Stephanie Trotter, CO-Gas safety Charity & Jonathan Kane with the IGEM 2023 Lions Lair award
by Ellie Curtis | 10 Feb 2023
Jonathan Kane, our CEO, won the IGEM 2023 Lions Lair competition held in London.
The now legendary IGEM ‘Dragon’s Den’ contest requires contestants to present to over 100 IGEM members for 4 minutes then answer questions.
Jonathan was one of 5 contestants and, speaking for CO-Gas Safety charity & KANE, presented why Gas Emergency Service engineers must test homes & appliances for CO.
This was poignant as this year the competition was renamed the Chris Bielby award in memory of IGEM’s former President & Gas Safety advocate, with the award presented by his wife & daughter.
Jonathan explained CO remains a significant problem and CO alarms cannot detect low levels of CO – The current WHO limit is 4ppm over 24 hours while CO alarms are not triggered until at least 30ppm is detected
Low level CO poisoning is dangerous – victims are ill and confused as are doctors & Accident & Emergency because blood tests are usually taken hours after CO has left the blood stream.
Jonathan highlighted the consequences: Disbelief by families, friends, medics and the Police and a nightmare for traumatized victims.
2 University studies showed over 25% of homes tested had CO levels well above WHO limits.
Jonathan explained CO testing was straightforward & quick – under 2 minutes using the BS7967 approved appliance sweep test – and our KANE458s IAQ – https://www.kane.co.uk/products/kane458s-indoor-air-quality – can test 4 rooms simultaneously for CO migration in 30 minutes.
Some Gas Emergency Service engineers now use KANE458s IAQ analysers to identify & eliminate CO in homes of vulnerable people, funded by OFGEM.
Jonathan asked this now include all Gas Emergency Service engineers since CO affects anyone, not only vulnerable customers, and asked industry to fund a CO victim support group run on similar lines to ASA, the Advertising Standards Agency.
After hearing all 5 presentations, the IGEM judges decided Jonathan was the winner.
Photo following
Stephanie Trotter, CO-Gas safety Charity & Jonathan Kane with the IGEM 2023 Lions Lair award
Jonathan thanks IGEM for organising the contest, Chris Bielby’s wife & daughter for presenting the prize and the CO-Gas Safety charity for representing victims so professionally for over 28 years, highlighting simple solutions to end these unnecessary tragedies.
For info on KANE & our KANE458s IAQ, visit www.kane.co.uk or https://www.kane.co.uk/products/kane458s-indoor-air-quality or call 0800 059 0800
For info on CO-Gas Safety, visit https://www.co-gassafety.co.uk
If you or people you know are affected by CO, call the Gas Emergency Service – For info, see here: https://www.co-gassafety.co.uk/emergency/
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