Matheson bill to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning advances

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Jim Matheson’s legislation to increase the use of life-saving carbon monoxide alarms today received approval from the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.  The action moves HR 1796—the Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act—closer to passage by the full House.

“Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in this country,” said Matheson.  “There’s a simple way to lower that number—installation of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in homes and residences.”

Matheson’s bill sets up a grant program—administered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)-- for the states, if they enact a rule or law requiring all new dwelling units and apartment buildings to have carbon monoxide alarms.  States with greater than average fatalities from CO poisoning would be given priority.

At a March hearing on the bill, an official with CPSC testified that only 35 to 50 percent of U.S. households have CO alarms.  He said that working with state and local authorities is critical to amplifying the message on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, CO poisoning kills 500 people annually in the U.S. and sends an additional 20,000 to the hospital. The University of Utah reports that in 2007, Utah experienced 273 cases of CO poisoning and 22 deaths.