Safe at Home Protecting Your Family from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning One of the biggest home safety hazards is carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that forms when fuel is burned.
When inhaled, it attaches itself to the bloostream s hemoglobin and displaces the oxygen the body needs. The result is carbon monoxide poisoning. Its symptoms resemble the flu-headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and fainting. At high levels, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and eventually brain damage or death can occur. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that carbon monoxide kills 200 and injures over 5,000 people each year.