Spate of carbon monoxide poisonings spark urgent warning
Four Victorians are lucky to be alive after a footy finals trip almost turned into tragedyVictoria’s marine safety watchdog has issued a dire warning to boaters after a sudden jump in the number of people being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.
In the most recent incident in the state, Marine Safety Victoria said four people were taken to hospital on AFL Grand Final eve after three of them fell unconscious while the inboard-engined sports cruiser they were on was motoring from Port Phillip Bay to the Yarra River.
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MSV said all four people on board the boat received overnight oxygen therapy before being released. It said all four had no ongoing health implications.
The warning was issued specifically in relation to inboard-engined boats with “some style of cockpit clears or accommodation”, although the warning applied equally to outboard-powered boats.
Coroner's concern
The warning also comes in the wake of a coroner’s report released late last year that called on authorities to make carbon monoxide detectors compulsory on all recreational and leisure craft. The move would add about $40 to the cost of a boat.
MSV said the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning was increased by the presence of engines, generators, stoves and heaters and because of the enclosed and confined spaces found on vessels.
“In particular, fumes can build up in a boat’s cockpit if it is enclosed by windscreens and canopies,” MSV said. “The ‘station wagon’ effect draws in exhaust from behind the vessel when operating at slow speeds.”
According to MSV, high-risk factors include:
- Inboard petrol engines
- The presence of multiple powered appliances such as heaters, stoves, generators and refrigerators
- Modifications that impede airflow, such as canopies and screens installed around the cockpit
- Poorly maintained machinery – a poorly maintained engine will produce higher levels of carbon monoxide
- Poor ventilation
- Sleeping accommodation on board
However, MSV has also identified a number of high-risk activities that boaters should note:
- Tying up in busy marinas for prolonged periods where other vessels or land facilities are operating engines and generators
- Using your own engines and generators while moored
- Motoring for prolonged periods at very low speed, especially with a following wind
- Using stoves and heaters in confined, poorly ventilated spaces
- Swimming close to swim platforms while the engines are running
MSV recommends that owners with vessels that have altered their airflow by adding clears or canopies should have their boat professionally assessed to ensure the changes have not materially increased the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
It also warned that boats that slow down significantly after going into limp-home mode – where the engines reduce revs to protect them against damage from incidents such as overheating or a loss of oil pressure – could also increase the risk of the station wagon effect.
It has called on all boat owners to install carbon monoxide alarms outside accommodation and at helm stations to protect the boat’s users, and to have the alarms checked regularly.
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