 50% 19 (19) 38%

Deaths 518 56% 430 58% 63 50% 25 (25) 38%

Sub-Urban

Incident

10%

101 14% 73 13% 17 14% 11 (7) 22%

Deaths 134 14% 102 14% 17 13% 15 (11) 23%

Large Rural

Incident

10%

102 14% 71 13% 21 17% 10 (9) 20%

Deaths 122 13% 88 12% 22 17% 12 (11) 18%

Small Rural 

/Isolated

Incident

9%

123 17% 90 16% 23 19% 10 (10) 20%

Deaths 157 17% 119 16% 24 19% 14 (14) 21%

1 Percentages are determined from the estimated 2010 U.S. population categorized by RUCA designation. U.S. population 

estimates by RUCA classification were determined by cross-referencing the WWAMI RUCA zip code table with the 2010 U.S. 

Census population estimates by zip code area, the most current census data available by zip code area.

2 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products, such as 

(or including) one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, 

outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool (lawn mower) in 

operation.

3 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and

an OEDT (lawn mower) were being used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

WWAMI Rural Research Center at the University of Washington Economic Research Group, USDA.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2011.
Page 22

III.Alarm Usage

Table 10 presents a summary of known CO fatalities characterized by CO alarm usage and alarm 

status. In 62 percent of the fatal incidents (446 of 725) and 59 percent of reported CO poisoning 

deaths (546 of 931), the presence of a CO alarm at the location of the incident was unknown or 

unreported. Of the 279 fatal incidents (385 CO fatalities) associated with engine-driven tools in 

which it was known whether a CO alarm was present or not, a CO alarm was present in only 21 

incidents (8%) involving 30 CO fatalities. Of these 21 fatal incidents, the alarm was known to be 

inoperable in eleven incidents (18 fatalities) due to missing, improperly installed, or possibly 

drained batteries in a battery-powered alarm (non-plug-in type), or because the alarm was a plug-in 

type and power was out at the location of the incident. Nine of the eleven fatal incidents (16

fatalities) with inoperable alarms were associated with generator usage. 

For the remaining 10 fatal incidents (12 fatalities) where an alarm was known to be present, the 

alarm was known to have sounded in only six incidents (six deaths). Four of the six incidents 

occurred in an attached garage of a home with the alarm sounding inside the house. It is unclear 

from the incident reports, but, resumably, the death occurred in the garage before CO levels 

increased inside the house sufficient to set off the CO alarm. In one incident, the victim’s family 

reportedly did not understand that the alarm sounding pattern (sounding every few minutes) was 

indicating CO present in the home; they thought the alarm sounding simply meant that the alarm 

was working. In another incident, the victim was found in a home where a CO alarm was sounding. 

It is unclear if the alarm triggered after the victim became incapacitated by CO poisoning or if the 

victim simply misunderstood or ignored the signal. There were also six deaths from four incidents 

in which a CO alarm was present in the house, but it was unknown whether it sounded or if it was 

operable.
Page 23

Table 10: Carbon Monoxide Alarm Usage Associated with Engine-Driven Tools Non-Fire 

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Deaths, 1999–2012

CO Alarm Status

Number of Deaths and Percentage of Deaths when Alarm Status was Known

All Engine-Driven Tools

(EDTs) Generators Other Engine-Driven Tools(OEDTs) Multiple Products1,2

Incidents Deaths % of 

Deaths Incidents Deaths % of Deaths Incidents Deaths % of Deaths Incidents Deaths % of Deaths

Total 725 931 - 552 739 - 123 126 - 50 (45) 66 (61) -

Alarm Status Known 279 385 100% 227 326 100% 32 34 100% 20 (17) 25 (22) 100%

 No Alarm 258 355 92% 213 303 93% 29 31 91% 16 (14) 21 (19) 84%

 Alarm Present 21 30 8% 14 23 7% 3 3 9% 4 (3) 4 (3) 16%

 Alarmed 6 6 2% 1 1 <1% 3 3 9% 2 (2) 2 (2) 8%

 Did not alarm, 

 batteries removed

 or incorrectly

 inserted

4 8 2% 4 8 2% 0 0 0% 0 (0) 0 (0) 0%

 Did not alarm,

 plug-in type, no

 power

6 9 2% 4 7 2% 0 0 0% 2 (1) 2 (1) 8%

 Non-working, 

 probable drained 

 battery

1 1 < 1% 1 1 < 1% 0 0 0% 0 (0) 0 (0) 0%

 Alarm present, 

 Unknown if it

 alarmed

4 6 2% 4 6 2% 0 0 0% 0 (0) 0 (0) 0%

Alarm Status Unknown 446 546 - 325 413 - 91 92 - 30 (28) 41 (39) -

1 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products, such as 

(or including) one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, 

outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool (lawn mower) in 

operation.

2 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where both a generator 

and an OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.
Page 24

IV. Hazard Patterns Associated with Generators

This section presents information about the usage patterns associated with fatal CO poisoning 

specific to generators, as well as information about the homes where fatal generator incidents 

occurred. As of April 23, 2013, CPSC staff is aware of 597 generator-related incidents from 1999 

through 2012, which resulted in non-fire CO fatalities. Five hundred and fifty-two of these 

incidents involved only a generator. The remaining 45 incidents involved a generator and another 

combustion fuel-burning consumer product, including one that was another engine-driven tool. 

Staff completed In-Depth Investigations (IDIs) for 570 of 597 (95%) fatal CO incidents associated 

with generators that occurred from 1999 through 2012. For the remaining 27 incidents in which an 

IDI was not performed or was not completed by the April 23, 2013 cut-off date, attempts were made 

to augment the data from reports of the incident in the Injury and Potential Injury Incidents (IPII) 

records or from death certificate information. Summaries of generator-related incidents in this 

section also include incidents where multiple fuel-burning consumer products were involved, 

including a generator. 

A review of records for the 597 incidents resulting in 800 generator-related, non-fire CO deaths 

reported to CPSC staff, which includes 552 incidents (739 fatalities) involving a generator alone 

and 45 incidents (61 fatalities) involving a generator and another CO-producing consumer product, 

suggests two main reasons reported for using a generator. One reason cited was to provide 

electricity to a location that did not have electricity due to a temporary situation (e.g., a power 

outage), and the other was to provide power after a shutoff to the residence by the utility company 

due to bill dispute or nonpayment. Table 11 provides a breakdown by year, listing the reasons why 

a generator was in use at the time of the incident. Twenty-eight percent of the incidents (30 percent 

of the reported deaths) involving generator-related, non-fire CO fatalities were associated with the 

use of generators during a temporary power outage stemming from a weather problem or a problem 

with power distribution. Nineteen percent of the fatal incidents (19 percent of deaths) were 

associated with the use of generators after a power shutoff by the utility company for nonpayment

of a bill or a bill dispute. For 17 percent of the fatal incidents (16 percent of deaths), it could not be 

determined why the generator was in use, or why there was no electricity at the location of the 

incident. 
Page 25

Table 11: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities 

Associated with Generators1 by Reason for Use, 1999–2012

Reason for Use Total 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Total

Incidents 597 6 15 17 38 41 35 80 63 58 70 45 36 64 29

Deaths 800 6 21 23 48 57 47 103 93 71 95 66 45 91 34

Power outage due to weather, 

or problem with power 

distribution

Incidents 169 3 1 3 12 15 7 37 11 15 19 10 5 18 13

Deaths 236 3 1 3 16 20 11 53 17 23 26 17 6 26 14

Electricity turned off by 

power company due to bill 

dispute or nonpayment

Incidents 116 0 1 1 10 4 6 11 17 13 13 6 12 17 5

Deaths 153 0 2 1 13 5 6 12 23 16 19 9 16 25 6

Provide power to storage 

shed, trailer, boat, camper, 

cabin, campsite

Incidents 84 0 7 6 5 8 3 8 13 8 5 8 2 7 4

Deaths 120 0 11 9 7 10 4 11 19 9 7 11 5 12 5

New home or homeowner, 

and power not yet turned on, 

home under construction or 

renovation

Incidents 57 0 1 1 1 4 10 4 6 5 7 5 5 5 3

Deaths 85 0 1 3 1 8 14 6 9 5 13 6 5 10 4

Provide power to home or 

mobile home that normally 

does not have electricity

Incidents 36 0 1 4 1 1 3 6 3 4 4 3 3 2 1

Deaths 47 0 1 5 1 1 4 6 5 5 5 7 3 2 2

Working on or preparing a 

home for predicted storm

Incidents 7 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0

Deaths 7 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0

Provide power to a shed or 

garage that normally does not 

have electricity

Incidents 9 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 1

Deaths 9 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 1

Other (previous fire in house, 

power shut off by owners, 

servicing power supply, or 

other usage)

Incidents 16 1 2 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 3 2 1 1 0

Deaths 19 1 3 1 4 0 0 1 1 0 3 2 1 2 0

Unknown why electricity off

Incidents 103 1 1 0 5 8 6 13 11 13 13 11 7 12 2

Deaths 124 1 1 0 5 12 8 14 18 13 16 14 8 12 2

1 Number of deaths associated with generators includes incidents where other consumer products may also have been involved. 

Other products include one or more of the following: lawn mowers, portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves.

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

For the 169 fatal incidents associated with a power outage due to weather or a problem with power 

distribution, Table 12 provides a further breakdown by year and cause of the power outage. Ninetyone percent of the fatal incidents associated with power outages were due to specific weather 

conditions. Ice or snow storms are associated with the largest percentage of weather-related CO 
Page 26

fatal incidents (46%). Hurricanes are also associated with a large percentage of CO fatal incidents

(29%) over the 14-year period from 1999 to 2012. More than 40 percent of the hurricane- or 

tropical storm-related fatal incidents (20 of 49) occurred in 2005. 

Table 12: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with

Generators1 by Reason for Power Outage, 1999–2012

Reason for 

Power Outage Total 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Total

Incidents 169 3 1 3 12 15 7 37 11 15 19 10 5 18 13

Deaths 236 3 1 3 16 20 11 53 17 23 26 17 6 26 14

Ice or snow 

storm

Incidents 77 0 0 0 10 5 1 15 6 9 7 9 3 9 3

Deaths 107 0 0 0 14 7 2 20 8 13 9 14 4 13 3

Hurricane or 

tropical storm

Incidents 49 0 0 0 1 6 5 20 1 0 6 0 0 3 7

Deaths 71 0 0 0 1 9 8 31 1 0 8 0 0 5 8

Wind storm

Incidents 7 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 1

Deaths 11 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 1 1 0 0 1 1

Thunderstorm or 

rainstorm

Incidents 12 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 1 1 0 2 2 0

Deaths 14 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 1 2 0 2 3 0

Tornado

Incidents 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0

Deaths 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0

Storm, 

unspecified

Incidents 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 2

Deaths 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 1 2

Unknown or 

other reason for 

outage

Incidents 15 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 0

Deaths 20 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 4 2 3 0 1 0

1 Number of deaths associated with generators includes incidents where other consumer products may also have been involved. 

Other products include one or more of the following: lawn mowers, portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves.

Note: Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

As shown in Table 8 above, 542 generator-related, non-fire CO fatalities occurred in a fixedstructure home. The category “fixed-structure home” is defined as a permanent, fixed-structure 

used as a residence, including: houses, mobile homes, apartments, townhouses, and structures 

attached to the house, such as an attached garage. Travel trailers, campers, and RVs are not 

included in this classification. Additionally, there were 46 fatalities from multiple product-related 

incidents involving a generator in a fixed-structure home. 
Page 27

Of these 588 generator-related deaths that occurred in a fixed-structure home, information was 

available for 499 deaths (85%) regarding the victim’s location in relation to the generator. One 

hundred-thirteen of these 499 fatalities (23%) occurred in the same room or space as the generator. 

The 588 deaths that occurred in a fixed-structure home were the result of 439 incidents (Table 13). 

These incidents were further classified by the specific location of the generator within the home. 

The category “Living Space (non-basement)” includes rooms reported as bedrooms, bathrooms, 

dens, living rooms, landings, home offices, rear rooms, enclosed porches, and converted garages. 

This category does not include attached garages or basements. The category “Outside the home” 

includes incidents where the generator was placed outside a home but near an open window, door, 

or vent of the home. Sixty-seven percent (295 of 439) of the CO fatal incidents at home locations 

occurred when a generator was placed inside the home, including the living space (139), a basement 

(108), closet (6), doorway (5), or inside the house, with no further information provided (37). 

Another 26 percent of the fatal incidents (113 of 439) occurred when the generator was placed in an 

attached garage, enclosed carport, or attached barn. More than half of the fatal incidents (221 of 

439) occurred when the generator was placed in an attached structure (113) or in the basement or 

crawlspace (108). 

Review of the yearly fatal incident data in Table 13 suggests that since 2004, more fatal incidents 

were related to generators used in non-basement living areas of the home than in any other location 

category. Included in the definition of “non-basement living area of the home” are the categories 

“Living Space,” “Closet in Home,” and “Doorway to Home.” Not included is the category, “Inside 

house, no further information reported,” because this could be in the living area or the basement of 

the house. From 2000 through 2003, there were more fatal CO incidents reported where the 

generator was placed in the basement or crawl space than in the non-basement living areas (in 1999, 

there were an equal number of fatalities reported, where generators were placed in the basement and 

the living area). For the years 2004 through 2012, more reported fatal CO incidents were associated 

with generators in non-basement living areas than in basement or crawl space locations. Of the 82

generator-associated fatal incidents between 1999 and 2003, the basement was the predominant 

location of the generator (31 of 82, or 38%), followed by living areas (21 of 82, or 26%), including 

living space (16), closets (2), and doorways (3), and attached garages and other attached structures 

(18 of 82, or 22%). From 2004 forward, there have been 357 reported fatal CO incidents in the 

home associated with the use of generators. More fatal CO incidents occurred with the generators 

placed in the non-basement living areas (129 of 357, or 36%, including living space (123), closets 

(4), and doorways (2)), followed by an attached garage or other structure (95 of 357, or 27%), and 

then the basement (77 of 357, or 22%). It is unclear why there has been a shift from the basement 

to the living space, but this may indicate a lack of knowledge by consumers about the severity of the 

CO dangers associated with the use of generators inside the home.

Sixteen deaths were associated with the use of a generator placed outside the home. Usually, this 

involved placing the generator too near an open window or vent. This category also includes an 

incident where a generator was running outside the home but inside a building (e.g., outside an 

apartment but still inside the building).
Page 28

Table 13: Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Deaths in the Fixed-structure Home 

Location1 by Location of the Generator,

2 1999–2012

Generator Location Total 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Total

Incidents 439 5 5 8 32 32 28 55 40 44 52 35 29 51 23

Deaths 588 5 7 10 41 46 38 70 57 56 71 52 35 73 27

Living space 

(non-basement)

Incidents 139 2 1 2 5 6 12 17 12 15 20 14 13 15 5

Deaths 184 2 1 2 5 7 18 23 17 19 27 20 13 22 8

Garage / enclosed 

carport / attached 

barn

Incidents 113 0 1 2 8 7 6 17 13 10 13 8 5 13 10

Deaths 143 0 2 2 10 8 8 18 20 15 15 11 6 18 10

Basement /

crawlspace

Incidents 108 2 3 2 12 12 6 12 9 9 11 6 4 16 4

Deaths 160 2 4 4 18 20 7 15 11 12 20 11 7 25 4

Inside house, no 

further 

information 

reported

Incidents 37 1 0 1 3 5 1 2 4 6 5 3 1 3 2

Deaths 43 1 0 1 4 7 1 2 4 6 5 5 2 3 2

Closet in home

Incidents 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0

Deaths 13 0 0 0 2 0 0 6 3 1 0 1 0 0 0

Outside the home

Incidents 12 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 0 2 0 0 1 1 1

Deaths 16 0 0 1 0 2 2 4 0 2 0 0 1 2 2

Doorway to 

home

Incidents 5 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Deaths 7 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

Unknown 

location, but at 

home

Incidents 19 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 3 3 5 3 1

Deaths 22 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 4 4 6 3 1

1 This refers to a fixed-structure used as a residence, including houses, mobile homes, apartments, townhouses, and structures 

attached to the house, such as an attached garage. Not included here are incidents that occurred in detached structures at home 

locations (e.g., detached garages, sheds) or at non-fixed location residences (e.g., travel trailers, houseboats).

2 Number of deaths associated with generators includes incidents where other consumer products may also have been involved. 

Other products include one or more of the following: lawn mowers, portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves.

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

Table 14 presents a summary of non-fire CO fatalities that occurred in the fixed-structure home 

characterized by ventilation status. Many of the incidents with generator-associated fatalities in the 

home (193 of the 439 incidents) did not contain information about the ventilation of the generator. 

In 167 of the 246 incidents (68%), accounting for 227 deaths, in which information on ventilation of 

the generator was available, there was no ventilation being provided when the incident occurred. In 

six of these fatal incidents (eight deaths), a window or door was open during some period of use but 
Page 29

later closed. There were 79 incidents associated with generators in which it was reported that some 

type of ventilation was employed. Of these 79 incidents, 58 were associated with incidents in 

which it was reported that there was an open or partially open window, door, garage door, or a 

combination of these, accounting for 73 CO deaths. As noted here and in Table 13, twelve

incidents (16 deaths) were associated with generators that were placed outside the home near open 

windows, doors, or vents, where carbon monoxide entered the home. In eight incidents (18 deaths), 

consumers actively attempted to vent generator exhaust outside through a window or door, or 

through the use of a fan, but these measures failed to adequately vent the CO from the victims’ 

location. An additional fatality occurred when a victim placed a generator outside of an apartment 

in the unventilated hallway of a building. 

Table 14: Non-Fire CO Fatalities in the Fixed-structure Home1 Reported to CPSC Staff and 

Associated with Generators2 Categorized by Status of Ventilation, 1999–2012

Ventilation Status Number of 

Incidents

Number of 

Deaths

Percentage 

of Deaths

Percentage of 

Deaths Where 

Ventilation is 

Known

Non-fire CO fatalities in the home 439 588 100% 100%

Some ventilation attempted 79 108 18% 32%

Open window(s), open door(s), an open garage 

door, or a combination of these 58 73 12% 22%

Actively trying to vent either by fans or by 

directing exhaust out a window or door 8 18 3% 5%

Placed outside, but near a window, door or A/C 

unit3 12 16 3% 5%

Placed outside apartment, but inside building 1 1 < 1% < 1%

No ventilation 167 227 39% 68%

Open windows or doors closed sometime later 6 8 1% 2%

No ventilation attempted4 161 219 37% 65%

Unknown ventilation 193 253 43% -

1 This refers to a fixed-location structure used as a residence, including houses, mobile homes, apartments, and townhouses, as 

well as structures attached to the house, such as an attached garage. Not included here are incidents that occurred in detached 

structures at home locations (e.g., detached garages and sheds) or at non-fixed location residences (e.g., travel trailers and 

houseboats).

2 Number of deaths associated with generators includes incidents where other consumer products may also have been involved. 

Other products include one or more of the following: lawn mowers, portable LP fueled heaters, portable kerosene fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves.

3 One incident involved alternately moving the generator outside then inside after the generator would shut off, presumably 

because of weather conditions. After a warm-up period, the generator was again placed outside until it failed again. 

4 One death occurred when a generator was placed outside an apartment in an unvented hallway and one occurred when the 

generator was placed outside a trailer that was located inside an enclosed, unvented garage.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

Note: Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Table 15 presents a summary of the fatal CO incidents and fatalities characterized by the size of the 

home in which the fatalities occurred. For 38 percent (166 of 439) of the fatal incidents (217 of 588 
Page 30

deaths), CPSC staff could not ascertain the size of the home. Home size information was available 

for 273 of 439 fatal incidents (371 of the 588 deaths). Information regarding the size of the home 

reported in this document is from one of two sources. The first source is the CPSC In-Depth 

Investigations (IDIs), which include information gathered from police, fire department, or public 

records. The second source is from Internet databases of real estate information, which contain 

public record data, such as Cyberhomes.com and Zillow.com. In most cases, Internet databases

agree on the size of the home because both databases are based on public records from the county, 

state, or municipality. Occasionally, the records in the databases do not agree. In that situation, the 

average of the two or more sizes was used because it could not be determined which database had 

the more accurate figure.

Fifty-nine percent (162 of 273) of the reported fatal incidents (225 of 371 CO fatalities) associated 

with generators that occurred in the home, where the size of the structure was known, occurred in 

homes that were less than 1,500 square feet, and 85 percent (233 of 273) of the reported incidents

(314 of 371 deaths) occurred in houses that were less than 2,000 square feet. This portion of the 

fatal incident location includes most incidents that occurred in apartments and mobile homes. Fatal 

incidents that occurred in a detached structure are not included in this figure. The median home 

size involved in fatal CO poisoning deaths, where home size information is known, was 1,350 

square feet. As a point of reference, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing 

Survey for the United States: 2009, the median housing unit as of 2009 was 1,736 square feet. 

Comparing the percentages of fatal incidents by home size to the U.S. Census figures, it appears 

that the fatal CO incidents are skewed toward smaller homes. Whether this is due to economic 

reasons or because smaller-volume structures are filled more quickly by deadly carbon monoxide, is 

unclear. Perhaps it is a combination of the two factors, or some yet unidentified reason.
Page 31

Table 15: Non-Fire CO Fatalities in the Fixed-structure Home1 Reported to CPSC Staff and 

Associated with Generators2 Categorized by Size of Home, 1999–2012

Home Size

(in sq. feet)2

Number of 

Incidents Number of Deaths Percentage of Incidents

Percentage of 

Incidents Where 

Home Size is 

Known

Estimated 

Percentage of U.S. 

Housing Units 

(2009)4

Total 439 588 100% 100% 100%

Under 500 1 1 < 1% < 1% 1%

500–999 59 75 13% 22% 10%

1,000–1,499 102 149 23% 37% 25%

1,500–1,999 71 89 16% 26% 24%

2,000–2,499 25 40 6% 9% 17%

2,500–2,999 7 8 2% 3% 9%

3,000 or Larger 8 9 2% 3% 14%

Unknown 166 217 38% - -

1 This refers to a fixed-location structure used as a residence, including houses, mobile homes, apartments, and townhouses and 

structures attached to the house, such as an attached garage. Not included here are incidents that occurred in detached structures 

at home locations (e.g., detached garages and sheds) or at non-fixed location residences (e.g., travel trailers and houseboats).

2 Number of deaths associated with generators includes incidents where other consumer products may also have been involved. 

Other products include one or more of the following: lawn mowers, portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves.

3 Home size based on CPSC IDIs or from the Internet real estate databases, Cyberhomes.com and Zillow.com.

4 The 2009 housing unit figures are the most current figures available.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey for the United States: 2009.

Note: Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

The size of the generator and the fuel used with the generator were both examined. The size of the 

generator was examined by the wattage rating (Table 16). In most cases, the advertised running 

wattage rating was used to categorize the generator. In some instances, however, a wattage rating 

was used in which it could not be determined whether it was the rated running wattage or 

maximum/surge wattage. When the wattage rating of the generator was known or could be 

determined (385 investigated deaths from 266 incidents), nearly two-thirds of the incidents (174 

incidents, 252 deaths) were associated with a generator in the 3500 to 6499 watt rating range. 

Nearly half (46%) of the incidents (122 incidents, 173 deaths) involving CO fatalities, where the 

generator size was known, were associated with generators in the 5000 to 6499 watt range. 

Almost all of the generators that were involved in the CO poisoning incidents identified in this 

report were referred to as gas- or gasoline-fueled generators. Four incidents (six deaths) identify a 

propane-fueled generator as the source of the CO. In all four of these incidents, the generator was 

identified as non-portable, backup generator.
Page 32

Table 16: Number of Reported Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Fatalities Associated with 

Generators1 Categorized by Generator Wattage Rating, 1999–2012

Wattage Rating 

(in Watts) Total 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Total

Incidents 597 6 15 17 38 41 35 80 63 58 70 45 36 64 29

Deaths 800 6 21 23 48 57 47 103 93 71 95 66 45 91 34

Under 2000

Incidents 19 0 2 0 3 0 2 3 1 2 1 1 2 1 1

Deaths 23 0 2 0 3 0 2 3 1 5 1 1 2 1 2

2000–3499

Incidents 56 0 3 3 5 2 2 6 9 5 5 3 2 7 4

Deaths 85 0 5 3 7 3 2 8 17 6 8 6 2 12 6

3500–4999

Incidents 52 0 1 4 1 3 2 10 6 4 9 2 3 6 1

Deaths 79 0 2 8 1 5 2 13 11 7 11 2 5 11 1

5000–6499

Incidents 122 1 3 3 13 11 11 12 15 9 13 8 10 11 2

Deaths 173 1 3 4 19 14 18 20 20 9 19 15 12 17 2

6500–7999

Incidents 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 1 1 3 1

Deaths 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 4 1 1 5 1

8000 and larger

Incidents 6 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0

Deaths 10 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 5 0

Not reported

Incidents 331 5 6 7 15 25 17 48 31 37 38 29 18 35 20

Deaths 415 5 9 8 17 35 22 58 43 42 51 40 23 40 22

1 Number of deaths associated with generators includes incidents where other consumer products may also have been involved. 

Other products include one or more of the following: lawn mowers, portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled 

heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.

Note: Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.
Page 33

Conclusion

Between 1999 and 2012, there were 931 non-fire CO poisoning deaths from 725 incidents reported 

to CPSC staff that was associated with engine-driven tools. The majority of these deaths (739) 

involved generators. Another 61 fatalities were associated with both a generator and another 

consumer product (one involved both a generator and another engine-driven tool). Other enginedriven tools, including garden tractors, lawn mowers, power washers or sprayers, and others, were 

associated with a much smaller number of deaths. The majority of fatal incidents reported to CPSC 

staff involved a single fatality. Most reported deaths occurred while an individual was at home. 

Victims age 25 years and older accounted for about 83 percent of the non-fire CO poisoning deaths 

that were associated with generators reported to CPSC staff, and the majority (73 percent) of the 

victims were male. Seventy-four percent of the reported deaths associated with generators 

(including deaths associated with the use of a generator and another consumer product) occurred at 

fixed-structure home locations. Sixty-nine percent of the fatalities known to have occurred in the 

home and involving generators occurred when a generator was placed in the living area or basement 

of the home. Another 24 percent occurred when a generator was used inside an attached garage or 

shed. 

Generators were often used as alternative sources of electricity due to temporary power outages or 

as power sources for temporary shelters. Power outages, most commonly weather-related, were the 

single most common reason for generator usage that resulted in a non-fire CO fatality, accounting 

for at least 236 of the 800 fatalities (30 percent). Generators were often used with little or no 

ventilation. In only about eight percent of the fatalities was it known that there was a CO alarm 

installed—and most of these were inoperable at the time of the fatal incident. Conclusions about 

why consumers used generators indoors or determinations about whether users were aware of the 

potential non-fire CO-poisoning hazard were not possible to make with the available information.

Victims age 25 years and older accounted for 99 percent of the non-fire CO poisoning deaths 

reported to CPSC staff that were associated with other engine-driven tools. Males accounted for 97 

percent of the deaths associated with other engine-driven tools. Deaths associated with garden 

tractors and lawn mowers were often associated with an individual repairing or working on the 

product in an enclosed space. 

Visit the CPSC’s Carbon Monoxide Information Center— http://www.cpsc.gov/en/SafetyEducation/Safety-Education-Centers/Carbon-Monoxide-Information-Center/—for the latest 

information on recalls, safety tips, safety standards, CO alarms, and downloadable injury prevention 

materials.
Page 34

References

Hnatov, Matthew V. Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire 

Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 1999-2011. 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. July 2012.

http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/129857/cogenerators.pdf.

Hnatov, Matthew V. Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Deaths Associated with the Use of Consumer 

Products: 2009 Annual Estimates. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. December 2012.

http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/136146/co12.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 -

State─ 5-digit ZIP Code Tabulation Area: 2010 Census Summary File 1

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_

GCTPH1.ST09&prodType=table> 

U.S. Census Bureau. American Housing Survey for the United States: 2009. 

<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/h150-09.pdf>

U. S. Census Bureau. The 2012 Statistical Abstract - The National Data Book.

<http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/population.html>

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Briefing Rooms: Measuring Rurality. 7 Nov. 2008 

<http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/Rurality/>

University of Washington, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center. Guidelines for Using RuralUrban Classification Systems for Public Health Assessment 15 Feb. 2011
Page 35

Appendix A: Epidemiology Data Retrieval Specifics

The queries below were submitted through EPIR (EPIdemiology Retrieval), CPSC staff’s 

epidemiology data access application. Query results were reviewed to include only carbon 

monoxide poisoning incidents and to exclude duplicates and out-of-scope cases, which were cases 

that did not involve an incident that was associated with a non-fire carbon monoxide exposure and 

an engine-driven tool. Records from the three databases that were used in this report (the In-Depth 

Investigation database (INDP), the Injury or Potential Injury Incident database (IPII), and the Death

Certificate database (DTHS)) were then manually matched up to provide the most complete record 

and to eliminate additional duplicates.

For this report, a fatal incident was deemed in scope if none of the following criteria were violated:

• Carbon monoxide was the primary or contributing factor in the fatality.

• The carbon monoxide was not fire-related.

• The source of the CO was an engine-driven tool, or an engine-driven tool used in 

conjunction with another non-fire-related CO generating source.

• The fatal injury was unintentional in nature.

• The engine-driven tool involved was a consumer product.

• The incident was not work-related.

Date of Queries: 05/23/2013

Incident Dates: 1/1/99-12/31/12

Product Codes: 113, 606, 800-899, 1062, 1400-1464, 3285-3287

Diagnosis Codes: 65 (Anoxia), 68 (Poisoning) – (INDP only)

ICD10 Code: X47x, Y17x – (DTHS only)

Narrative/Text Contains: “CARB” or “MONO”
Page 36

Appendix B: Carboxyhemoglobin Levels Present in CO Fatalities

Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) is a complex of carbon monoxide and hemoglobin that forms in red 

blood cells when carbon monoxide is inhaled. COHb poisoning can be fatal in large doses as it 

hinders delivery of oxygen to the body. Carboxyhemoglobin data are helpful in estimating the 

concentration of CO in the product exhaust and the lethality of the product, which affects the speed 

of onset of harm. This information may be used by CPSC staff to assist in determining the best way

to address the CO hazard presented by generators and other engine-driven tools.

In healthy adults, a COHb level of 40–50 percent in the blood approximately correlates with 

symptoms of confusion, unconsciousness, coma, and possible death; a level of 50–70 percent 

approximately correlates with symptoms of coma, brain damage, seizure, and death; and a level 

greater than 70 percent is typically fatal.5 COHb levels were available for 539 of the 931 fatalities 

(58% of the CO fatalities). Table B-1 shows the frequency of reports by COHb level categories. 

Percentages in the table are the category proportions of reported COHb levels. Eighty-one percent 

(436 of the 539) of fatalities had reported COHb levels of 50 percent or greater.

 5 Inkster S.E. Health hazard assessment of CO poisoning associated with emissions from a portable, 5.5 Kilowatt, gasoline-powered 

generator. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 2004.
Page 37

Table B-1: Carboxyhemoglobin Levels Associated with Engine-Driven Tools Non-Fire

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Deaths, 1999–2012

COHb Level

Number of Deaths1

All Engine-Driven Tools

(EDTs) Generators Other Engine-Driven Tools (OEDTs) Multiple Products2,3

Total 931 - 739 - 126 - 66 (61) -

Reported Levels 539 100% 426 100% 73 100% 40 (35) 100%

Less than 30% 24 4% 19 4% 2 3% 3 (3) 8%

30–39.9% 30 6% 24 6% 5 7% 1 (1) 3%

40–49.9% 49 9% 40 9% 9 12% 0 (0) 0%

50–59.9% 107 20% 88 21% 11 15% 8 (8) 20%

60–69.9% 151 28% 121 28% 18 25% 12 (9) 30%

70–79.9% 136 25% 102 24% 19 26% 15 (13) 38%

80–89.9% 37 7% 27 6% 9 12% 1 (1) 3%

90–99.9% 5 1% 5 1% 0 0% 0 (0) 0%

Not reported 392 - 313 - 53 - 26 (26) -

1 Percentages shown are the percentage of reported COHb levels per category.

2 “Multiple Products” includes incidents involving generators or OEDTs with other CO-generating consumer products, such as 

(or including) one or more of the following: portable LP-fueled heaters, portable kerosene-fueled heaters, camp stoves, lanterns, 

outdoor cookers, furnaces, and wood stoves, and one case with a generator and another engine-driven tool (lawn mower) in 

operation.

3 Numbers in parentheses indicate incidents involving a generator and another product, including the case where a generator and

an OEDT (lawn mower) were used concurrently. 

Notes: Totals may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

 Italicized numbers indicate that reporting of incidents is ongoing. Counts may change in subsequent reports.

Source: U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology, 2013.