In a recent survey, Gas Safe has revealed that nearly half of students think the distance from their student house to the local pub is more important than keeping safe from Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Research also showed that almost a quarter of students were more concerned about potentially falling out with their house mates than being poisoned by carbon monoxide.
Students are among the most vulnerable groups within society when it comes to being at risk to carbon monoxide poisoning. Living in rented accomodation and possibly living away from their parents for the risk time, it can be hard to know what safety precautions to take.
In a campaign from Gas Safe, students are urged to be more aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide when moving into their new accommodation at the start of term. Gas Safe is advising students and their parents what they should be looking out for when viewing and moving into rented properties. The campaign aims to make students and whoever is dropping them off to their new house, wary of the dangers that could be lurking in their digs. As part of this initiative Gas Safe have launched a podcast which guides students and parents around a typical student house, walking them through all the potential hazards that the home could contain.
This guide will explain what safety obligations landlords should meet. By law a landlord must ensure that an annual gas safety check is carried out by a Gas Safe engineer and the student tennant should recieve a gas safety record. The guide also shows what signs to look out for as evidence that carbon monoxide might be present such as checking there is a blue crisp flame on the hob as opposed to a lazy orange/yellow flame (the latter could indicate that carbon monoxide may be present). The guide also recommends the purchase of an audible Carbon Monoxide alarm as a second line of defence.
On the Gas Safe Website there is a specific page for students http://gassaferegister.co.uk/advice/renting_a_property/for_students/for_students.aspx which contains downloadable information for students to look out for when renting a property.
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