Requires a study concerning the cost of installing hard-wired carbon monoxide detectors in schools

BILL NUMBER:S5489A

Title of bill

An act directing the state education department to conduct a study concerning the cost of installing hard-wired carbon monoxide detectors in each instructional school facility in public school districts and boards of cooperative educational services

Purpose

To protect the health and safety of elementary and secondary school students by requiring a study on the cost of installation of carbon monoxide detectors in all public school buildings used for k-12 instruction in New York State.

Summary of provisions

Section 1. Requires the State Education Department to conduct a study on the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in every public elementary and secondary school in New York State no later than July 31 of 2014.

The manufacturing, design and installation standards for this section shall be what have been established by the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council.

Existing law

Since 2010, one and two-family homes, and apartments in multiple dwellings such as condominiums are required to be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors, school buildings are not currently subject to any such requirement.

Justification

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas which can cause nausea, headaches and dizziness, if it is allowed to build up in enclosed spaces, it can be deadly. Carbon monoxide detectors repre- sent an inexpensive and effective way to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning, especially in all children, who unlike adults, have higher respiratory rates until they reach adulthood.

Currently, school buildings first occupied on or after January 31, 2007 have to be so equipped with CO detectors when they opened. However, New York State has over 4,200 public school buildings constructed prior to 2007. These schools house over 3 million school-age children daily during every academic school year. All these schools operate on fossil fuels which produce CO as a byproduct of combustion.

Every year, some 500 Americans die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and over 15,000 have to be treated for CO poisoning. More needs to be done to protect children from such exposure while in school.

As with smoke detectors/fire alarms many years ago, carbon monoxide detectors have earned the respect of the fire service as a valuable tool in the saving of lives. Everyone recognizes that carbon monoxide kills if not responded to immediately. The most serious quality of CO is that, unlike smoke, it is virtually undetectable, even when someone is awake and alert.

The Legislature recently recognized the value of these devices by requiring their installation in one and two-family homes and apartments in multiple dwellings. However, carbon monoxide detectors are not currently required in school buildings. This bill calls on the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council to establish criteria for carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in every elementary and secondary school building in New York State where heating equipment or other factors pose a substantial risk of exposure to carbon monoxide.

The study and required recommendations from SED on the installation of CO detectors will help to ensure that the buildings our students attend are made safer without imposing any burdensome costs on school districts.

Legislative history

New Bill

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.