We read a lot about the harmful effects that carbon dioxide (CO2) has on the environment and its contribution to climate change, but it is not widely publicised that CO2 can actually be harmful to human beings also. This misconception perhaps comes from the fact that CO2 is necessary for us to be able to breathe. However, if concentration levels become high, CO2 replaces the oxygen we need and becomes harmful.
Poor air quality is also a vehicle in which airborne viruses can thrive, which of course is a highly sensitive issue which requires strong management procedures at the moment.
In this instance, CO2 becomes an asphyxiant, and starts to affect how the body functions. So, exposure to high concentrations can lead to headaches, dizziness, restlessness, tiredness, pins & needles and nausea, and in extreme cases can lead to difficulty breathing, elevated blood pressure, coma or convulsions.
How is CO2 harmful to humans?
CO2 is the fourth most abundant gas in the atmosphere, and it is a by-product of normal cell function when we breathe out of our body. But how CO2 affects us and how we react to it can depend on our personal health and habits, and how long we are exposed to it. Because CO2 is colourless and odourless in gas form (in solid form it can be known as dry ice) it is hard to detect, and because we take in oxygen and release CO2 when breathing, concentration levels can become high when lots of people are in an enclosed room for a period of time.
This is why TIS have developed the TIS CO2, a digital hand-held CO2 monitor. CO2 only accounts for 0.03% of the atmosphere, so you need accurate and reliable equipment to detect where high concentrations might develop. The TIS CO2 has a range of 400 to 5000 ppm and generally speaking, a reading of 400 to 1000 ppm would be found in a normal occupied room with a good air exchange, ie. an office with a functioning air conditioning system or open windows. It is when you see a reading above 1000 ppm that you might find people complaining of drowsiness or headaches, and of course, the symptoms may get gradually worse as you find concentration levels over 2000ppm.
Accurate and reliable CO2 concentration readings
The TIS CO2 has a large LCD screen which gives quick and easy-to-read measurements. You can set a minimum and maximum level where an audible alarm will sound if limits are being reached, and can also get average readings, time-weighted average readings and short term exposure limits. This instrument can also measure temperature and humidity, so it can be used as a very effective all-round method of monitoring the safety of workplace environments, such as offices, but also public environments such as shops, hospitality, schools and hospitals.
Every employer has a duty to manage the health and safety of their employees and a liability towards public safety, and increasingly this is requiring new tools and new procedures to ensure every hazard in the working environment or a public place is recognised, monitored and controlled. The TIS CO2 instrument is a great example of how TIS are reacting to these needs and ensuring you have a reliable mechanism to carry out this duty, so talk to our experts today and we can work with you to ensure CO2 concentrations are controlled in your environment.