Smell & Taste
Safety
Join our SmellSafety campaign
Our sense of smell is our early-warning system for hazards such as gas, smoke and spoiled food, yet many of us do not realise just how important a role it plays in our lives. Having a poor or no sense of smell can put your safety at risk.
Gas leaks can go undetected
Smoke from a dangerous house fire isn’t noticed
Food that has gone off can be a health risk
More people than ever before are experiencing problems with their sense of smell due to Long Covid, in addition to those who lose their sense of smell through other causes, including sinus problems, head injuries, or as part of the ageing process. Some people are born without a sense of smell.
A recent survey conducted by Fifth Sense showed that 46% of people with a smell disorder have experienced at least one gas safety scare over the last five years.
This is a significant problem, but there is a lack of recognition of the safety and wellbeing impact of smell disorders and not enough specialist healthcare services to help those affected.
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Fifth Sense is working to change this. We are launching a major campaign calling for action on three key issues:
- Improved knowledge and understanding of smell and taste disorders amongst the healthcare profession
- More specialist smell and taste services
- Improved recognition of the disabling effects of smell and taste impairment across the public and private sectors
We need your support with this vital work. If you would like to help then click the button below and follow the intructions.
Our sense of smell is our early warning system for hazards such as gas, smoke and spoiled food. Yet we often take it for granted and don’t appreciate the vital role it plays in our lives.
Fifth Sense is working with Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, to highlight the essential role that smell plays in our health, wellbeing and safety and enable people with a poor, altered or no sense of smell to stay safe and well at home.
Gas
Potentially the greatest danger posed to people affected by smell disorders is caused by something used daily in many homes, in fires, cookers and boilers. Natural gas is virtually odourless, so a very small amount of an unpleasant smelling chemical is added so that humans can detect its presence. This, of course, is of little use to someone who does not have the ability to detect odours.
Fifth Sense is working in partnership with Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, to raise awareness of the importance of the sense of smell from a gas safety perspective. For information on staying gas safe in your home visit the Cadent website.
‘The flat I was living in at the time had a gas oven.
You did have to be careful with it as the flame would sometimes blow out if the door was closed too quickly. On this particular evening my flatmate and I had cooked dinner, prior to heading off on separate nights out. Whether one of us had not turned the oven off properly and the flame had gone out I don’t know.
I arrived home a good few hours later that night, before my flatmate. I remember going down the corridor and into the kitchen to get a beer out of the fridge with an unlit cigarette in my mouth. It is fortunate that not only did we always keep the kitchen door closed (it being off a stairwell shared with another flat and therefore separate from the bedrooms and front room) but also that I didn’t light the cigarette. When I spoke to my flatmate the next day he told me that when arriving home he could smell the gas from the entrance to the building – down two flights of stairs and along a corridor – despite the kitchen door being closed.
It was rather scary to realise just how close I had come to probably blowing up not only myself but the people in the flats above and below. Although I still live in a flat that has gas, I am far more careful about checking the oven is turned off properly, and that fact that I do live with someone else means that they can be my surrogate nose!’
Our sense of smell is our early-warning system for hazards such as gas, smoke and spoiled food, yet many of us do not realise just how important a role it plays in our lives. Having a poor or no sense of smell can put your safety at risk.
Stay SmellSafe with these 4 steps provided by our partners Cadent, the UK’s biggest gas distribution network
- Get your gas appliances serviced every year by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. Visit gassaferegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
- Fit a natural gas detector – these can detect dangerous and ignitable gas escaping and will sound an alarm to warn you of the danger.
- Know what to do in the event of a gas escape – if your gas detector sounds, call the National Gas Emergency number for free on 0800 111 999* immediately.
- Sign up to the Priority Services Register and gain access to additional support. We recognise a sense loss as a condition and want to ensure you are responded to as a priority. In the event of a gas emergency, you will receive extra services tailored to meet your needs.
For more gas safety advice visit the Cadent website.
Fire/Smoke
Whilst some signs of fire/smoke are visible, smell can provide an early warning sign that those with a smell disorder are unable to rely upon. Having smoke detectors installed and regularly tested are important for everyone – in the UK, the local fire service can provide these or they can be purchased in most general stores and supermarkets or online.
‘I test my smoke alarms weekly
They are an essential resource for me so I can leave my kitchen when cooking and sleep well at night!’
Cleaning
When cleaning using products such as bleach, disinfectant and aersol sprays, ensure you have adequate ventilation to avoid a build up of fumes that you may not detect. As one Fifth Sense member explained:
‘It was a winter day and I was cleaning my kitchen with all the doors and windows closed.
My daughter arrived home and couldn’t believe that I had not been overpowered by the combination of cleaning products – I take extra care to ensure I have doors or windows open now’.
Food
People with olfactory disorders also face problems when it comes to storing and eating food. Without smell to act as an indicator of when something is starting to turn bad there is the risk of sickness or food poisoning. There are of course visual signs such as discolouration that indicate when food has started to go off, but smell is usually the first warning signal.
‘I have to depend on others to smell for me.
My nose cannot tell me when I open the fridge that something has gone off. I check sell by dates but they aren’t wholly reliable especially if the package has been opened. My partner and children always help me with this.’
If you live alone and don't have anyone to help you with this, labelling food with the date you opened it can help you keep track of how fresh your food is.
If you live alone and don't have anyone to help you with this, labelling food with the date you opened it can help you keep track of how fresh your food is.
As detailed in the Smell, Taste and Flavour section of this site, smell and taste are intrinsically linked. Many people affected by olfactory loss are, therefore, unable to detect much (if not all) of the flavour in the food they eat, which can result in loss of appetite. Some regularly forget to eat at all. This can result in health problems such as weight loss and malnutrition. It is very important to eat regularly and maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
Personal and Family Hygiene
It is worth bearing in mind that if you cannot smell other things, nor can you smell yourself or those close to you. If you have young children, worrying if you can smell a dirty nappy is normal.
From a social perspective, it is very important for people with a smell disorder to maintain good personal hygiene, for obvious reasons. Wearing natural fibres such as cotton and wool can help as they better absorb odour molecules and help keep your clothes fresher.
Paying attention to regular shower/bathing and using anti-perspirant deodorants can also help. The sensitive conversation highlighted below isn’t one any of us would want to have:
‘When I worry that I might smell I often ask friends “Do I smell? Honestly?”
Only for them to smile benignly, shake their head and point blank refuse to actually nuzzle their nostrils into my armpit like I was hoping. Not only will they not tell you; they won’t even check.’
Health and Safety Tips for People with Olfactory Disorders
- Download Information Sheet #8 Safety Sense from The Learning Zone to help you check your needs.
- Ask family and friends to be your designated nose to help you with all aspects of health, safety and care.
- Make sure you get your gas appliances serviced every year.
- Have smoke alarms in your home – install them just outside the kitchen door, on landings and stairways.
- Consider purchasing a natural gas detector – they can be sourced online by a simple google search.
- When cleaning, ensure rooms are well ventilated by opening doors/windows.
- Bathe/shower regularly and use anti-perspirant deodorant.
- Wear natural fibres where possible like pure wool, cotton or linen.
- Pay attention to how heavy babies nappies feel to ensure you change them when they need it.
- Ensure that you pay attention to ‘use-by’ dates on food.
- Try labelling open cartons or packs of food in the refrigerator with the date on which you opened them.
- If you live with someone who is able to detect odours normally, ask them to smell food for you.
- If in doubt, throw it out!
- Remember to eat regularly, and set reminders on your watch, phone etc if need be.
- Monitor your weight in case it declines due to loss of appetite.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Explore different foods and ways of cooking them. Create dishes that make use of interesting combinations of texture and colour. Use ingredients that stimulate the taste buds – salty, bitter, sweet and sour – and use spices to add interest.
Our newsletters feature a dedicated Food Tips section. To receive this join Fifth Sense for free by clicking here