‘Avoidable‘ gas errors causing thousands of A&E admissions
6 Dec 2021
Four factors were responsible for more than 28,000 gas-related accident and emergency hospital admissions in the last decade.
Smoke, fire and flame exposure, contact with hot equipment, accidental poisoning and gas cylinder ruptures topped the list of causes listed on the latest NHS Digital Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity report, said manager at Bensons Gas Engineering Dale Goodman.
He commented: “This large number of gas-related accidents and emergencies is extremely worrying, especially as these types of incidents are often avoidable.
“Many of these gas-related causes of A&E admissions can be triggered by a gas leak, which you can prevent with regular professional maintenance and servicing of gas appliances.“
Exposure to smoke, fire, and flames was the greatest culprit he said, with 10,011 A&E admissions recorded. This was closely followed by contact with hot heating appliances, radiators, and pipes – responsible for 9,425 cases.
Accidental poisoning by and exposure to other gases and vapours accounted for a hefty 8,191 admissions, while gas cylinder explosions and ruptures accounted for a significant 1,038 A&E admissions.
“Neglecting gas safety can have catastrophic consequences as faulty gas appliances can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, fires, and even explosions. Arranging for this yearly safety check is a quick and straightforward task that could be life-saving,“ added Goodman.
Use of ‘gas safe’ registered engineers qualified to the correct level checks was essential he said but everyone should be trained to spot the potential signs of a gas or carbon monoxide leak in order to avoid a life-threatening situation, he insisted.
