esv.vic.gov.au
Empowering Victorians to
manage open flued gas heaters
By Jonathan Granger, Head of Communications and Marketing
As well as changes to the regulatory regime, the Coroner’s
recommendations from the inquest into the death of Sonia
Sofianopoulos also highlighted the importance of raising public
awareness of the safety issues around open flued gas heaters.
Since the death of Chase and Tyler
Robinson in 2010, ESV has called on
Victorians to have their gas appliances
serviced by a qualified gasfitter at least
once every two years through the
CO is a Silent Killer campaign.
Supported by the boys’ mother and
CO awareness campaigner, Vanessa
Robinson, the campaign challenged
Victorians with its stark image of the
‘cold feet’ of a CO victim.
However, the Coroner has
recommended that ESV focus the
campaign on open flued heaters and
the concept of negative pressure.
This has led to the development of
a new CO awareness campaign
designed to empower people to
manage their open flued heater.
Research showed that the Silent Killer
campaign was very effective at making
people aware of the dangers of CO, but
there still remains a proportion of the
population who do not get their heater
serviced as recommended – once every
two years.
To be launched before winter 2019,
the new campaign will be designed to
empower Victorians to manage their
open flued gas heaters. While the
call to action will be ‘get your heater
serviced’, the campaign will go further,
demonstrating how to reduce the risk
of CO poisoning.
This includes relatively simple actions
such as not running exhaust fans,
including the kitchen rangehood or
the bathroom fan, at the same time as
operating an open flued heater, and
ensuring there is adequate ventilation.
Other recommendations
The Coroner’s primary recommendation
was that open flued gas heaters were
phased out from Victoria, but this is
likely to take some time. ESV is working
with industry which largely agrees with
a phase out but need time to adapt their
supply chains to the alternative ‘room-
sealed’ options.
The Coroner has also asked ESV to
publish technical advice on CO spillage
testing for gasfitters and plumbers, as
well as review how we communicate
changes to legislation and regulations.
The campaign will also help people
understand the symptoms of CO
poisoning (which can be similar to flu),
as well as the rights of renters when
it comes to negotiating the frequency
of servicing with landlords.
ESV will work with the Department of
Environment, Land, Water and Planning
(DELWP), the VBA, the Department of
Health and Human Services, Consumer
Affairs Victoria and the Chase and Tyler
Foundation to deliver this campaign. ESV
will also work with plumbers, gasfitters
and other tradespeople (such as
electricians) to ensure people are aware
of the importance of servicing.
The Conorer’s report is available
to at esv.vic.gov.au/co-coroners-
findings
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