Industry has welcomed legislation changes that make carbon monoxide alarms mandatory across Northern Ireland from today.

Changes to Northern Ireland’s Building Regulations came into force today, making it a legal requirement to fit carbon monoxide alarms in all dwellings where a new or replacement combustion appliance – such as a boiler or solid fuel stove – is to be installed.

These changes were welcomed as "significant progress" at a recent roundtable event held in Belfast, although all delegates agreed that more still needs to be done to raise awareness of the dangers.

Hosted by home safety products specialist Sprue Safety Products, the event brought together representatives from housing associations, councils and health organisations in the area, as well as speakers from Building Control Northern Ireland, Gas Safe Register, The Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the charity Gis A Hug Foundation.

Catherine and Jonny McFerran set up the Gis A Hug Foundation in memory of their son Neil and his lifelong friend Aaron Davidson, who both died from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2010. Catherine welcomed the new regulations as a positive step forward, but said it was disappointing that the rest of the UK is not going in the same direction.

It is estimated that only 16% of homes in the UK have CO detectors, yet an average of one person every week is still killed by this toxic gas and nearly 5 million experience dangerous CO levels in their homes.

The danger is - with no taste or smell - carbon monoxide is undetectable to the human senses and because symptoms are often mistaken for other ailments such as flu, its presence can go unnoticed until it's too late. Even low levels over a few hours can be as lethal as high levels over a short amount of time, causing lasting damage to your health.

Badly fitted or poorly serviced boilers, stoves, fires and water heaters, or blocked chimney vents can all produce carbon monoxide. The gas can also enter a property from external sources such as adjoining households or garages.

Fuel poverty is a major issue in Northern Ireland, which in turn can put more people at risk of CO poisoning. Conor McCleave, health and safety officer at Belfast City Council, explained that 72% of households in the region have oil-fired heating, but with the ever increasing price of oil, many sacrifice heating to put meals on the table. With little or no knowledge of the dangers of carbon monoxide, these people are unlikely to prioritise getting their heating appliances checked or serviced, or installing a CO alarm to warn them of any lethal leaks.

Belfast City Council has been running a successful campaign of seasonal events to raise awareness of carbon monoxide, where people are given advice and information. “Education and awareness-raising activities are vital, particularly in areas of high deprivation,” added McCleave.

Proper installation and regular servicing of all gas or oil appliances should dramatically reduce any dangers, but even well-serviced equipment can go wrong and flues can become blocked between inspections. In the winter months, there is also the danger that increased pressure on domestic heating systems in cold weather can leave unchecked boilers prone to faults, which can result in potentially lethal CO leaks.

James Murray from Gas Safe Register said: "If we could ensure everyone has their appliances safety checked every year, more people would be safe from carbon monoxide. CO alarms are only a second line of defence, but vital to alert you of its presence.”

Billy Gillespie from Building Control Northern Ireland emphasised the importance of ventilation. "People can be so inventive when it comes to keeping heat in, but they don’t realise that by blocking flues and vents they could potentially seal any carbon monoxide inside their home," he said. "Many may also think that switching on an extractor is ventilating the room, but some fans can draw in dangerous combustable air from flues. More modern appliances can be made to draw in air from outside rather than from within the room, which is much safer and a major consideration in building or refurbishment projects."

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding carbon monoxide and its symptoms, ranging from how the gas is produced to where a CO alarm should be fixed. Ideally, a detector should be installed in every room where there is a fuel burning appliance, as well as in rooms where occupiers spend most of their time, such as the living room and bedroom.

Many people assume they’re not at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they don’t have a gas boiler, but there are CO risks with other fuels as well.

Delegates agreed that installers can play a vital role in educating people of the dangers of CO. Some are already demonstrating good practice by not signing off service work until a carbon monoxide alarm has been fitted and proven to work, and others ensure they always take an alarm with them when they visit a property.

The latest changes to Northern Ireland’s regulations are a sign that CO safety is at last becoming more widely recognised. By keeping carbon monoxide in the spotlight with campaigns to educate people of the risks and symptoms, incidents of poisoning should hopefully fall.

Sprue Safety Products is committed to keeping more people safe from the dangers of fire, smoke and carbon monoxide and supports the work of Gis A Hug in Northern Ireland. For more information on how you can support this organisation, please visit www.gisahugfoundation.co.uk.