Health Tip: Carbon Monoxide Safety

(HealthDay News) -- Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as "the invisible killer" because it's a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas.

More than 150 people in the United States die each year from accidental CO poisoning, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The commission encourages consumers to:

• Have annual heating system inspections.
• Never use portable generators indoors.
• Never use an oven for heating.
• Install battery-operated CO alarms.
• Know the symptoms of CO poisoning.