CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskSince October 2022, CO alarms are legally required in rooms with fixed combustion appliances. What care home operators must have in place.
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force on 1 October 2022, extending the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms to all residential premises in England where a fixed combustion appliance is present. For care homes, this means any room containing a boiler, gas fire, wood burner, or other fixed fuel-burning appliance must have a working CO alarm installed. The regulations apply regardless of when the building was constructed and without any grace period -- compliance was required from commencement.
A CO alarm must be installed in every room that contains a fixed combustion appliance. The definition specifically excludes gas cookers. In a care home, this typically means boiler rooms, plant rooms, and any rooms with gas fires or other fixed heating appliances. Where a boiler serves multiple rooms through ductwork, the alarm should be installed in the room containing the appliance. Alarms must be positioned at head height and away from any potential draught that could dilute the concentration before detection.
Alarms must comply with BS EN 50291. Sealed-unit, long-life alarms (typically 10-year) are strongly recommended for care settings. They eliminate the risk of battery failure between maintenance visits, are tamper-resistant, and reduce the burden of monthly battery checks. Interconnected CO alarms -- where one alarm triggers all others -- offer an additional layer of protection in larger buildings. Always check the manufacturer's end-of-life date on installation and record it in your maintenance log; CO alarms have a finite sensor life and must be replaced when they expire, regardless of apparent function.
CO alarms must be tested at least monthly. The test should be carried out using the alarm's own test button; do not use an aerosol CO spray test as this may not reflect the alarm's true sensor sensitivity. Record each test in your gas safety or fire safety log: date, location, tester name, result (pass/fail), and any remedial action taken. Any alarm that fails a test must be replaced immediately. Keep records for at least two years and have them available for CQC or HSE inspection.
If a CO alarm activates, it must be treated in exactly the same way as a fire alarm. The response procedure should be: evacuate the building using the standard fire evacuation procedure, call 999 (fire service or gas emergency as appropriate), do not re-enter the building, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Staff must be trained on this procedure during induction and at annual fire safety refresher training. The CO response procedure should be included in the Gas Safety Management section of the building's fire safety policy.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.