UNITED KINGDOM (CelebrityAccess) A meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group on March 5, brought together by the Live Nation-owned Festival Republic and the Association of Independent Festivals, agreed to distribute safety information highlighting the dangers of carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide, aka CO, is responsible for about 30 deaths and 200 hospital admissions in England and Wales annually, according to IQ magazine. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, seizures, and paralysis. In the case of festivals, CO comes into play at the campgrounds, with APPCOG’s research showing that many festivalgoers are unaware that lit and extinguished barbecues can produce large amounts of CO. A whopping 49 percent say they use a BBQ inside the unventilated environment of their tents, according to IQ.
The concern is that many festivalgoers may be confusing their symptoms with hangovers leading people to not seek treatment. To combat this, APPCOG is recommending a strategy that will reduce the risk of exposure and raise awareness at the same time.
APPCOG encourages promoters to train their staff on the risk factors and symptoms, which would lead to providing patrons with advice on how to stay safe. The parliamentary group also called upon manufacturers to display more prominent safety warnings on disposable BBQ packaging.
The meeting agreed on the need for a “collaborative effort between festival providers and campaign groups to collate and distribute safety information that raises awareness of CO poisoning and stops dangerous behaviors.”
More information is available here.
h/t IQ magazine
