When gas is burnt with inadequate supply of fresh air, the resulting products will contain carbon monoxide, CARBON MONOXIDE is a toxic, colourless and odourless gas
What makes carbon monoxide poisoning extremely dangerous?
The Oxygen transporter in the blood (haemoglobin) has 250 times greater affinity for Carbon Monoxide than for oxygen. Therefore, if carbon monoxide is inhaled even with oxygen, the body will absorb carbon monoxide instead of oxygen causing oxygen starvation, which will affect the mental ability, rendering the person incapable without them knowing anything wrong, any exertion by the person may cause collapse, preventing escape from the situation. The consequence is often fatal.
When a mixture of gas and air is ignited it will explode.
If you smell gas:
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1984 (Amended 1990) place duties on gas appliances users and who carrying out work on them. They also exist to protect the general public.
The reader must be very clear that this manual does not encourage DIY gas work, on certain sections the information is given not to mistrust tradesmen but to understand the boiler and be aware of a situation and nature of the work need to be carried out by them.
Some extracts of the Regulations:
It's your own interest and that of Public Safety,
ensure that the law is complied with.
In the UK, after 1st January 2005 anyone carrying out fixed electrical installation work in a dwelling must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations 2000, download free of charge from the Office of Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) website at www.odpm.gov.uk
All such work will need to be notified to the local Building Control body before work commences, unless:
1. The proposed work is to be undertaken by a competent person. The Competent Person must be a member of one of the following schemes; www.eca.co.uk , , www.elecsa.org.uk , www.niceic.org.uk , www.napit.org.uk
2. The proposed work is of a minor nature
DIY Work and Non-registered persons
DIY Electrical work is permitted, but the DIY work details (plan & specifications) have to be submitted to the local Building Control before the work begins and will have to be pay a Building Control fee to have their work inspected and tested for compliance with the Building Regulations.
Why it is impossible to free oneself from a LIVE electric conductor after an accidental or intentional contact is made?
The human brain communicates and control the body muscles by sending signals of electrochemical in nature and in very low voltage typical level of few milli volts (1/1000)V. So if the body is happened to be influenced by mains voltage (240V) or even less, the external voltage is enough to upset the brains control over the body muscles. It means that even a conscious person is unable to counteract the effects of an external voltage
This explain the well known DANGER effects of electricity that when a person come to contact with a 'LIVE' conductor or cable , accidentally or intentionally become unable to free himself from it. Not only the person in contact, if any other person without proper insulation come to contact with him will also suffer the same consequences.
THE SHOCK CURRENT EFFECTS (FATAL?)
There is no reliable results for shock current effects, because it differ from person to person. However anything over 75 mili ampere could be fatal. One milli ampere give a sensation of shock. If a shock persists, its effects are likely to be more dangerous For example a current of 400mA may have no lasting effect if the duration is less than 20 milli seconds (20/1000 Sec), but a 50 mA for one second is fatal.
The amount of current pass through will depend on the body's surface resistance in contact. The resistance on hand wear (gloves), foot wear as well as floor covering (carpet etc.) and the conditions (dry) will in many cases will increase the total resistance, which determine the shock current. Wet conditions such as wet hands, body, floor, carpets etc. or a person in water or in grip contact with a conducive surfaces such as water tap, sink. copper tubes, radiator and the similar will reduce the body resistance causing fatal conditions.
The electrical safety regulations are issued by The Institute of Electrical Engineers known as IEE Wiring Regulations always refer to the current edition.
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