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What we've done so far...
We are an independent registered charity with cross party support at the House of Commons and European Parliament. We were founded by Molly Maher and Nigel Griffiths, MP. CO-Gas Safety was launched at the House of Commons on the 25th January 1995 to work to try to reduce accidents from Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning and other gas dangers. We lobby for changes, which will help to achieve this. We also help and advise victims whenever we can.
Stephanie Trotter became involved through meeting Molly Maher, who had lost her son, Gary, through CO poisoning in Tenerife. Molly’s daughter, Sheree was confined to a wheelchair, as a result of the same incident. Stephanie had been campaigning for children’s activity holiday centres to be licensed. (Her son, Alex, was injured at one and had to have an operation for a clot on the brain. Luckily he recovered completely and now has a 2:1 degree from Southampton University (Philosophy) and he is now training to become a lawyer. Both parents are lawyers.)
Stephanie is a barrister, who has practised and has also lectured at the Inns of Court School of Law for nine years, (postgraduate course - final year of the Bar Exams). Please note that Stephanie has worked for CO-Gas Safety as a full time volunteer since it was launched in 1995.
Stephanie knew nothing about CO poisoning when she started and the charity had no funding for the first year. Hardly any bodies would talk to us or help us, so she learned from the victims and their families. The same stories recurred again and again. Quite quickly, she had compiled a list of aims and objectives that were prepared in February 1995 for our constitution. It is depressing to read these now and find that so few are fulfilled and so many are still extremely urgent. However, there is now a European Standard for CO alarms (EN50291), and more or less, registration for individual gas operatives. We have also published our own data of CO deaths and incidents. But there are still objectives that are unfulfilled, for example that landlords be licensed, and/or required to service appliances or at least have them tested for combustion gasses and records made and kept and given to the tenant and that no household be supplied with gas, without proof of service.
Our greatest achievements so far are:-
1. Pushed for and achieved a British and European Standard for both CO alarms and flue gas analysers.
2. Publication of our data. An average of about 30 deaths and about 300 near misses every year from accidental CO poisoning. We now have nine full years of data of CO incidents from all fuels from 1995. However, we are sure that these figures are the tip of an iceberg for many reasons.
3. Raised awareness of the dangers of CO from solid fuel and the importance of servicing solid fuel appliances and chimney sweeping of all appliances. (Solid fuel and chimney sweeping were and probably still are, very neglected.)
4. Given help, advice and support to hundreds of injured people and bereaved families, at no expense to them. (But we are too small to do more than scratch the surface of this need.)
5. Helped to persuade the Chief Medical Officer and the Department of Health to send out a special letter to GPs about CO poisoning.
6. Our draft Fuel Safety Bill – helped to show that it could be done.
7. Persuaded Coronation Street (Granada TV) to run a CO story.
8. MP Fraser Kemp’s Ten Minute Rule bill on Fuel Safety. This passed its First Reading with flying colours. The bill informed Parliament of the importance of action to stop CO.
9. Held a Conference at the House of Commons with over 200 delegates. Opened by Kim Howells MP, Minister for Consumer Affairs. Chaired by Nigel Griffiths MP and supported by Fraser Kemp MP, SFA (Solid Fuel Association) and others.
10. Presented a petition to Tony Blair PM at 10 Downing Street containing around 3000 signatures which were collected by CO Awareness (Wales) and Susan Woodford and Christopher Twiner, (parents of Laura Twiner, who died from CO aged just two years).
11. Lobbied for HSE to undertake a Fundamental Review into Gas Safety – done in 1999 –2000.
12. Lobbied for representation on the HSE Gas Safety Sub Committee with regard to the Recommendations to be published by the HSE in mid July 2000 – in fact published early August.
13. Attended stakeholder workshop held on 11th September 2000. Invitations only to those, who had made submissions to the main discussion document. CO-Gas Safety appeared to be the only consumer group to attend.
14. Wrote to Lord Whitty, DETR Minister and Kim Howells MP, Consumer Affairs Minister DTI, Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSE and Jenny Bacon (now ex Director General of HSE ) to object to failure to invite those who had responded to the small consumer document to the meeting on 11.09.00.
15. Investigated a DETR risk assessment of certain concrete flue liners.
16. Lobbied for and obtained a meeting with Lord Whitty on 14th February 2001 to express grave concern about the lack of implementation of the recommendations made by the DETR risk assessment of certain concrete flue liners, the dangers of death from the lack of further research and warnings and a discussion on the HSE Gas Safety Review. (Nine representatives from CO-Gas Safety attended and many more wanted to attend but numbers were restricted.)
17. After much lobbying, writing of letters and numerous telephone calls, finally in July 2001, gained a place on two of the five HSE work groups (implementing the Recommendations).
18. Acquired the funding (funding from Centrica to match our DoH funding for three years) for an office and achieved this in summer 2002.
19. Acquired the funding (funding from Centrica to match our DoH funding for three years).for a database and a website HYPERLINK "http://www.co-gassafety.co.uk" www.co-gassafety.co.uk in Autumn 2002.
20. After over three years of constant requests finally won a place for CO-Gas Safety on the HSC Gas Safety Sub-Committee in November 2003. This committee consists of 63% industry and only 5.5% consumer representation (and this consumer representation is one body, Energywatch, a Government appointed body). CO-Gas Safety had been refused membership by the senior HSC committee, the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances. We took this issue up with Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSC and with David Eves, Deputy Director General of HSE and Consumer Champion. We also wrote to the Minister about it. Finally after a second application at the second (so far) open meeting of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances in September 2003, we were later given notice that we would be allowed to become a member of the GSSC. (Please note that these open meetings were instigated largely as a result of the campaigning by the recently late and great Alan Dalton.) However, although we are officially a member of the GSSC, there have been no meetings whatsoever since we were appointed.
21. Persuaded the fuel industry and others such as CO detector manufacturers to undertake a sponsored walk for us in the Isle of Wight in June 2004 to raise funds half for the charity and half to pay for a practice nurse to become expert in CO and advice to victims.
22. Held a very successful 10 Year Anniversary Event of the founding of CO-Gas Safety at the House of Commons January 25th 2005.
23. CO-Gas Safety and Stephanie Trotter were presented with a Gas Safety Award at the Inaugural CORGI Awards by CORGI in June 2005.
24. Arranged a sponsored walk with 35 participants along the Purbeck Way, October 2005.
25. Managed to obtain a meeting with Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Minister responsible for the Health and Safety Commission (sadly only through a friend of Stephanie Trotter’s).
PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM ABOUT THIS POINT THE CHARITY DECIDED TO PUBLISH MORE DETAILS OF ITS WORK AS IT SEEMED OBVIOUS AFTER 11 YEARS THAT EVEN THE MOST VITAL CHANGES WERE NOT GOING TO BE MADE BY GOVERNMENT OR INDUSTRY.
26. In February 2006, CO-Gas Safety took part in the HSE’s new Gas Safety Stakeholder Forum and co-operated fully with the new Fundamental Review being undertaken by Frontline Consultants.
27. In March 2006, CO-Gas Safety managed to obtain a meeting with the CORGI Trust and gave a presentation. Sadly nothing has come of this so far.
28. CO-Gas Safety was invited to take part in OFGEM’s Vulnerable Customer Consultation, although we were not invited to take part in the entire review despite vigorous lobbying to that effect.
29. CO-Gas Safety met with William Gillis, CEO of National Energy Action (NEA).
30. Had a meeting with Duncan Sedgwick CEO of the Energy Retail Association – trade association of the largest gas suppliers. We tried to persuade ERA to allow us a meeting with the members and wanted to take some victims to meet those members but this was refused. However, we did at least obtain a meeting between Duncan Sedgwick and three directors of CO-Gas Safety and were told about the inquiry see 32.
31. Obtained a three year DoH grant of £34,000 per year April 2006.
32. Invited to give and gave evidence at the House of Commons to the inquiry undertaken by the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group on July 4th 2006 and submitted written evidence to the same inquiry.
33. Met with Joel Penrose of PACE Consulting (Consultants for CORGI’s review of research done into gas safety).
34. Submitted a filled in Questionnaire and evidence to HSE’s new Fundamental Review being undertaken by Frontline Consultants.
35. Met with Jane Lovell of Masimo, a company which manufactures equipment which tests for carboxyhaemoglobin in a non-invasive way. Jane came to our office and showed us this piece of equipment.
36. Met with Michael Knowles of OFGEM to endeavour to persuade him that all customers are vulnerable to CO and that the gas emergency service should carry and use equipment to identify appliances which could be omitting CO as recommended by the HSE Fundamental Review of 2000. And further to point out that the levy (also recommended in 2000) had not materialized and that is should now be implemented as there was no mention in the recommendations of the levy being merely voluntary.
37. Meeting with Chris Bielby and numerous directors and supporters in London in August 2006.
38. Attended the Second Seminar on Vulnerable Customers as part of the OFGEM Supply Licence Review. Please note we have only been invited to meetings concerning vulnerable customers e.g. Elderly, disabled yet everyone is vulnerable to CO.
39. Attended the HSE’s second stakeholder forum with various victims and supporters.
40. Submitted our stage 2 application for funding to Section 64 of the Department of Health for a salary for a replacement for Stephanie.
41. On hearing of the tragedy of the two deaths of the children in Corfu at half term 2006, telephoned the hospital in Corfu to try to persuade the medics to test the bodies for CO and to treat the adults, who were extremely ill. Also telephoned and emailed where I could, Thomas Cooke, the family, the Local Authority where the family lived, the police, the Foreign Office and anyone else I could think of. Contacted the family and sent a list of lawyers and gas experts and they chose Harry Rogers to be their gas expert to undertake the investigation in Corfu.
42. Stephanie attended a meeting with NAPIT in central London
43. Stephanie attended the CORGI awards October 2006 with Lynn Griffiths of CO-Awareness and Leigh Greenham of CoGDEM. Stephanie was delighted to be there to support Stacey Rodgers of the Dominic Rodgers Trust, who won Gas Safety award 2006. Stephanie was also able to take the opportunity to attend the Installer Live exhibition at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.
44. As part of CO Awareness Week, CO-Gas Safety organized a Press Conference on 5th December 2006 at the House of Lords, which was attended by over 120 people, including Lord Hunt, Minister responsible for the Health and Safety Executive (who stayed throughout), CO victims, MPs, industry, CORGI, other interested parties and of course, the media, (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines etc). This was followed by a balloon release in Vincent Square in memory of those who’ve died from accidental CO poisoning since the HSC made its recommendations in 2000. CO-Gas Safety is particularly grateful to the brave parents of Bobby and Christi Shepherd, the two children who died of CO poisoning while on holiday in Corfu, for attending and taking part. The main TV News programmes that evening all featured the two statements, one read by Bobby and Christi’s father, Neil Shepherd, and the other by Paul Wood, the husband of Sharon Wood, the mother of the children.
45. Stephanie Trotter received an OBE in the 2007 New Year Honours’ list.
46. Stephanie and various other directors attended the “open” meeting on 9th January 2007 at Rose Court at which the recommendations made by the HSE were voted on and passed by the HSC. Neither CO- Gas Safety nor any other attendees were allowed to speak at this meeting.
47. CO-Gas Safety had a meeting on 11th January 2007 with Avril Adams at HSE to discuss the HSE document already voted on by the HSC.
48. Stephanie Trotter was interviewed by BBC Wales (Radio) on 25th January.
49. CO-Gas Safety meeting (Stephanie, Marcus Weatherby, Don Neal) with Jonathan Rees, deputy Chief Executive HSE on 29th January and open letters sent to the Commissioners asking them to reconsider their decision made on 9th January.
50. Meeting with Chris Pierce of Fireco.
51. Attended and assisted with adjournment debate by Colin Breed MP on 7th February 2007 House of Commons.
52. Stephanie Trotter attended Stacey Rodgers’ event at Huddersfield on 12th February 2007 – this was very well attended and meeting addressed by Barry Sheerman MP.
53. Submitted further document to Ofgem as part of their Supply Licence Review, end of February 2007.
54. Had a meeting with Lord McKenzie the Minister responsible for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive in March 2007. Very well attended by Colin Breed MP, Desmond Swayne MP, Molly Maher, Paul Overton, Jonathan Kane, Stacey Rodgers, Cath Rawnsley-Pemberton and Mike Shanley
55. Attended a meeting at HSE in March 2007.
56. Attended a stakeholders meeting HSE meeting April 2007.
57. Attended an APPGSG meeting at the House of Commons in April 2007.
58.. Stephanie Trotter decided that despite the HSC’s recommendations in 2000 that there be a levy on the gas suppliers to pay for publicity and for research, it was obvious this would not be implemented nor would industry do anything meaningful in a voluntary fashion. Therefore an alternative cost effective way of raising awareness had to be found. Stephanie Trotter decided in 2006 on a schools poster competition to raise awareness and put materials together to make this possible.
59. Heather Tomlinson, a teacher who had recently lost her beloved son Edward, very kindly took over the organization of a pilot schools poster project assisted by Stephanie. This was invaluable to the success of the poster competition and Stephanie will always be grateful to Heather and her husband Howard for their generous time and hard work.
60. Stephanie with other directors attended a meeting at Ofgem in April 2007. This has led to a great deal of detailed correspondence in an attempt to ascertain exactly what Ofgem’s powers are and to find out whether or not the HSC’s recommendations made in 2000 had been put to Ofgem and discussed.
61. Stephanie pushed for support for a schools poster competition and undertook a great deal of research.
62. Stephanie conferred with the Yorkshire police with regard to the Corfu tragedy.
63. Stephanie attended a play ‘Live and learn’ inspired by Stacey Rodgers in Huddersfield in May 2007.
64. Stephanie made a presentation to the officials group of an interdepartmental group on CO set up by Lord Hunt HSE with some CO victims.
65. Stephanie contacted by COCAA and applied for membership of the steering committee of COCAA June 2007. No response was forthcoming but we were ultimately refused. There was no representative of either victims or consumers on the steering group of COCAA for some time until Stacey Rodgers was appointed.
66. In June 2007 Stephanie and Paul Overton attended the CORGI Map Event at which CORGI gave out some data on deaths and injuries compiled by HSE and CORGI installers. Our data going back to 1995, with names of the dead and attempts made to check every death with the Coroner concerned were completely ignored.
67. Stephanie attended a one day investigative journalist course.
68. Stephanie attended an APPGSG meeting in July 2007 (24th).
69. Attended a meeting with Lord McKenzie with other directors of the charity on July 25th 2007.
70. Stephanie attempted to build on promises to sponsor our UK wide schools poster competition and liaised with Eve Cooper of CORGI, who kindly agreed to give the competition as much publicity as she could manage. Competition details apparently sent by Eve by email to all CORGI inspectors and installers.
71.Stephanie attended a Carbon Monoxide Awareness Alliance meeting on 14th August 2007 and sent in our part for a report for Lord McKenzie being compiled by EnergyPR for COCAA.
72. Stephanie compiled a booklet to explain the dangers of carbon monoxide and how to avoid CO and other products of combustion. Worked with an artist, John O’Leary, who was poisoned by CO and who kindly supplied excellent illustrations to us free. John O’Leary is a children’s illustrator.
73. Stephanie updated the report sent to EnergyPR, (see 69 above).
74. Stephanie finally managed to get the schools poster competition put out on TeacherNet and put in the first email to schools send by the Department of Children Schools & Families to all schools on 11th September. This was sheer Hell and without the support of Barry Sheerman MP (who had kindly obtained the support of Lord Adonis) this would not have been possible at all.
75. Stephanie contacted Dr. Bruce Gillis in the USA about his DNA testing for exposure to toxins.
76. Stephanie attended CORGI Installer Live at Coventry and took part in an interview panel. Also attended the CORGI Trust AGM (although not asked. However, Stephanie considered that CO-Gas Safety was a stakeholder and CORGI was on CO-Safety’s board of reference).
77. Stephanie, her husband and Don Neal, another director attended a theatrical event called ‘Clouds’ organized in memory of Ed Tomlinson and half proceeds raised to be for CO-Gas Safety.
78. Stephanie attended a fringe event organized by CORGI and the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group (APPGSG) during the Labour party conference in Bournemouth.
79. Stephanie organised awards and attendance of two child heroes to attend event for CO Awareness week at the House of Lords on 15.10.07 to launch CO-Gas Safety’s School Poster Competition to raise awareness of the dangers of CO.
80. Stephanie.attended an event on 16.10.07 at the House of Commons organized by CORGI for CO Awareness week.
81. Directors attended a meeting at Ofgem on 18.10.07 to discuss the gas emergency service.
82. Stephanie attended an event in Huddersfield organized by Kirklees and the Dominic Rodgers Trust on 19.10.07.
83. Stephanie attended an event in Edinburgh on 23.10.07 at the Scottish Parliament organized by CORGI.
84. Molly Maher and Stephanie had a meeting on 25.10.07 with Nigel Dumbrell of the CORGI Trust at CO-Gas Safety office in Claygate.
85.Stephanie attended a meeting of COCAA on 07.11.07 in Leicester.
86. Paul Overton appointed as a director.
87. Held our AGM on 11.12.07 at the House of Commons (room kindly arranged by Colin Breed MP). Meeting well attended and plans discussed for 2008 and beyond.
88. Stephanie arranged a meeting with the CORGI Trust in January 2008 but sadly this was postponed.
89. Stephanie attended a COCAA meeting on Feb. 6th 2008 at which we asked for more support for our Schools Poster Competition and offered to put the COCAA logo on if more support was forthcoming. No support was forthcoming.
90. Attended ERA meeting on research by UCL on 13th February 2008.
91. With Jonathan Kane, met Alan Ball of Plumbing Trade Supplies on 20th February 2008 and he kindly agreed to advertise the schools poster competition in all the PTS stores and hand out a leaflet to CORGI installers about the competition.
92. CORGI has promised to add a small item to its email newsletter about the competition in April 2008.
93. Stephanie obtained the emails of all the schools in the UK and emailed them about the competition in March 2008.
94. Meeting with the CORGI Trust and Colin Breed MP on 10th March 2008 at the House of Commons attended by Stephanie and other directors.
95. Meeting with Capita (seeking to become the franchisee registering gas installers) on 3rd April 2008 at our office in Claygate attended by Stephanie and Paul..
96. With other directors attended an All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety (APPGS) meeting on 23rd April 2008 and made several contributions.
97. Harry Rogers, our gas expert and expert court witness, kindly attended an Ofgem meeting on 24th April 2008 to discuss the Gas Emergency Service having and using equipment to test appliances for CO.
98. Stephanie Trotter travelled to Harrogate on 24th April 2008 to open the National Association of Chimney Sweeps Trade Show and stayed until Sunday 27th April 2008.
Stephanie used the opportunity to publicise the CO-Gas Safety Schools Poster Competition to raise awareness of CO.
99. Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton attended a COCAA meeting on 7th May 2008.
100. Stephanie Trotter attended an Ofgem meeting on 13th May 2008 to further discuss the Gas Emergency Service having and using equipment to test appliances for CO. She also had a meeting on the same day with Alan Keene MP, who is MP for Hounslow where a recent death has occurred and where there is some controversy over very long flue pipes being used in a block of flats in which the death occurred. Alan Keene MP kindly agreed to persuade his local schools to take part in the Schools Poster Competition.
101. Paul Overton kindly attended a Guild of Master Sweeps AGM on 16th May 2008 and made many helpful contacts. He also used the opportunity to publicise the CO-Gas Safety Schools Poster Competition to raise awareness of CO.
102. Stephanie Trotter attended a Hearth and Home Exhibition in Harrogate on 9th June 2008 to publicise the schools poster competition. A raffle was very kindly held to raise funds to help pay for the poster competition.
103. Stephanie Trotter contacted many fire stations to raise awareness of the poster competition.
104. Stephanie was contacted by Linda McAvan MEP about a meeting at the European Parliament on the 3rd July 2008. Tried to persuade our gas expert and expert court witness Harry Rodgers to attend but the time granted by the Parliament to hear him was only 7 minutes and due to the cost and effort and short notice, sadly this was not possible. Stephanie Trotter was too busy arranging the press event on the 7th July at the House of Lords.
105. Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children Schools and Families and the Corfu parents kindly agreed to attend a press event at the House of Lords on the 7th July 2008 to publicise the poster competition. Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay kindly booked the Moses Room for the charity. Stephanie Trotter made all the arrangements for this event, including telephoning all the members of the APPGSG and the 121 MPs who signed Colin Breed’s EDM 1032 dated 2007, asking the MPs to attend and to try to put something in their local papers about the poster competition. The event was well attended and there were several TV cameras and the Press Association. As well as the Corfu parents and their new babies, Ed Balls MP, Lord McKenzie, Minister responsible for the Health and Safety Commission also attended. The Corfu parents gave many TV interviews and Stephanie Trotter gave an interview on TV’s Channel 5 News. Stephanie Trotter received many interesting inquiries and contacts as a result of this event.
106. Continued to press HSC on the matter of compiling names of the dead having heard that the Data Protection Act does not apply to dead people. Continued to make the point that unless the HSC collects and keeps basic facts such as name of the deceased, place and date of death it is impossible to keep accurate data and that it seems that CO-Gas Safety’s data is the best in the UK. Please note that we collect accidental deaths and injuries as a result of carbon monoxide and other gas dangers from all fuel not just gas. In our opinion, Government should have better data than that collected by a tiny charity.
107. Gathered and compiled evidence with regard to medical treatment (or rather the lack of it) for victims of fuel poisoning and submitted this to the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group with regard to a meeting (looking at the medical side) on the 15th July 2008.
108. Attended the APPGSG meeting on the 15th July 2008 with Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane. Before meeting matrix prepared for meeting criticized with regard to the other toxins.
109. Attended a COCAA meeting on 6th August 2008.
110. Attended a meeting with Citigate with regard to a possible proposal by Lloyds Pharmacy to work together on the Schools Poster Competition. This was attended by Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter.
111. Stephanie Trotter filled in the form for the first part of an application to the DoH for funding which had to be in by 5th September 2008.
112. Stephanie Trotter attended the Installer Live event in Coventry and was on the panel with regard to gas safety.
113. Paul Overton attended an Ofgem meeting on the 18th September 2008 to discuss the Emergency Service having and using equipment to test appliances for CO.
114. Paul Overton attended a sponsored walk for the Dominic Rodgers Trust on Sunday 21st September 2008.
115. Harry Rogers attended a fringe event organized by CORGI at the Labour Party Conference on Monday 22nd September 2008.
116. On the 6th October Stephanie attended the trial of Mr. Jilbert charged with manslaughter by gross negligence of Angela Pinkney aged 35. Angela had received numerous visits from British Gas installers in the 8-9 months before she died. She had also visited A & E in Oxford the day before she died, was kept overnight and was released on the day of her death and told to go home and lie down. The prosecution offered no evidence. It was impossible to prove an action of negligence against a particular CORGI registered installer and that this negligence had caused the death. However, in our opinion, it is outrageous that a person, who does all the right things, still died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The Coroner stated that he would be writing a letter to British Gas Services suggesting improvements to their systems and in particular that at the conclusion of all visits by British Gas engineers, safety checks should be carried out and that a measurement of the combustion gasses be made.
117. Meeting with Capita on 04.11.08. Anne Robinson, who is to head the new Gas Safe Trust said she was impressed with our Schools Poster Competition. No offers were made in support however,
118. Meeting with Mike Hancock MP and Alan Keen MP 13.01.09.
119. 20.01.09 Prize giving event at the House of Commons attended by Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools & Families and the Corfu parents and other bereaved parents such as the Littlewoods and Paul Overton. Very successful event with about 100 attendees.
120. Meeting at Ofgem attended 27.01.09 with regard to the Gas Emergency Service.
121. Meeting in Coventry of COCAA. 16.03.09
122. 23.03.09 Meeting with Ian Taylor MP to seek his support for the Schools Poster Competition. Paul also attended.
123 Stephanie attended with Paul Overton the 12th Annual Conference on Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution Research 20-21 April 2009 at Cranfield University.
124. 05.05.09 Meeting with Lord McKenzie. CO-Awareness also present. As CO-Awareness wanted to take up much of the meeting with a request for research into CO alarms in the field, CO-Gas Safety agreed to send Lord McKenzie our evidence about the other toxins by email, which we did on the 12.05.09.Mike Hancock MP, Alan Keen MP, Molly Maher, Don Neal, Jonathan Kane also attended.
125. 14.05.09 COCAA meeting attended.
126. Huge efforts were made by Stephanie Trotter since the death in January 2008 to contact the family of Dallas Smith aged just three, who died in a room with a gas appliance but apparently no CO found in the body. Local paper contacted but refused to publish our letter offering free advice and support and asking for the family to contact us. Local paper also refused paid for advertisement asking family to contact us. Coroner did not want to pass our name on either. In June contacted local post office, which was very helpful and put up a message on their noticeboard.
127. 18.06.09 meeting at Ofgem attended.
128. Meeting of Peter Brown of the HSE attended on 30.06.09. Peter Brown has taken over from Les Philpott. Paul Overton, Stephanie Trotter and Jonathan Kane attended.
129. Meeting about funding application at DoH attended by Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter 21.07.09.
130. Meeting with Stephen Hadley and Charlie of PP2 Pumps, concerned gas installers attended by Stephanie Trotter 28.07.09.
130. Stephanie tried again (successfully) to put in paid for advertisements in local paper to ask family of Dallas Smith to contact us. Put in three advertisements and final one was seen by the mother’s godfather. He alerted the family and Claire Smith telephoned Stephanie and after a day or two accepted our free offer of legal representation, which she had already had to arrange as time was running out.
131. Travelled to Oldham on Sunday 16th August for the inquest which was to be on Monday 17th. Stephanie was supported by Stephen Hadley, Kevin Barr (both concerned gas installers) and Harry Rogers, independent gas expert court witness. Thankfully an adjournment was obtained until November 11th.
132. Meeting with Judith Hackitt Chair of the Health and Safety Executive and Geoffrey Podger Chief Executive of the HSE and Peter Brown, Head of Work Environment, Radiation and Gas on 29th September 2009. Attended by ,Jonathan Kane, Director of Kane International and CO-Gas Safety, Paul Overton, father of Katie Overton, who died of CO in 2003 and Director of CO-Gas Safety, Molly Maher, mother of two CO victims & Vice President and Director of CO-Gas Safety, Stephanie Trotter, President & Director of CO-Gas Safety and Stephen Hadley, concerned gas installer. Topics discussed were
(a). Lack of implementation of the recommendations made by HSC in 2000 (levy for publicity and research and equipment to test appliances for CO).
Consequences:-
(i) Continued lack of awareness of the dangers of CO.
(ii) DoH algorithm re testing appliances for CO – failure to provide test for appliances for GPs, yet misleading advice that there is such a test.
(iii) Impact of the lack of action from HSE on Ofgem.
No obligation on Ofgem unless HSE insists or suppliers all agree.
(There is no obligation on Ofgem or anyone else to treat CO alarm alerts as fire brigade would respond to smoke alarm alerts.)
(iv) Emergency Service Providers (ESPs) do not even have equipment for their own safety, except Scotia Gas.
(v) There is no feedback from registered installer responding to ESP callouts, nor is there any data on repeat visits to the same properties.
(b). Hidden flues.
(c). Landlords gas safety certificates – should be changed to service or at least the CO should be measured and recorded. Landlords should be licensed.
(d). Gas Safe Register – e.g. charity not yet operational, funding of £1.7 million will surely be clawed back and risk of fees being put up.
Enforcement powers for inspectors.
What should replace ACS?
(e). HSE data – CO-Gas Safety’s is better but surely it shouldn’t be? Especially as now not even funded by DoH.
(f). Cookers – why are they not in the Building Regs? 6 deaths re grills.
(g). Other toxins. Urgent need for action on this.
(h). Lack of help for victims. Lack of action on CO generally.
The meeting was good but I think it is fair to say that nothing came of it.
133. Meeting at the Gas Safe Register event in London. Stephanie was asked and gave a short talk.
134. 13.10.09 Meeting with Centrica. Stephanie had tried to obtain a meeting with Sam Laidlaw, the CEO principally about the other toxins. This meeting was refused but at least Sam Laidlaw signed a letter stating that he had received Stephanie’s letter about the other toxins (with references from the Internet). Meeting was therefore with Charlotte Grezo, Head of Social Corporate Responsibility and Chris Bielby, Head of Integrity, British Gas, Jonathan Kane, Director of CO-Gas Safety, Paul Overton, Father of Katie Overton, who died aged 11 of CO and Director of CO-Gas Safety, Stephanie Trotter, President & Director of CO-Gas Safety and Stephen Hadley, concerned registered gas installer.
135. 19.10.09. Stephanie travelled to Manchester for conference with barrister with regard to the death of Dallas Smith. Harry Rogers also attended.
136. 23.10.09 Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter attended Gareth Hughes’ bankruptcy hearing. Gareth has refused to pay tax to a government which continues to fail to deal with the fuel toxins.
137.27.10.09 Meeting with Lord Mogg of Ofgem. Jonathan Kane, Paul Overton and Stephanie attended.
138. 05.11.09 Meeting at the Health Protection Agency for a seminar about CO. In 2008 CO-Gas Safety was not allowed to attend because it was not a health professional yet we learned in 2009 that others such as CoGDEM had been allowed to attend. The seminar was very good but depressingly CO-Gas Safety (Paul and Stephanie) seemed to know more than those present about the dangers and the problems with CO. An example was given of a Tandoori restaurant with a flat above. The lady in the flat was frequently woken in the night by her CO alarm. It took 8 months to find that the CO was coming from the Tandoori oven, which was left on at night but with the ventilation turned off. SHE COULD HAVE DIED. Stephanie pointed out that the main problem was that the gas emergency service, despite having a duty to make safe from CO had no equipment to test appliances for CO. Stephanie reminded the seminar that the HSC (now HSE) had IN 2000 recommended that the Gas Emergency Service carry and use equipment to test appliances for CO.
139. Meeting with Frank Brehany of Holiday Travel Watch. CO-Gas Safety and Holiday Travel Watch have much in common and suffer the same problems, lack of funding, too much to do, poor service by lawyers for our victims and too little publicity by the media.
140. Meeting at Logic Certification. CO-Gas Safety is the consumer representative. CMDDA1 discussed (new course for gas installers for fumes investigation). This course is still not being taught and the charity has been lobbying for this course to be introduced since at least 2000 if not 1996.
141. Meeting in Brussels organised by Linda McAvan MEP about the need for a European Directive on gas, fire and hygiene in tourist accommodation. Attended by Stephanie Trotter and Molly Maher. We lobbied that this directive be not restricted to tourist accommodation. Many useful contacts were made.
142.19.11.09 Conference on the future of energy. As the conference organisers kindly offered us two free places Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter attended. The scientists (mostly outdoor air experts) were well aware of fuel toxins affecting air quality outdoors but seemed unaware of the higher dangers the same toxins could give rise to indoors, in a confined space (e.g. a kitchen).
143. 26.11.09. Open day at the Gas Safe Register. Stephanie Trotter attended and was impressed by the openness and efficiency of the staff and operation.
144. 30.11.09 Meeting with Lord McKenzie attended by CO-Awareness and CO-Gas Safety. Attendees from CO-Gas Safety were Desmond Swayne MP. Paul Overton, Molly Maher, Don Neal, Jonathan Kane and Stephanie Trotter. Topicsdiscussed were
1. CO detector research project (CO Awareness)
- Recommendations from the HSE domestic gas safety review in 2000
(CO Gas Safety)
- Concerns about other toxins in fuels (CO Gas Safety)
- Victim support, including collection of incident data and response
(CO Awareness)
- CO Awareness in the travel industry (CO Gas Safety)
- Proposals to combine all CO victim support groups (including CO-Gas Safety & CO Awareness) under one umbrella organisation (CO Awareness)
145. 01.12.09. AGM. Well attend by Stephanie Trotter, President & Director, Don Neal, Director, Paul Overton, Director, Donna of Holmes & Co, Jonathan Kane, Director, Baroness Maddock, Patron, Ruth Bessant on behalf of Desmond Swayne MP.
146. Charity informed that the applications for DoH funding had both got through the first hurdles. Two detailed further applications prepared by Stephanie and had to be returned by the middle of January 2010.
147. Arrangements made for the event on the 26.01.10 mainly by Stephanie. Invitations sent out, room checked, data updated, press pack prepared and printed, press release done, prizes prepared, presentations ordered and prepared etc. etc. etc.
148.26.01.10 Prize giving event at House of Lords attended by about 100 people. Event also marked the 15th anniversary of the charity. We had hoped there would be no need for the charity after three to five years. Sadly we consider that the need still exists because government has done almost nothing. Industry is beginning to take action but it is far too little and concentrates on marketing of servicing and alarms It is not that the charity disagrees, but much more needs to be done.. CSI (holiday safety) and CO-Gas Safety were the first charities on gas safety. Four more have been set up (two by victims and two by industry) and yet so little has been achieved.
149. Due to the imminent appearance of Harry Rogers at the Corfu trial in Corfu, yellow booklet first prepared by Molly Maher in 2000, was vetted and 50 ordered to be printed by Stephanie.
150. Much work done by Stephanie as a result of contact with many victims and families of victims both with regard to CO, other toxins and ill effects from natural gas.
151. March 2010 updated the website and launched new one.
152. Interview with regard to my application to become a trustee of the new Gas Safe Charity.
153. March 2010 attended a COCAA meeting in Coventry.
154. April 2010. Attended five day inquest of Dallas Smith aged three, who died in a house full of gas appliances in Oldham. The house was part of a terrace with a house on each side full of gas appliances. Stephanie was told was told by the Coroner, that Dallas had raised levels of toxins (arsenic, barium and nickel and especially manganese – 15 times the higher levels). The inquest has now been held (April 2010) and the verdict was death by natural causes. The manganese was explained by contamination and post mortem distribution, although we have been told that there is only research on post mortem distribution with regard to drugs, not heavy metals.
155. April 2010 attended a demonstration to support Dr. Myhill, who has helped many victims.
156. May 2010 met Richard Griffiths (brother of Paul Griffiths who sadly died of CO).
157. May 2010 Meeting at the Gas Safe Register at their office in Basingstoke.
158. May 2010 Meeting with someone, who wanted to volunteer to help the charity.
159. June 2010 Meeting with Pete Eldridge of the Gas Safe Register. Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane also attended.
160. June 2010 wrote to all the new Ministers and to Sam Laidlaw CEO of Centrica (British Gas) asking for meetings.
161. June 2010 meeting with Charlie Mullin CEO and Karl Plunkett of Pimlico Plumbers. Meeting also attended by Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane. Worked on suggested change to the law on the landlord’s gas safety check. Proposed change 'Person undertaking the check must either undertake a service according to manufacturer’s instructions or, following procedures outlined in BS7967 part 4, use Flue Gas Analysers meeting EN50379 to measure the combustion gasses for PPM (Parts Per Million) of CO and also the CO/CO2 ratio.’ Pimlico now publicly support our efforts to change the law.
162. July 2010 attended re-launch of the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group of MPs. Gave a speech. This was also attended by directors Molly Maher, Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane as well as a representative of Mike Hancock MP, our Lib. Dem director and now a co-chair of the APPGSG.
163. August 2010 meeting with a solicitor from Linder Myers. CO-Gas Safety finds it very difficult to find the right lawyers for victims.
164. August 2010. Visit to someone who lives in the Isle of Wight, who was poisoned by pesticides to share experiences of the treatment by the medics of those poisoned by fuel toxins. Paul Overton also attended.
165. August 2010 prepared 14 Parliamentary Questions for Barry Sheerman MP to ask. Most of these were prepared and sent to Barry in 2008 but an added question was relevant to the treatment of those, who have been poisoned and arose from the meeting with the person, who lives in the Isle of Wight (see 164 above).
166. September 2010 Attended Gas Safe Charity launch with Molly Maher and Don Neal.
167. September 2010. Prepared applications for awards by the Gas Industry Safety Group (GISG). Stephanie Trotter.
168. September 2010. Prepared application for funds to the Gas Safe Charity. Stephanie Trotter.
169. September 2010. Attended a meeting at Ofgem to discuss the
Gas Distribution Price Control Review 2 (GDPRCR2). Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton.
170. September 2010. Prepared response to GDPRCR2. Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton.
171. September 2010. Updated the website, ‘what we’ve done so far’. Stephanie Trotter.
172. September 2010 Wrote to the new Minister Chris Grayling MP, Minister for the HSE asking for a meeting.
173. October 2010 Attended a Gas Safety Trust event at which it was revealed that the GST had only found 4 deaths in 2010. Molly Maher and Paul Overton also attend.
174. November 2010 Attended a Gas Safe Register event. Molly Maher and Paul Overton also attended.
175. November 2010 Attended a meeting with British Gas (Steve Giblin and Bob Kerr). Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane also attended.
176. November 2010. Had a meeting with Robin Dahlberg member of the HSE board. Stephanie Trotter and Jonathan Kane attended.
177. November 2010 Attended a HPA (Health Protection Agency) conference about CO in Sheffield. Stephanie Trotter.
178. November 2010 Attended an All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group meeting also attended by Chris Grayling, MP Minister for the HSE. Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton attended.
179. November 2010. Meeting with Mrs. Sestili who has suffered poisoning.
180. November 2010. Attended GISG (Gas Industry Safety Group) awards dinner. Jonathan Kane, Stephanie Trotter, Molly Maher and Paul Overton attended.
181. November 2010. Meeting with the Samuels (bereaved parents). Stephanie Trotter and Jonathan Kane attended.
182. November 2010. Ofgem meeting. Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton attended.
183. November 2010. Gas Safe Charity presentation by CO-Gas Safety. Stephanie Trotter, Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane attended.
184. December 2010. CO-Gas Safety’s AGM. Attended by Don Neal, Paul Overton, Stephanie Trotter, OBE, Terry of Holmes and Co and Holly Farrow on behalf of Andrew Rosindell MP.
185. December 2010. Preparation for prize giving at the House of Lords including preparation of data over 15 years and charts showing analysis of data and press pack.
186. January 2011. Prize giving event at the House of Lords. Great success with over 100 people attending.
187. January 2011. Ofgem meeting. Attended by Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter.
188. February 2011 Stephanie Trotter OBE gave a talk at Carshalton and Kingston College.
189. March 2011. Meeting with Lord Hunt to discuss lack of progress in persuading Government to take action and funding problems. Jonathan Kane, Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter attended.
190. April 2011. Worked with Rob Aiers of carbonmonoxidekills.com to help him launch e-newsletter about CO. Lord Hunt wrote a forward.
191. April 2011. Meeting with Mark Elliott of Scotia Gas. Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter attended.
192. April 2011. Attended a conference ‘Health and Safety Reform’ and made some useful contacts. Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton.
193. May 201. Attended a Consumer Safety International event at the House of Lords, chaired by Nigel Griffiths and attended by Lord Hunt and Baroness Finlay. Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter attended.
194. June 2011. Attended Ofgem meeting on the duties of the Emergency Service. Stephanie and Paul
195. June 2011. Meeting with Phil Bentley of British Gas. Bob Kerr also attended. Jonathan Kane, Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton attended.
196. June 2011. Heard from Les Philpott of the Gas Safe Charity that although our application for funding could not yet be granted but that that the GSC would be willing to fund a statistician to examine our data.
197. June 2011. Statisticians sought and talked to.
197. July 2011. Meeting with Colin Connor of the HSE kindly also attended by Lord Hunt. It seems there is no keenness from HSE to act in the ways we would like them to act to save lives. Stephanie Trotter, Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane.
198. 13th July 2011. Meeting at the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group attended by Baroness Finlay, who gave a speech and Barry Sheerman, MP one of the co-chairs of the APPGSG, who also gave a speech. Baroness Finlay is chairing an inquiry into low level CO poisoning and nearly died of CO herself. There was shock expressed at the meeting at the fact that there is no need to test gas appliances after the meter has been exchanged for a Smart meter and disappointment and disbelief were expressed at the loss of this opportunity. Stephanie Trotter, Jonathan Kane and Paul Overton attended.
199. 25th July. Meeting at the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group for the victims and victim groups to give evidence. Paul Overton gave evidence and sadly was the only victim present as neither Molly Maher, Stacey Rodgers nor Vikki Courtman (who had been asked) could attend. Baroness Finlay attended but sadly had to leave just before Stephanie Trotter gave evidence. However, Stephanie will be submitting written evidence to the APPGSG by the end of Friday 29th and just hopes that Baroness Finlay and the MPs, who are co-chairs of the group and the members of the group (also MPs) will read it.
200. July 2011. Worked hard to update the website.
201. August 2011. Scotia Gas Event at the Oval. The unveiling of ‘Hit CO for 6’ attended by Stephanie Trotter and also kindly Stacey Rodgers of the Dominic Rodgers Trust. Scotia Gas is to be congratulated for its initiative.
202. More statisticians sought and finally found. Worked to prepare for the validation.
203. Prepared accounts for accountant.
204. September Ofgem meeting to ascertain powers of Ofgem with regard to gas emergency service and levy although levy unlikely to be something Ofgem can do. Meeting attended by Jonathan Kane, Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter. Ofgem introduced Kobina Hughes, solicitor for Ofgem and discussions with him were more helpful. An opinion on Ofgem’s powers will be given to us soon.
205. Meeting with Alison Gowers on the 26th September cancelled the Thursday before the following Monday meeting as Alison Gowers could not attend, was not in Dr. Maynard’s job and was more interested in outdoor air. Meeting sought with Chief Medical Officer particularly in view of DH’s findings extrapolated from a small amount of data that 4,000 people were diagnosed with CO by A & E and about 50 deaths in England alone.
206. Funding urgently sought.
207. Another All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group meeting on 31.10.11. Speeches were by Baroness Finlay and Paul Johnston, CEO of the Gas Safe Register. Paul Johnston stated that it was good that in the last few years there had been data from the Gas Safety Trust, which could be used. After the meeting
I put it to Paul Johnston that CO-Gas Safety's data had been collected since 1995 and published since 1996.
298. Meeting on the 8th November with Department of Environment and Climate Change about smart meters. Attended by Stephanie Trotter, Paul Overton and Jonathan Kane. We lobbied for tests to be undertaken before and after installation of smart meters, not only for gas safety but also for carbon monoxide.
299. Health Protection Agency event in Horsham, Surrey was attended by Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton on 22.11.11. We were shocked that most of the environmental health officers attending the meeting were unaware of the fact that the gas emergency service does not carry or use equipment to test gas appliances for CO. A particular toxicologist we’ve known for many years from the HPA attended and was the main person running the conference.
300. Meeting of All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group on 28.11.11. This was a meeting into raising awareness of the medical profession into CO. It was chaired by Barry Sheerman MP and he kindly allowed Stephanie Trotter to ask many questions. Speakers were Dr Simon Clarke, Frimley Park Hospital, Vikki Courtman, CO Angels, Andrew Humber, London Ambulance Service and Dr Ed Walker, CO Awareness. Andrew Humber has undertaken a further study but this has not yet been released which is a great shame.
301. CO-Gas Safety's AGM on 29.11.11. The future of the charity was discussed and also a new Labour party MP was discussed.
302. Meeting of All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group on 19.12.11 attended by Stephanie Trotter and Jonathan Kane. Before the meeting Kane and Trotter had a meeting with Chris Bielby, chairman of the Gas Safety Trust and the Gas Industry Safety Group. We talked about the fact that the Gas Safety Trust had claimed that its data was the 'official data' when HSE had confirmed that it was not. This was something Trotter put in writing to Bielby in Aril 2011. Trotter also asked Bielby to conduct a mystery shopper experiment to see how difficult it was for an ordinary person to obtain a test of gas appliances for CO in order to identify which appliance was emitting CO. Bielby agreed to do this. Both Kane and Trotter followed up this meeting with emails. Trotter's email contained instructions with regard to how to conduct the mystery shopper experiment. Obviously Bielby with his contacts had found this easy to do. However, we wanted him to find an ordinary person and see how difficult it was then without his contacts in the industry.
The toxicologist mentioned above in 299 from the HPA was present at the APPGSG meeting. Stephanie Trotter put it to this person that the problem with the Helpline idea was the extreme difficulty in obtaining a registered gas installer who could go out and test gas appliances for CO. People need to know where the possible CO is coming from and if there is CO, how many parts per million in writing for their GP. The toxicologist stated that the gas emergency service would do this and Trotter disagreed. Stephanie Trotter had just been talking to Garry Farnhill of Northern Gas Networks about this issue and so she went and asked him to speak to the toxicologist about this and left them to talk. Garry confirmed later to Stephanie Trotter that he has told the toxicologist that indeed the gas emergency service had no equipment to test gas appliances for CO. An HPA public health scientist, who also attended the HPA conference from the HPA was also present during this conversation. Trotter is horrified that the HPA still doesn't accept the situation that people cannot obtain a test of gas appliances for CO as this was something CO-Gas Safety identified as a need within a few weeks of its launch in 1995. The Health and Safety Commission (now Executive) also recommended that the gas emergency service carry and use equipment to test appliances for CO, but this has not been implemented. Also the toxicologist was at the HPA conference at which this point was made. Also, Trotter has corresponded frequently with this toxicologist about the difficulty of obtaining a test of appliances for CO and the impact this has on the Algorithm which HPA designed for GPs.
Afterwards Stephanie Trotter and Jonathan Kane had a meeting with Paul Johnston CEO of the Gas Safe Register particularly to discuss smart metering and particularly to ask the Gas Safe Register if it would consider at least expressing an opinion in writing to the energy suppliers, DECC, Ofgem and HSE that those employees undertaking smart meter exchanges should all be fitted with Personal Alarm Monitors for CO (PAMs) and should also test gas appliances for CO both before and after the exchange and if there is CO, provide the parts per million of CO in writing to the responsible person and the consumer affected. Also if CO is found before exchange then the appliance and the gas should be turned off leaving the consumer safe. The charity also considers that the gas pressure should be tested before the meter is exchanged and the correct procedure followed because that too can affect safety.
Stephanie Trotter also put it to Paul Johnston that he should not ignore CO-Gas Safety's data. Discussion then followed about the accuracy of CO-Gas Safety's data. Stephanie Trotter made the point that the Gas Safety Trust's data had been criticised by Straight Statistics see http://www.straightstatistics.org/article/carbon-monoxide-killer-no-official-record but had praised CO-Gas Safety's data.
303. During the late Autumn Dr. Carolyn Craggs a statistician related with us with regard to our data on deaths and injuries from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning.
304. Considerable preparations were made by Stephanie Trotter with regard to our prize giving event on the 31st January 2012.
305. Stephanie Trotter continued to relate with and support victims.
306. Stephanie Trotter prepared the new press pack and made all the arrangements with regard to the event at the House of Lords on the 31.01.12.
307. An All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group meeting on the 25th January was attended by Paul Overton and Stephanie Trotter. Speakers were Steve Brown of Ofgem, Colin Connor of the HSE and Brian Martin of the DCLG. Steve Brown stated that the CO groups had influenced the Ofgem meetings with the GDNs (i.e. emergency service providers) and that progress was being made. The CO groups which had attended were almost entirely CO-Gas Safety (Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton) and occasionally The Dominic Rodgers Trust on the telephone. Brian Martin stated that the reason the building regulations had only required CO alarms for solid fuel appliances was because there are more deaths from solid fuel so the use of CO alarms was not justified for other fuels, such as gas. Baroness Finlay objected on the grounds that there are no automatic tests on dead bodies so we just don't know how many deaths there are with regard to each fuel. Stephanie Trotter and Paul Overton supported her in this contention. Paul Overton then stated that it was so odd that CO-Gas Safety's data was completely ignored when it was the most extensive, covering CO incidents from all fuels and the most checked, as we write to every Coroner with regard to every death, which is not done by any other body.
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