Portable generator safety and carbon monoxide

The CPSC rules

These are CPSC’s own words and numbers, from its Carbon Monoxide Information Center and a May 27, 2026 news release. CPSC also says that one portable generator can produce the same amount of carbon monoxide as hundreds of cars.

• Never use a portable generator inside homes, garages, basements, crawlspaces, sheds or other enclosed areas, even if doors or windows are open.
• Use generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from homes and buildings, with the exhaust directed away from windows, doors and vents.
• Install battery-operated CO alarms, or alarms with battery backup, on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Interconnected alarms are best.
• Test alarms monthly and replace batteries if needed. Never ignore an alarm when it sounds: get outside, then call 911.
• Never use charcoal indoors. Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the door open.

Ready.gov, from FEMA, gives the same 20 feet and adds that generators and fuel should be kept at least that far from windows, doors and attached garages.

What carbon monoxide does

CPSC calls CO the “Invisible Killer”: a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. Its news release says it can kill within minutes, often before victims recognize symptoms.

The symptoms CPSC lists are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and confusion. If you suspect CO poisoning, get outside to fresh air immediately and then call 911. We are not medical advisers: this is the agency’s guidance, with its pages named in the facts table at the end.

What the CPSC staff counted

CPSC staff compiled fatal non-fire CO incidents tied to engine-driven tools from 2012 to 2022 that were reported to them as of April 17, 2023. The report says the information “does not represent a complete set of all incidents” and is a “minimum count”. The table gives the main findings, each taken from the Executive Summary or Table 11.

Source: CPSC, Carbon Monoxide Information Center, cpsc.gov; CPSC staff report, Fatal Incidents Associated with Non-Fire CO Poisoning from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 2012-2022 (Apr. 2023 data). The staff report is marked as not reviewed or accepted by the Commission; the incident counts are a minimum, not a full count. Retrieved 2026-10-02. CSV, 14 rows.

Table 11 of the report lists 789 generator-related deaths over the eleven years, with the highest yearly count in 2020 (104). The last two years are incomplete.

Where and why people were hurt

The report’s pattern is plain. Most deaths were at home, and most were with the generator inside or close to the living space. In 66% of fixed-structure home deaths for which information was available, no apparent ventilation of the exhaust was attempted. The report also notes that 64% of those incidents were in houses under 1,500 square feet.

The generator was outdoors in 5% of generator-related deaths. In those cases it sat close enough to windows, air conditioners or other openings to let CO get inside. That is why the 20 feet matters.

One 2021 case in the report involved a generator with a CO shutoff feature, advertised as certified to ANSI/PGMA G300-2018. It was outside the home, under eaves with soffit vents into the attic, with its exhaust aimed at a closed door. The report says it did not shut off. A safety feature is not a reason to move the generator closer.

Power shut-offs by the utility, for a bill dispute, nonpayment or another reason, were behind 86 incidents and 117 deaths. If you are facing a shutoff for unpaid bills, there may be help and legal protections: see shutoff rules by state and your state help page before you turn to a generator.

Alarms

Only 33 deaths, 4% of engine-driven tool deaths in the report, were in incidents where an alarm was known to be present. In 17 of those, the alarm was not working: no batteries, batteries put in wrong, drained batteries, no current, or it did not sound for an unknown reason. In 13, the alarm sounded, but the signal was misunderstood, the alarm was disarmed, or it sounded inside the house while the death was in an attached garage.

That is the case for battery backup, monthly tests, and getting out the moment an alarm goes off.

What to look for when you buy

CPSC’s 2026 release says to look for portable generators that have a CO shut-off safety feature, which automatically shuts the unit off when dangerous CO builds nearby. It says models certified to the latest PGMA G300-2023 and UL 2201-2023 standards include CO safety technologies meant to reduce poisoning risk, and that UL 2201 models also have reduced CO emissions.

It also says to read the labels, instructions and warnings in the manual, and to check and maintain the generator. Ready.gov adds: keep the generator dry, connect appliances with heavy-duty extension cords, and let it cool before refueling, because spilled fuel can ignite on hot parts. Touching a wet generator or a device plugged into one can cause shock.

What you are trying to run, our scenario

People ask how big a generator they need. We cannot tell you: the listings give running watts, not starting surge, and your generator’s manual gives its ratings. What we can do is show running watts of common loads from the ENERGY STAR lists.

Source: ENERGY STAR product lists, via data/appliances_es.json (2 Oct 2026). Running watts only: the lists give no starting surge, so for starting load: no data. Retrieved 2026-10-02. CSV, 5 rows.

Assumptions (our scenario): one refrigerator, one television, two ceiling fans and one window air conditioner, all at their median running watts, add up to about 917 W. Swap the window unit for a central 3-ton system and the total is about 2,376 W. These are the medians in the lists, not your appliances; start from your own nameplates. For food and fridge rules see what to do in a power outage, and for hot weather heat waves and air conditioning costs.

What this page cannot tell you

The CPSC counts come from reports to CPSC staff and are a minimum. We have no data on how many generators are in use, on fuel use or run times, or on any single model. The staff report is a staff document that CPSC marks as not reviewed or accepted by the Commission. For current guidance, use the CPSC pages linked in the table.

Key facts and where they come from

CSV, 13 rows.

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