How do I know if someone is sick from carbon monoxide and how do I get help?

​​​​​Who can get sick from carbon monoxide?

Anyone can get sick from carbon monoxide.

Some people can get sicker than others. These people are:

• babies
• pregnant women
• elderly people
• people with some long-term illnesses, like heart problems.

How do I know if someone is sick from carbon monoxide?

It is helpful to know the signs of illness from carbon monoxide.

The more carbon monoxide you breathe in, the worse the signs of illness are.

Breathing in smaller amounts of the gas can cause:

• headaches 
• nausea 
• vomiting 
• feeling weak.

Breathing in larger amounts of the gas can cause:

• feeling dizzy 
• feeling faint 
• loss of consciousness 
• long-term brain injury and death

What can I do if I think someone is sick from carbon monoxide?

If someone is dizzy or fainting or has lost consciousness, this is an emergency. Call Triple Zero (000).

If someone has headaches, nausea or vomiting or feels weak:

• get everyone out of the house into the fresh air
• call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice at any time
• if you need an interpreter, call TIS on 131 450 and ask to speak to the Poisons Information Centre. ​