05/05/2018 CO2 Carbon Dioxide Gas Exposure limits

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Exposure Limits for Carbon Dioxide Gas

CO2 Limits
CO2 EXPOSURE LIMITS - CONTENTS: carbon dioxide gas, CO2 exposure limits
POST a QUESTION or READ FAQs about allowable exposure limits for carbon dioxide
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Carbon Dioxide Exposure:

This document discusses the exposure limits for carbon dioxide gas (CO2). We give references and explanation regarding Toxicity of
Carbon Dioxide, based on literature search and search on Compuserve's Safety Forum by Dan Friedman. This is background information,
obtained from expert sources.

This text may assist readers in understanding these topics. However it should by no means be considered complete nor authoritative. Seek
prompt advice from your doctor or health/safety experts if you have any reason to be concerned about exposure to toxic gases.

Links on this page also direct the reader to carbon monoxide gas information in a separate document. IF YOU SUSPECT ANY BUILDING
GAS-RELATED POISONING GO INTO FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY and get others out of the building, then call your fire department or
emergency services for help.

We also provide a MASTER INDEX to this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information
you need.

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What are the Allowable Limits of CO2 EXPOSURE - Carbon dioxide exposure limits
PEL and TLV set by OSHA and NIOSH
Carbon dioxide is regulated for diverse purposes but not as a toxic substance. The table below summarizes
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The U.S. EPA CO2 exposure limits: The U.S. EPA recommends a maximum concentration of Carbon dioxide CO2 of 1000 ppm (0.1%
for continuous exposure.
ASHRAE standard 62-1989 recommends an indoor air ventilation standard of 20 cfm per person of outdoor air or a CO2 level which i
below 1000ppm.
NIOSH CO2 exposure limits: NIOSH recommends a maximum concentration of carbon dioxide of 10,000 ppm or 1% (for the
workplace, for a 10-hr work shift with a ceiling of 3.0% or 30,000 ppm for any 10-minute period). These are the highest threshold limit
value (TLV) and permissible exposure limit (PEL) assigned to any material.
OSHA CO2 exposure limits: OSHA recommends a lowest oxygen concentration of 19.5% in the work place for a full work-shift
exposure. As we calculated above, for the indoor workplace oxygen level to reach 19.5% (down from its normal 20.9% oxygen level i
outdoor air) by displacement of oxygen by CO2, that is, to reduce the oxygen level by about 6% (1.4 absolute percentage points
divided by 20.9% starting point = 0.06), the CO2 or carbon dioxide level would have to increase to about 1.4% 14,000 ppm.
ACGIH exposure limit recommendations for Carbon Dioxide are as follows:
CO2 TLV-TWA, 5,000 ppm (9000 mg/m3)
CO2 TLV-STEL, 30,000 ppm (54,000 mg/m3)
Quoting:
A TLV-TWA of 5000 ppm (9000 mg/m3) and a TLV-STEL of 30,000 ppm (54,000 mg/m3) are recommended for occupational
exposure to carbon dioxide. The recommended values are intended to minimize the potential for asphyxiation and undue
metabolic stress. The TLV-STEL is based on the short term, high carbon dioxide exposure studies that produced increased
pulmonary ventilation rates. Sufficient data were not available to recommend Skin, SEN, or carcinogenicity notations. [1]

In summary, OSHA, NIOSH, and ACGIH occupational exposure standards are 0.5% CO2 (5,000 ppm) averaged over a 40 hour week, 0.3%
(30,000 ppm) average for a short-term (15 minute) exposure [we discuss and define "short term exposure limits" STEL below], and 4%
(40,000 ppm) as the maximum instantaneous limit considered immediately dangerous to life and health. All three of these exposure limit
conditions must be satisfied, always and together.

What laws regulate carbon dioxide exposure levels?

Of the several industrial hygiene standards-setting groups in this country, the most important and/or most quoted are the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the American Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) but these are recommended standards, not laws.

Standards promulgated by OSHA (called Permissible Exposure Limits or PELs) have the force of law. The other standards are advisory.
However OSHA claims the power to force compliance with NIOSH "Recommended Standards" if it chooses to do so. (The main advantage
of ACGIH Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) is that they are reviewed and updated annually; neither NIOSH nor OSHA updates its standards
with any regular frequency.)

NIOSH limits on Carbon Dioxide Exposure: NIOSH's recommended CO2 exposure limit for 15 minutes is 3 percent. A CO2 level of 4
percent is designated by NIOSH as immediately dangerous to life or health.

OSHA limits on Carbon Dioxide Exposure: The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration, OSHA, has set
Permissible Exposure Limits for Carbon Dioxide in workplace atmospheres at 10,000 ppm of CO2 measured as a Time Weighted Average
(TWA) level of exposure and OSHA has set 30,000 ppm of CO2 as a Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL). OSHA has also set a Transitional
Limit of 5,000 ppm CO2 exposure TWA. [OSHA's former limit for carbon dioxide was 5000 ppm as an 8-hour TWA.]

Definitions of Short Term Exposure Limits or STEL

What is the definition of "short term exposure" or "Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)"? The ACGIH has defined STEL as the concentration
(in this case of a gas in air) to which workers can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without suffering from irritation, chronic
or irreversible tissue damage, or narcosis of sufficient degree to increase the likelihood of accidental injury, impair self-rescue or materially
reduce work efficiency.

What is a "short period"? and what is "short term exposure"?: The definition of "short period" is provided indirectly by ACGIH:

1. If during an 8-hour work shift (and before it has ended) a worker is exposed to a substance in excess of the threshold limit value, time
weighted average exposure permitted exposure level for the entire shift, then that exposure has exceeded the short term exposure
limit or STEL.
2. If a worker is exposed to more than four STEL periods during the course of an 8-hour work shift, with less than 60 minutes between
those exposure periods, then also that exposure has exceeded the STEL.

History of Threshold Limit Values TLVs for Carbon Dioxide Exposure Limits [1]

Historical TLVs for CO2 [In the U.S.]

Year Measure Limit

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1946-1947 MAC-TWA 5000 ppm

1948-present TLV-TWA 5000 ppm

1976-1985 TLV-STEL 15,000 ppm

1984 proposed TLV-STEL 30,000 ppm

1985-present TLV-STEL 30,000 ppm - i.e. 3.0% concentration of CO2

Notes:

Source: ACGIH recommendations for CO2 .pdf [1][1b]

Dangerous Levels of CO2 Encountered Outdoors?

Reader Question: 11/25/2014 Rox said:

What is a dangerous level of CO2 outdoors ? I know that we are at about 300-400ppm, at what point it is too dangerous to go outside
because of the level on CO2 ?

Reply:

Rox

At our home page for Carbon Dioxide information (CO2 ) you'll find text on the toxicity of this gas.

See CARBON DIOXIDE - CO2

including comparing indoor with outdoor carbon dioxide levels. It would be unlikely for you to encounter toxic levels of CO2 outdoors unless
the outdoor area were somehow enclosed on all sides, in still air and was receiving a source of high-concentration of carbon dioxide gas o
unless the area is one exposed to high levels of combustion such as Naeher (2000). In Naeher's research CO2 served principally as an
easy-to-measure indicator of other more problematic air quality problems such as high levels of particulates associated with open fires,
wood burning stoves, and in some cases gas stoves. In other words, you'd be standing in a smoky area.

The outdoor level of carbon dioxide is relatively constant with occasional peaks

You will find that most research on hazards of gases in outdoor air address carbon monoxide (CO) not carbon dioxide (CO2) - see Curtis
(2006) or Thompson (1973).

Outdoor Air Quality and Carbon Dioxide CO2 Levels

Some interesting research that addresses you outdoor air quality question includes the following authors who discuss indoor and outdoor
CO2 levels.

Baek, Sung-Ok, Yoon-Shin Kim, and Roger Perry. "Indoor air quality in homes, offices and restaurants in Korean urban areas—
indoor/outdoor relationships." Atmospheric Environment 31, no. 4 (1997): 529-544.
Bobak, Martin. "Outdoor air pollution, low birth weight, and prematurity." Environmental health perspectives 108, no. 2 (2000): 173.
Curtis, Luke, William Rea, Patricia Smith-Willis, Ervin Fenyves, and Yaqin Pan. "Adverse health effects of outdoor air pollutants."
Environment International 32, no. 6 (2006): 815-830. - Abstract:

Much research on the health effects of outdoor air pollution has been published in the last decade. The goal of this review is to
concisely summarize a wide range of the recent research on health effects of many types of outdoor air pollution. A review of the
health effects of major outdoor air pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, acid gases, metals,
volatile organics, solvents, pesticides, radiation and bioaerosols is presented.

Numerous studies have linked atmospheric pollutants to many types of health problems of many body systems including the
respiratory, cardiovascular, immunological, hematological, neurological and reproductive/ developmental systems. Some studies hav
found increases in respiratory and cardiovascular problems at outdoor pollutant levels well below standards set by such agencies as
the US EPA and WHO.

Air pollution is associated with large increases in medical expenses, morbidity and is estimated to cause about 800,000 annual
premature deaths worldwide [Cohen, A.J., Ross Alexander, H., Ostro, B., Pandey, K.D., Kryzanowski, M., Kunzail, N., et al., 2005.
The global burden of disease due to outdoor air pollution. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 68: 1–7.]. Further research on the health effects
of air pollution and air pollutant abatement methods should be very helpful to physicians, public health officials, industrialists,
politicians and the general public.
Lee, S. C., and M. Chang. "Indoor and outdoor air quality investigation at schools in Hong Kong." Chemosphere 41, no. 1 (2000): 109
113.

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Maheswaran, Ravi, Robert P. Haining, Paul Brindley, Jane Law, Tim Pearson, Peter R. Fryers, Stephen Wise, and Michael J.
Campbell. "Outdoor Air Pollution and Stroke in Sheffield, United Kingdom A Small-Area Level Geographical Study." Stroke 36, no. 2
(2005): 239-243.
Menzies, Richard, Robyn Tamblyn, Jean-Pierre Farant, James Hanley, Fatima Nunes, and Robert Tamblyn. "The effect of varying
levels of outdoor-air supply on the symptoms of sick building syndrome." New England Journal of Medicine 328, no. 12 (1993): 821-
827.
Naeher, L. P., B. P. Leaderer, and K. R. Smith. "Particulate matter and carbon monoxide in highland Guatemala: indoor and outdoor
levels from traditional and improved wood stoves and gas stoves." Indoor air 10, no. 3 (2000): 200-205.
Ott, Wayne R., and John W. Roberts. "Everyday exposure to toxic pollutants." Scientific American 278, no. 2 (1998): 72-7.
REFERENCES at the end of this document contain a more-extensive citation list addressing cargon dioxide and other gases
Thompson, C. Ray, Earl G. Hensel, and Gerrit Kats. "Outdoor-indoor levels of six air pollutants." Journal of the Air Pollution Control
Association 23, no. 10 (1973): 881-886.

...

Continue reading at CO2 HEALTH EFFECTS or select a topic from closely-related articles below, or see our complete INDEX to
RELATED ARTICLES below.

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Carbon Dioxide Articles

CARBON DIOXIDE - CO2
CO2 EXPOSURE LIMITS
CO2 HEALTH EFFECTS
CO2 POISONING SYMPTOMS
TYPICAL CO2 LEVELS

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(Oct 6, 2017) Wm. said:

Wood pellet storage. Our monitors are set to go off at 35ppm. We are told osha standard is 50ppm. If monitor reads 64ppm is it safe to
work in?

(Jan 18, 2016) Anonymous said: 1

An easier way to come up with the amount of CO for this problem is as follows.
The easiest way that most of us will measure O2 is with an electrochemical sensor. So lets do some math.
An electrochemical sensor is reading O2. O2 is around 20% of fresh air. So the sensor is reading around 1/5 of the atmosphere.
When CO2 is introduced it is not just displacing O2, it is displacing the atmosphere.
We are reading CO2 in ppm. So, 1 million ppm = 100%, 500,000 = 50%, 100,000 = 10%, 10,000 = 1%.
If your O2 sensor goes from 20.9 to 19.5 you would assume that 14,000 ppm of CO2 was there by the sentence above.
BUT, remember the O2 sensor is reading something that is only around 1/5 of the atmosphere. It is not an atmosphere sensor but an O2
sensor. 1/5 has been entered in the formula by this and must be factored in.
Take your 14,000ppm and times it by 5. You now have 70,000ppm
At work I just do it like this.
Every 1/10 that the O2 sensor drops, is equal to 5000ppm.
Example - O2 sensor reading of 20.9 goes down to 20.5. A difference of .4. Take the 4 X 5000 = 20,000ppm of CO2 is there.

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(Oct 22, 2015) Henry Baxter said: 2

Your calculation of CO2 increase to create an O2 deficiency is incorrect.
To reduce your O2 from 20.9% to 19.5% (by 1.4%) you have to account for the dilution of N2 in air as well as O2
A typical N2/O2 ratio of fresh air is 3.77:1, i.e. n2 is 3.77 times more abundant than O2 in air.
Assuming there is dilution only (i.e. no consumption of O2 or other gasses) For a given O2 % you can work out the N2% by multiplying
O2%x3.77
e.g. 19.5% O2 would have 3.77 x 19.5 = 73.5% N2 associated with it.
19.5 + 73.5 = 93% i.e. the air fraction makes up 93% of the total.
If the sole diluting agent is CO2 then the balance (7%) is the concentration of CO2 required to get less than 19.5% O2.

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