1. 1Do not confuse smell with carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. An alarm or suspected exposure must not be dismissed because nobody smells gas. Conversely, a fuel-gas odor can indicate an explosion hazard even without a CO alarm. Staff should communicate the actual observation rather than confidently labeling the cause.
2. 2Move communication outsideUse the emergency plan to direct occupants away without delaying departure. Once safe, give responders the address, access point, observed alarm or odor location and any reported symptoms. Do not send someone back to read equipment labels. Medical assessment belongs to emergency professionals.
3. 3Account for people and protect the boundaryUse designated assembly locations away from the suspected hazard and responder routes. Report missing people and their last known locations to responders; do not organize an unprotected search. Keep arrivals, deliveries and late staff from entering. Have one person relay updates to leadership.
4. 4Capture the handoff after the emergency is controlledAsk the responders and utility what restrictions remain and who must authorize reentry and equipment restart. Record names, times and directions. Arrange qualified inspection and repairs for implicated equipment. Opening windows, loss of odor or an alarm stopping does not establish that conditions are safe.
5. 5Separate building release from equipment releaseBefore resuming use, obtain the required clearance and communicate exactly what it covers. Equipment may remain locked out even when an area is released. Ensure qualified personnel perform any authorized restart and follow-up testing. Review the event for communication gaps and prevention actions without asking staff to recreate the hazardous conditions.

Adapt this example to confirmed facts and approved instructions. Replace every bracketed field before sending. Never issue an all-clear without the responsible authorization. Leave the building and move to [safe assembly location]. Do not reenter. Emergency responders have been called. Staff will provide further instructions from the assembly area.

• Reported conditions, times and symptoms relayed to responders • Accountability results and responder directions • Reentry authorization, equipment restrictions and qualified repair records

Before leaving or changing shifts, name the next responsible person, outstanding restrictions, expected contractor attendance and the next decision time. Confirm they received the handoff. Keep emergency work, temporary measures and permanent corrective work as separate tracked items so the visible symptom does not become the only thing that gets closed.

Free BuildingWrench downloads. The PDFs are in English.

References support the related safety notes; the management workflow is BuildingWrench editorial guidance, not an agency endorsement.

• Incident Command & Responsibility Worksheet — English PDF
• Occupant Emergency Notification Templates — English PDF
• Building Closure & Reopening Authorization Checklist — English PDF
• CDC: Carbon monoxide poisoning basics
• PG&E: Gas emergency guidance

• Looking for a leak before calling for help
• Using absence of odor to dismiss a CO concern
• Treating a quiet alarm as an all-clear