UL Standards & Engagement: U.S. State CO Risk Assessment Report

Posted May 6, 2025

U.S. State CO Risk Assessment Report

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Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a pervasive yet preventable threat in the United States, causing significant harm each year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 430 Americans die annually from unintentional CO poisoning, and an estimated 50,000 people seek emergency care due to accidental exposure.

Recognizing the urgency of this “silent killer,” UL Standards & Engagement has developed the CO Risk Assessment to evaluate each U.S. state’s code and regulatory efforts, health outcomes, and public awareness. The assessment draws on multiple data sources across the last two decades to ensure a comprehensive assessment across public health outcomes, state-level mandates for indoor CO detector presence, and public awareness measures.

U.S. State CO Risk Assessment Report | UL Standards & Engagement

New ULSE Report: 86 Million Americans Are Unprotected Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Posted May 29, 2024

Key findings in the UL Standards & Engagement report include:

  1. More than one-third of U.S. homes have no CO detection: One-third (36%) of U.S. adults — 86.2 million individuals — have no means of detecting CO leaks in their homes. Further, many Americans are confused about what counts as detection. Nearly three in ten (29%) U.S. consumers — more than an estimated 69 million Americans — say they do not need (17%) or are unsure (12%) if they need a CO alarm in the home if smoke alarms are present.
  2. Generator owners do not feel at risk — or know there is one: An estimated 29 million Americans own a portable generator, primarily to deal with power outages in extreme weather. Even though portable generators are responsible for 81% of CO deaths, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission data, the ULSE survey found that 62% said they do not feel that they or their household are at risk of CO exposure or poisoning from their generator, and another 23% of generator owners did not realize that these appliances are a potential source of CO.
  3. Assumed CO protection in public places: Despite an inconsistent patchwork of requirements and codes across states, Americans are largely not concerned with CO in public settings like churches, daycares, restaurants, and hotels. Half of Americans do not worry about exposure to CO in public spaces because they trust that CO alarms are installed. Nearly half (46%) of travelers do not worry about CO exposure when staying in hotels and rental properties because they assume CO alarms are installed, and another 44% say they believe every state has laws that require alarms.

New Report: 86 Million Americans Are Unprotected Against Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (yahoo.com)