Faulty generator caused boat deaths
THE initial findings into the deaths of the mother and daughter aboard motor cruiser Arniston at Easter is they were caused by poisoning from carbon monoxide (CO) gas from a portable generator.
This was identified in the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) Safety Bulletin concerning the deaths on Lake Windermere.
Detached
The findings of the MAIB are that exhaust fumes spread from the engine bay into the cabin when an improvised exhaust and silencer became detached from a ‘suitcase' style portable petrol-engined generator.
The important safety information in the Safety Bulletin is that portable generators are usually intended for use in the open air and that the use or permanent installation of these engines on boats, particularly in enclosed spaces or below decks, increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Approved parts
The Bulletin stresses that work on any boat engine exhaust system should only be carried out by suitably qualified technicians following manufacturers' instructions with approved parts suitable for marine use.
Supporting these messages in the MAIB Safety Bulletin, Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) Manager Graham Watts pointed out:
"It's critical that boaters wise-up to the potential dangers of carbon monoxide. It cannot be seen, smelt, tasted, or felt and in high concentrations, CO can kill without warning, sometimes in only minutes. But even breathing-in lower levels of CO over a longer period, can have serious effects such as memory problems and difficulty concentrating."
Similar to colds or flu
The early symptoms of CO poisoning can be masked or mistaken for colds or flu. Victims might suffer headaches, become bad tempered; feel sick and dizzy; they might be tired and confused or have stomach pains and start vomiting.
More serious affects can quickly develop such as loss of balance, difficulty breathing or controlling limbs and eventually unconsciousness, with Graham adding:
The ‘belt and braces' advice is to fit a CO alarm approved as meeting BS EN 50291, that are best suited for boats."In the BSS experience, the main sources of CO on a boat are engine exhaust fumes and escaped combustion gases from solid fuel stoves and flues. Other domestic appliances like gas fridges and paraffin heaters that are faulty, badly maintained, or misused can also produce the toxic gas."