WHITEHALL, March 17 – State Rep. Jeanne McNeill has reintroduced legislation to protect children from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning incidents at child care facilities across Pennsylvania. 

“Carbon monoxide has no smell, no color and typically gives symptoms like headaches and nausea that children and their educators wouldn’t immediately associate with carbon monoxide poisoning,” said McNeill, D-Lehigh. “Because of how covert carbon monoxide dangers can be, it is absolutely essential that child care facilities are equipped with CO alarms.” 

Under her bill, buildings that house child care facilities with possible sources of carbon monoxide would be required to have one or more carbon monoxide alarms, depending on the size of the building. 

Added McNeill, “This past October, a tragic event unfolded right here at an Allentown daycare center where more than two dozen children and their caregivers had to be rushed to the hospital because of a carbon monoxide leak. My bill would help prevent these tragic events from happening again to another child or daycare worker.”

According to McNeill, there are currently no statewide carbon monoxide alarm requirements in place, and hundreds of Americans die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning, with an estimated 50,000 sent to the emergency room from accidental exposure annually. 

McNeill said H.B. 494 has more than two dozen bipartisan co-sponsors and awaits referral to committee in the PA House.

 

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Thomas LeClair
House Democratic Communications Office

 

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