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consumers
beware!
Ensure safety of gas geysers
Pushpa Girimaji
 IN the last ten years, thousands of consumers have become victims of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas-based geysers. Many have died, some have gone into a coma and yet others have lost their memory. Those lucky enough to be treated early have survived the ordeal. In all cases, the victim goes into the bathroom where the geyser is fitted, to take a shower and does not come out. When the door is broken open, the person is found unconscious. The latest victim is a 17-year old pre-university student from Bangalore, who has gone into a coma. Despite lack of statistical data on the number of people affected by gas geysers, one can guage the enormity of the situation from newspaper reports. Amritsar, Ajmer, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bharatpur, Delhi, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Ludhiana, NOIDA, Pune, Surat, have all reported cases of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by these geysers. Deaths and injuries caused by gas geysers have contributed to a number of articles and research papers in a variety of scientific journals, including the Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging, Journal of Forensic and legal Medicine, the Journal of Indian Society of Toxicology, Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine and the Annals of India Academy of Neurology. Given the dangers, one would expect manufacturers and sellers to ensure installation in a well-ventilated area, besides consumer education on safe usage. Obviously, they are not ensuring either. In Chemisol Adhesive Pvt Ltd vs Shri Dhanaji Shankar Dalvi (RP N 3050 of 2009, decided on March 29, 2010) the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission came down heavily on the manufacturer and the dealer for failing to issue adequate warning about the highly inflammable nature of the water-proofing material and held them both liable for the consequences. We should hold the manufacturers/importers and dealers of gas geysers similarly accountable for the injuries and deaths caused on account of negligence. One must also hold the government responsible for its failure to ensure consumer safety. It’s highly deplorable that the government has taken no action to ensure the safety of gas geysers. The government should ensure that (a) only those gas geysers that conform to international standards are sold in the country, (b) that they are installed by qualified persons in well-ventilated areas and (c) they carry adequate warnings in English and in the local language about CO poisoning. Installation of a CO alarm should also become mandatory, so also consumer education about the safe use of these water heaters. Considering that one of the first rights enumerated in the Consumer Protection Act is the right to be protected against unsafe and hazardous goods, it is highly condemnable that the government has allowed the sale and installation of unsafe gas geysers at great risk to consumers. A colourless, odourless gas, carbon monoxide is known for the swiftness with which it kills. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion and more exposure can lead to loss of consciousness and death. This gas is produced whenever a fuel (gas in this case) is burnt, but the quantity depends on the quality of the fuel-burning appliance. While a good-quality appliance that ensures efficient combustion produces very little CO, a malfunctioning or a poor quality product can produce life-threatening amounts of CO. In order to prevent CO poisoning, three factors have to be kept in mind: (a) the quality of the geyser (b) its installation and (c) its regular annual maintenance. It is best to install the geyser outside the bathroom in a well-ventilated area by a qualified person and have it inspected regularly. If it is installed inside a bathroom, it is essential to ensure that the bathroom is well-ventilated, the geyser is switched off before entering the bathroom and there is sufficient gap between two users. It is equally important to instal a CO alarm. But frankly, I would rather not buy a gas-based geyser.
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